Chad McWhinney has been building in Colorado for more than three decades. As co-founder and CEO of Realberry, formerly McWhinney, Chad has helped shape some of the state’s most recognizable places. In fact, his portfolio includes Denver Union Station, Dairy Block, the Crawford Hotel, and Centerra in Northern Colorado. In this conversation with Chris Lopez, Chad walks through his origin story, the philosophy behind the firm, and the vision guiding Realberry’s next chapter.

Chad and his brother Troy co-founded what is now Realberry after Chad moved from Southern California to Loveland at age 19. From there, the conversation traces the story behind Centerra. Specifically, it covers putting options on Loveland farmland in the early 1990s and closing on 3,300 acres through Farm Credit Services in 1997. Next, it moves through the eleventh-hour partnership that brought the McWhinney family into Denver Union Station. Along the way, Chad also explains how the firm thinks about asset allocation and why long-hold, aligned capital produces better real estate outcomes than short-term institutional capital.

Today, Realberry is one of Colorado’s most established privately-held real estate platforms. For example, the firm has earned ULI Awards of Excellence at both Denver Union Station and Dairy Block, and Michelin Keys recognition at the Crawford. In addition, the firm is backed by roughly 300 long-term investors, many of whom have been with the firm for over 30 years. Notably, Realberry also locked approximately $1.7 billion in long-duration debt at near-zero rates before COVID, protecting investor capital through the current rate cycle.

Overall, the recent rebrand from McWhinney to Realberry reflects the firm’s move to broaden investor access. Beyond that, Chad shares his read on Colorado’s evolving legislative environment. Ultimately, he closes with his view that tokenization will eventually give individual investors direct access to institutional-grade real estate.

Stay tuned for upcoming episodes featuring Realberry’s leadership team and behind-the-scenes property walks through some of Denver’s most recognizable developments.

00:00 Welcome and Guest Introduction
01:10 From Southern California to Colorado
05:21 Assembling 3,300 Acres in Loveland
09:50 Building Centerra
14:12 The Denver Union Station Partnership
25:54 Portfolio Approach Across Asset Classes
27:50 Colorado Multifamily Outlook
32:03 Colorado Legislative Environment and Capital Sentiment
36:11 Northern Colorado Growth
38:50 The Realberry Rebrand
41:41 Tokenization and Investor Access
47:12 Long-Hold Capital and Placemaking
51:49 Closing and Upcoming Episodes

Realberry

Chad McWhinney

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcwhinneychad/

Books referenced in the episode

Realberry, formerly McWhinney, is a Denver-based real estate investment, development, and management firm founded in 1991 by brothers Chad and Troy McWhinney. For nearly 35 years, the firm has focused on creating places people love, with a portfolio spanning master-planned communities, multifamily, hospitality, industrial, and mixed-use developments. Its work includes Denver Union Station, Dairy Block, the Crawford Hotel, and Centerra, and has earned ULI Awards of Excellence, Michelin Keys, and U.S. News Best Hotels recognition. Realberry is family-founded, community-centered, and future-focused.

In Q2 2026, 5 of 6 Denver detached home segments posted negative price growth. Only homes above 2,991 square feet were positive, up 1.6%. That’s the kind of detail that gets averaged out when you only look at metro-level numbers, and it’s the reason this Q2 2026 Denver real estate recap goes segment by segment through Your Castle Real Estate’s quarterly trends packet.

Chris Lopez walks through Your Castle’s Q2 2026 Denver Metro Trends packet in this solo episode. This isn’t a monthly market snapshot. It’s a quarterly deep dive that goes underneath the metro average to show where the real Q2 price action was happening.

When you break the detached market into six size buckets, the smaller homes were down 2 to 3% while only the largest segment held positive ground. On the condo side, units under 750 square feet were down 12% while the largest condos held flat. That’s why flippers Chris talks to shifted toward $800,000 and million-dollar-plus homes through the first half of 2026 rather than hunting the entry-level market.

Chris also walks through the 50-year log-scale view of Denver home prices, comparing today’s slow correction to the harder resets of the GFC and the 1980s, and closes with a pricing lesson from Q2 transaction data.

The Q2 2026 Denver real estate recap from Your Castle’s data shows a segmented market where the pressure sat almost entirely on smaller detached homes and small condos, while the largest homes held or gained. Whether you’re a buyer, seller, or holder, this recap gives you the segment-level read on what actually happened in Q2 and where the openings showed up.

00:00 Intro
02:11 – The Denver inventory surprise that caught Chris off guard
04:22 – Why the metro average is hiding the real Q2 story
05:11– The only home size that gained value last quarter
07:05 – Why flippers moved into luxury homes in Q2
08:27 – Where Denver condo prices took the biggest hit
09:26– Denver home prices on a 50-year view
14:11 – The pricing rule that separates 12-day sales from 68

Your Castle Real Estate Q2 2026 Denver Metro Trends packet
Email Chris: [email protected]

Denver active listings ended June at 12,744, down roughly 9% from the same month last year, catching the panel off guard in this June 2026 Denver real estate market update. Most expected inventory to keep climbing through the summer. Instead, the Denver metro is heading into the back half of the year with less supply than it had a year ago, while median prices remain locked near $600,000 for the fourth straight year. Colorado Springs looks even flatter, with June closing at a $499,900 median and almost no movement month over month or year over year.

Host Chris Lopez sits down with the full panel of Jenny Bayless of Colorado Springs, Jeff White of Envision Advisors, Troy Howell of Nova Home Loans, and Brandon Scholten of Keyrenter Denver. Together they walk through the June DMAR and Colorado Springs data, then move into two closed deals and the shifting picture in commercial multifamily debt. You get the ground-level view from the brokers, lenders, and property managers actually working these deals.

The conversation also covers a Lakewood condo that finally sold for $150,000 after being listed at $270,000 and briefly dropped to $1 as a test. On the multifamily side, Chris shares a 100-unit Colorado Springs deal his fund closed near $11 million after the previous owner ran out of money at a roughly $17 million basis. Meanwhile, a Loveland fourplex traded at $685,000 with $27,000 in seller credits, bought down to a rate near 6.8% on a 5% down owner-occupied loan.

From there, the June 2026 Denver real estate market update digs into the federal 21st Century Road to Housing Act and its 350-home institutional threshold, plus the extend and pretend cycle in commercial multifamily lending. Denver Business Journal quotes Mark Bell of Stinson describing extensions, negotiated ownership changes, and new equity infusions as the tools being used today. Chris shares his read after a night with Pinnacle Commercial brokers on why 2026 and 2027 could finally break the cycle.

Whether you are house hacking your first duplex or holding a mid-size multifamily, Denver’s June 2026 real estate market update gives you the specific numbers and local context to make your next move.

00:00 Welcome and Full Panel Introductions

01:37 Colorado Springs June Stats and Flat Median Prices

05:05 Denver Inventory Drops 9% Year Over Year

09:44 Why Denver Median Prices Stayed Flat for Four Years

12:55 Sellers Renting Instead of Cutting Prices

14:25 Class C Condo Market and the One Dollar Listing Story

17:46 Colorado Springs Duplex Sale Closes at List

23:46 Loveland Fourplex House Hack with $27K Seller Credits

26:54 Underwriting Path From Single Family to Fourplex

28:40 21st Century Road to Housing Act Breakdown

34:54 Extend and Pretend Commercial Lending Shift

40:52 Fund Deal on 100-Unit Colorado Springs Multifamily

46:00 Rate Outlook and the New Fed Chair

48:42 Closing Thoughts and How to Reach the Team

Commercial real estate workouts gain traction as loans come due in Denver
Metro Denver home prices continue to hold at mid-2022 levels
Stinson Law Firm
Pinnacle Commercial Real Estate

Keyrenter Property Management Denver provides rental solutions for homeowners and real estate investors in the metro area who are interested in transforming their properties into passive income. It offers various services, from property marketing and thorough applicant screening to tenant placement and 24/7 maintenance services. Keyrenter Denver’s team of experts can take the clients’ burden of managing their rental off their hands so they can get back to what matters to them.

For over 40 years, we’ve been focused on helping homeowners find the perfect loan to fit their financial needs and personal goals. Working with NOVA is a personalized experience from initial application to final loan closing and beyond. We will be with you every step of the way toward successful homeownership. Start working with NOVA & Troy Howell today!

NOVA FINANCIAL & INVESTMENT CORPORATION, DBA NOVA HOME LOANS NMLS 3087/ EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY/8055 EAST TUFTS AVENUE, SUITE 101/DENVER, CO

Denver’s rental market is telling two very different stories right now. Single-family homes are holding their rent levels year over year, but condos and older multifamily units are getting hit hard. Eric Ross of CRT Management walked through three Denver submarkets that show the split clearly, and the numbers are sobering for anyone holding condo or small multi inventory.

Chris Lopez sits down with Eric, who manages 950 doors across the Denver metro and has spent 18 years in local property management. Eric pulled real Zillow data from Aurora North, the 225 and Chambers corridor, and the Wheat Ridge and Lakewood submarket. In one Aurora zip code, there are 48 single-family rentals available compared to 590 condo and multifamily units competing for the same tenants. One-bedroom rents in that pocket have dropped to $745 a month, levels he hasn’t seen in over a decade.

Robinwood tells the story even more sharply. Two years ago, Eric was getting nearly $2,700 for a three-bedroom through the Housing Choice Voucher program. Today, those same units are renting closer to $1,895, pricing that takes the complex back to 2018 and 2019 levels. Eric also breaks down why Denver County logged 15,953 eviction filings in 2025, which is up roughly 72% from pre-pandemic levels, and what Colorado’s recent legislation around income requirements, credit checks, and habitability has done to landlord operations.

Eric also shares his outlook for mid-2027 rents and what he thinks needs to happen for the market to stabilize. Whether you own a single-family rental, a condo, or a small multi in the Denver metro, this conversation gives you the ground-level data you need to make smart decisions through the rest of this cycle. Subscribe to the Denver Real Estate Investing Podcast for new episodes every Tuesday.

00:00 – Welcome and Eric Ross introduction

02:15 – 2025 vs 2026 rent comparison across unit types

06:08 – Aurora North submarket, 48 single-family vs 590 condos and multi

11:03- Comparing today’s cycle to 2008

12:48 – 225 and Chambers submarket and the Robinwood case study

17:12 – HUD’s mid-year Fair Market Rent adjustment

22:45 – Wheat Ridge and Lakewood submarket breakdown

25:04 – Denver eviction filings up 72% from pre-pandemic

26:35 – How the 2x rent income mandate is driving evictions

30:14- Eviction timelines and the 10-day vs 30-day CARES Act split

34:00 – Violence Against Women Act protections and compliance cases

36:30- The House Bill 1090 utility billback fix

40:03 – Risk mitigation through private and public housing partnerships

47:27 – Rent forecast for mid-2027

CRT Management Website: CRTManage.com
CRT Management Email: [email protected]
Eric Ross on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ericrossindnever/
Workforce Housing Coalition
AAMD
Colorado Coalition for the Homeless
Rocky Mountain Human Services

An indoor family entertainment concept that started in Aurora is quietly on track to become a billion dollar enterprise, and most Colorado investors have not heard the story yet. Lava Island opened its first park in 2018 and now operates 11 locations across the country, with every single new park cash flowing positive in its first month.

Chris Lopez sits down with Dan Price, managing partner at Amplify Capital, to break down the Lava Island investment opportunity. Dan came to this deal after a 9-figure exit in insurance services and is now the single largest investor in the offering, calling it a once in a couple decades opportunity.

The conversation covers what makes Lava Island structurally different from Urban Air, Sky Zone, and Boondocks. The 2 to 12 age focus, the absence of arcades and go-karts, and a staffing model that runs on roughly 40 people versus 120+ at competitors all combine into a simpler, lower liability, higher margin business.

Dan gets specific on the numbers behind the Lava Island investment opportunity. The original Aurora location did 6 million in top line revenue on 10 dollar hourly passes. Each new build costs around 4.5 million. The reinvestment fund is modeled at a 6.8x MOIC with target exit in late 2029 or early 2030. The cash flow fund delivered a 16.44 percent annualized distribution in May and is projected to hit the mid 30s by the end of next year. Accelerated depreciation gave 2025 investors 1.17 dollars in deduction losses per dollar invested.

For offering details and data room access on the Lava Island investment opportunity, reach out through ampcap.co.

This is the most aggressive offering Lava Island will run before terms tighten in future raises. If you have wanted exposure to a proven family entertainment concept with national expansion underway, this is the episode to listen to before reaching out.

00:00 Welcome and intro to Lava Island family entertainment investment

01:30 Dan Price background ranching roots to 9-figure insurance services exit

05:04 From Narrate Ventures to Amplify Capital growth capital rebrand

06:54 Why founders need partners painful and lonely journey

08:23 What Lava Island is 2 to 12 age focus vs Urban Air Sky Zone Boondocks

13:03 Operating leverage 40 staff vs 120+ at competitors

14:45 Liability de-risked no go-karts no climbing walls no teenagers

16:24 Founders Boyd and Celeste 15+ years building parks across Europe

23:06 CEO Chase hired with one location pedigree of scaling exits

25:34 Vertically integrated construction Polish muralists hand-paint every wall

28:44 11 locations open expansion to 40+ targeting billion dollar enterprise value

31:04 Every location cash flow positive month one

32:04 Reinvestment fund 6.8x MOIC modeled returns and qualified purchaser requirement

34:25 Cash flow fund 16.44% annualized May distribution mid 30s projected

35:06 Accelerated depreciation $1.17 deduction per dollar invested in 2025

36:41 How to reach Amplify Capital

Amplify Capital

Lava Island

Reach out to Chris and the team by emailing [email protected] for a warm intro to Amplify Capital or to discuss the opportunity further.

Two single-family houses on one lot in Denver for $610,000. A 4-bedroom front house and a 5-bedroom back house, each with separate entrances, separate utilities, and two addresses. As a result, you get the kind of house hack property that pops up maybe one to five times a year on the MLS.

In this episode, we break down Jeff White’s 10th house hack, which closed in early May. First, Chris Lopez sits down with Jeff and Troy Howell of Nova Home Loans to unpack the numbers, the loan structure, and the strategy stack behind the deal. To start, Jeff and his wife Suleyka began their house hack journey in 2017 with a single fourplex, replacing a $1,500 monthly mortgage payment with $0. Nine years later, they’re hitting double digits. Meanwhile, Troy structured the financing at 5.625 percent with $24,500 in seller credits.

Next, Jeff walks through how he found the deal, why the listing agent picked his offer over a higher one, and the strategy stack he ran before going under contract. For example, market rents pencil at $5,800 a month. By comparison, rent by room hits $7,200. Then, Section 8 lands at $6,900. Ultimately, the sober living triple net play Jeff landed on pays $3,600 per house with the operator covering all utilities on a 5-year lease.

If you’ve been waiting on the sidelines for Denver to make sense again, this house hack breakdown shows what’s actually getting done in 2026.

00:00 – Welcome and intro to the 10th house hack 

02:38 – The 10 house hack milestone starting in 2017 

03:11 – Every strategy tried along the way 

07:09- How to hit 10 house hacks in 9 years 

08:50- The daily search routine – 7 saved searches 

09:57- The property – two houses, one lot, $599K 

11:18- Why the listing agent picked this offer 

15:39 – Running the strategy stack on this property 

-20:00 – The sober living triple net play 

20:52 – Loan details with Troy at 5.625% 

22:10- The $24,500 seller credit story 

24:38 – Investor scenario – $3,011 monthly cash flow 

29:09 – Year 2 house hack – 41% cash on cash 

30:25- Positive leverage and an 11% cap rate 

35:38- The $85K discount client story 

36:25 – Best buying time since 2017

Jeff White: [email protected]

Troy Howell: [email protected]

Denver House Hacking Spreadsheet

Website: https://www.novahomeloans.com/loan-officer/troy-howell/

For over 40 years, we’ve been focused on helping homeowners find the perfect loan to fit their financial needs and personal goals. Working with NOVA is a personalized experience from initial application to final loan closing and beyond. We will be with you every step of the way toward successful homeownership. Start working with NOVA & Troy Howell today!

NOVA FINANCIAL & INVESTMENT CORPORATION, DBA NOVA HOME LOANS NMLS 3087/ EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY/8055 EAST TUFTS AVENUE, SUITE 101/DENVER, CO

Former Superior mayor Clint Folsom has owned Boulder student rentals for over three decades and led Superior through the Marshall Fire rebuild. He brings a perspective most Colorado investors will never get.

Host Chris Lopez sits down with Clint to break down what’s actually moving in the CU Boulder student rental market. They walk through two live listings, a $915K five-bedroom south of campus and a $2.26M seven-bedroom duplex on University Hill, and run the gross rent multiplier math on each. Clint explains why GRM beats cap rate for student rentals and how the 2024 Colorado occupancy law change opened up bigger houses to more tenants legally.

The conversation then shifts to the Marshall Fire, which destroyed roughly 1,100 structures in December 2021, including about 400 in Superior. Clint shares what he discovered when he audited his own policies in the aftermath, and why most Colorado landlords have two specific coverage gaps that could ruin them after a major loss.

Whether you’re analyzing a Boulder rental, auditing your insurance policies, or thinking about how to get more involved locally, Clint’s experience offers a roadmap most Colorado investors never get.

00:00 – Welcome and Clint Folsom intro
01:58- Boulder market overview and Pine Brook Hills
03:10 – CU Boulder student rental basics
05:27 – 2024 Colorado occupancy law change
07:21 – Boulder student housing price per bedroom
09:10 – University Hill rent ranges per bedroom
11:53 – GRM vs cap rate for student rentals
13:32 – GRM walkthrough on two Boulder listings
16:57 – Boulder rental licensing requirements
18:25 – Buying a CU Boulder rental for your kid
20:20- Marshall Fire recap, 1,100 structures lost
22:39 – Landlord underinsurance lessons
25:35- 24 months of lost rent coverage
27:19- Marshall Fire rebuild, 80% in 4 years
28:53 – FEMA coordinated debris removal
33:42 – Home inspector to mayor of Superior
38:49- Investors engaging in local government
40:42 – Where to find Clint Folsom

Reach out to Clint Folsom:

Folsom and Company Real Estate: https://www.folsomco.com
Clint Folsom on LinkedIn
Clint Folsom on Facebook

The Denver May 2026 real estate market update delivered a surprise nobody saw coming. Active inventory dropped nearly 10% year over year, the first time that’s happened in years. Everyone expected the opposite. With affordability stretched and rates still elevated, the consensus was that inventory would keep climbing through 2026. Instead, new listings collapsed 17.2% and sellers are choosing to wait rather than test a softer market.

Chris Lopez sits down with Jeff White of Envision Advisors, Brandon Scholten of Keyrenter, and Troy Howell of Nova Home Loans to unpack what’s actually happening underneath the headline numbers. Attached property average prices ticked up 3.4% year over year, days on market nearly tripled the median in some categories, and 71% of Denver agents closed zero deals last year.

Then Brandon walks through Keyrenter’s new 3-7-12 day vacancy management plan and shares a real example where a $1,600 rental dropped to $1,475 by day seven and leased before the next adjustment. The team also breaks down why some Denver short-term rental operators are looking at midterm conversions as commercial tax rates eat their margins.

The episode closes with a full deal breakdown on a Loveland fourplex at $685K with $27K in seller credits, all units renting at $1,400, and a creative third-bedroom conversion play hiding in the enclosed patios. This Denver May 2026 real estate market update covers the data, the strategy shifts, and the deal mechanics investors need to act on right now.

If you invest in Colorado real estate or are watching the Denver housing market in May 2026, this episode covers the data and decisions that matter right now.

00:00 Welcome and Panel Introductions

01:23 – Denver inventory drops 10% year over year

04:42– New listings down 17% as sellers wait

07:52 – Foreclosure data and credit card debt theory

11:38 – Attached prices up 3.4%, days on market double the median

21:15 – The flat sideways market thesis

22:25 – Brandon’s 3-7-12 day vacancy management plan

31:22– Short-term operators eyeing midterm as taxes hit

35:29 – Keyrenter hiring for midterm division

37:25 – Loveland fourplex breakdown at $685K

42:55 – $27K in seller credits and how Troy structures them

49:20 – Final numbers on the 6.375% fourplex financing

Keyrenter is hiring for a new midterm rental position to spearhead the Midterm Rental division. The role involves networking, client and tenant relations, and potentially some traditional leasing duties to start. Ideal candidates have some real estate investment experience of their own, whether that’s a house hack, a small rental portfolio, or active involvement in the local investor community. It’s a good fit for someone who wants to combine their investing interest with a day job in property management.

Interested candidates can email [email protected].

Keyrenter Property Management Denver provides rental solutions for homeowners and real estate investors in the metro area who are interested in transforming their properties into passive income. It offers various services, from property marketing and thorough applicant screening to tenant placement and 24/7 maintenance services. Keyrenter Denver’s team of experts can take the clients’ burden of managing their rental off their hands so they can get back to what matters to them.

For over 40 years, we’ve been focused on helping homeowners find the perfect loan to fit their financial needs and personal goals. Working with NOVA is a personalized experience from initial application to final loan closing and beyond. We will be with you every step of the way toward successful homeownership. Start working with NOVA & Troy Howell today!

NOVA FINANCIAL & INVESTMENT CORPORATION, DBA NOVA HOME LOANS NMLS 3087/ EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY/8055 EAST TUFTS AVENUE, SUITE 101/DENVER, CO

The Denver multifamily market just handed investors something they haven’t seen in a decade. Soft demand, motivated sellers, and seller credits big enough to buy your rate down into the fives. Right now, deals that didn’t pencil two years ago are starting to look like real opportunities for both house hackers and landlords.

Host Chris Lopez sits down with Jeff White, Envision Advisors broker and active investor who just closed on his 10th house hack, plus Lender Troy Howell from Nova Home Loans. Jeff bought down his most recent purchase to 5.625% using seller credits, and the three break down exactly how he did it.

The trio walks through three live Front Range deals — a Lakewood side-by-side duplex at $769K, an Aurora triplex at $625K, and a Wheat Ridge duplex at $775K. Each one gets analyzed through two lenses. First as a house hacker putting 5% down. Then as an investor at 25% down. The Lakewood duplex can house hack for $133 a month and cash flow $1,000 a month in year two. The Aurora triplex starts break-even and hits $1,000 a month after a few rent adjustments and one Section 8 conversion.

Jeff and Troy also unpack the rules of thumb that matter right now. The 2% cash-on-cash benchmark for Denver multifamily. The $32K cost of waiting three years to buy. Why a soft market with higher rates is actually an investor’s best friend. And the property manager debate every new landlord wrestles with.

Whether you’re looking at your first house hack or your tenth optimization play, this episode shows you exactly how the math works on real Denver deals today.

00:00 – Episode preview and what’s ahead 

01:47 – Lakewood duplex breakdown at $769K 

04:43 – House hacking for $133/month with four roommates 07:20 – Investor lens on the Lakewood duplex 

10:19 – Aurora triplex and why it’s investor-only 

13:45 – Year two optimization turns break-even into cash flow 16:32 – Wheat Ridge duplex near the Highlands 

21:05- Q1 vs Q2 market shift and extended winter 

24:40 – The $32K cost of waiting three years 

31:18 – Why a soft market favors investors 

33:56 – Buying down the rate to 5.625% with seller credits 

40:13 – Self-managing first, hiring a PM later 

45:09 – Why “perfect” deals don’t exist

For over 40 years, we’ve been focused on helping homeowners find the perfect loan to fit their financial needs and personal goals. Working with NOVA is a personalized experience from initial application to final loan closing and beyond. We will be with you every step of the way toward successful homeownership. Start working with NOVA & Troy Howell today!

NOVA FINANCIAL & INVESTMENT CORPORATION, DBA NOVA HOME LOANS NMLS 3087/ EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY/8055 EAST TUFTS AVENUE, SUITE 101/DENVER, CO

The Denver fix and flip market 2026 is producing a strange combination. Strong showing activity and soft offer volume. One Arvada property sat through 57 showings in 44 days. The deal that finally came in fell apart when the buyer’s grandmother refused to release the down payment. That’s the market Derek Marlin is navigating right now.

Derek Marlin founded Elevation in 2014. The company does fix and flips, wholesaling, fee-based project management, and runs a brokerage team at eXp. He also runs the Elevation Academy and the Broadway Collective, a Denver co-work space that recently hit 100% occupancy. His team runs 3 company flips at a time and operates at roughly 85% off-market acquisition volume.

In this conversation, Derek Marlin and Chris break down the Denver fix and flip market 2026 from the ground up. Motivated sellers are still anchored to 2021 valuations. Carrying costs add up fast when deals drag 6 weeks longer than planned. Derek also walks through his 4-offer model. It gives sellers a cash offer, a fix-in option, a fee-based consulting path, or a partnership flip. The partnership flip now requires putting the seller on title in an LLC before Elevation funds the rehab. That change came after too many sellers changed their minds mid-project.

Derek Marlin’s direct, data-grounded take on current conditions is the kind of real-time Colorado flip intel you won’t find anywhere else. If you are active in the Denver fix and flip market in 2026 or thinking about getting started, this episode is worth your full attention.

00:00 Derek Marlin and Elevation intro — flips, wholesaling, brokerage, education

02:29 Denver flip market read — healthy but disillusioned

07:30 Motivated sellers anchored to 2021 — how to reframe the conversation

06:47 Arvada flip case study — $60K rehab, $725K list, 57 showings, 44 days on market

11:05 Grandma terminates the deal — undisclosed down payment source kills $719K contract

12:25 Velocity of money — why Derek dropped to $700K instead of waiting

20:32 Off-market acquisitions — 85% off-market and the target 70/30 split

27:39 2026 deal flow — 3 company flips, 5 consulting clients, 7 wholesales

30:39 Price Points and Wholesaling — Why Derek Stays Below $900K and Passes the Rest

33:39 Tear gas house — SWAT raid, $405K rehab, $1.4M sale, $181K client profit in 6 months

37:30 Elevation Academy — $997 full-day training, June 5th, what’s included

39:24 Denver market outlook — optimistic long-term, defensive on underwriting