Learn trends, earn credits at Real Estate Conference

BOULDER — Real estate professionals can learn ways to adapt to change in the Boulder area market next Thursday at the 18th annual Boulder Valley Real Estate Conference, and pick up seven continuing-education credits along the way.

The conference will run from 8:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Limelight hotel, 1295 University Ave., and the credits are offered through BoLo Realtors and the Colorado Department of Regulatory Agencies.

Sessions will focus on various aspects of residential and commercial real estate, including a residential forecast by Jay Kalinski, managing broker of Re/Max of Boulder.

Geoffrey Keys, CEO of Keys Commercial, will lead a panel discussion of the commercial sector.

Other sessions will explore:

• Office at a Crossroads — Boulder’s office market faces significant headwinds, with persistently high vacancy rates, leases and loans nearing renewal, and shifting tenant demands. This panel will examine the challenges while highlighting opportunities, including how emerging industries such as aerospace, quantum technology, and artificial intelligence could play a pivotal role in driving future occupancy and growth.
• Insuring the Future: Risk & Warrantability in Real Estate — Explore the complex insurance and warrantability challenges impacting the Boulder Valley’s real estate sector. Industry experts will address rising costs, coverage limitations, lender requirements, and the implications for buyers, developers and investors. Gain insights into strategies for navigating evolving risks while maintaining market confidence and project viability.
• Vacancies to Vibrancy: Retail & Restaurant Drivers — Join industry leaders as they explore Boulder’s evolving retail and restaurant landscape — highlighting national and local brands entering the market, strategies for filling persistent vacancies, and the role of redevelopment. Panelists will also examine how major events such as the Sundance Film Festival may reshape opportunities for downtown vibrancy, tourism, and long-term economic growth.
• Advancing Middle-Income Housing — Building on the Boulder Valley Middle-Income Housing Summit, this session will present key recommendations and actionable strategies to address housing affordability. Panelists will discuss policy tools, financing mechanisms, and development opportunities aimed at expanding attainable housing options, fostering collaboration among stakeholders, and shaping solutions for the Boulder Valley’s middle-income workforce.
• The National Outlook — What does the future hold for housing starts, home sales, prices and mortgage rates in 2026 and beyond? Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors, will outline the latest data and provide his predictions for the nation’s housing market.
• Breaking Ground — Communities throughout the Boulder Valley continue to see new commercial and residential construction, with some projects in the planning stage and others already emerging from the ground. Our panel of development directors will provide a complete rundown of the region’s top projects.

Registration for the conference can be accomplished on the BizWest website. General admission is $85, or $95 on the day of the event. CE credits cost $20 and are purchased separately, with a link on the BizWest site.

Sponsors include charter sponsor Re/Max of Boulder; title sponsor Elevations Credit Union; and associate sponsors Alchemer, Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti, Cottonwood Custom Builders Inc., Ent Credit Union, FirstBank, Holland & Hart, Koelbel & Co., Longmont Economic Development Partnership and Lyons Gaddis.

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