Are there Too Many Real Estate Agents in the Roaring Fork Valley? | Avant Garde Aspen Real Estate

Many people in the Roaring Fork Valley talk about how there are too many real estate brokers. But why? Like many other places around the country, the COVID years saw a surge in the number of brokers for such a small valley.

In 2017 there were 547 licensed agents, by 2020 there were 700, and by 2024 there were 803. In 2022, the general population of the Roaring Fork Valley was around 40,000 people. All things considered, that's still only one broker per every 50 people or so.

According to the 2019 Greater Roaring Fork Housing study, the region's population is expected to grow by 25,000 in the next ten years, with a third of that growth occurring in the 65+ population. This growth in population translates to a shortfall of 5,700 units for people making below 100% of area median income (AMI) by 2027. So while we may have more real estate brokers in the valley, we also will have more population growth and people trying to move to the valley over time.

The main problem is - we don't have the inventory and we don't have enough units to sell. A lock-in effect for both affordable and luxury housing, plus not enough new construction, and increasing prices trickling down-valley from Aspen, are what have made the landscape so competitive.

There were 918 total sales in the entire valley from Aspen to Glenwood Springs in 2023, and 272 YTD in 2024.