Mesa County’s commercial sales volume through the first three quarters of 2025 is up 36 percent over 2024’s total for the same time frame, according to data provided by Bray & Co. Real Estate Development.

The total through Sept. 2025 is $203 million, compared with $148.8 million through three quarters in 2024.

Bray & Co. Development Director Kevin Bray said much of the increase can be attributed to one major transaction: Mesa Mall sold July 18 for $49 million and included just under 400,000 square feet on 30.8 acres. The mall sale did not include the restaurant pad sites, Dillards, Target or Cabela’s/Bass Pro Shops.

Bray said other notable sales in the third quarter include:

• Peach Street Distillers in Palisade, which sold July 21 for $1.23 million.
• The former Guild Mortgage office space at 501 Main St., which sold July 15 for $2.5 million.
• Dutch Bros Coffee, which sold Aug. 25 for $2.66 million.
• The Bookcliff Apartments at 1250 Bookcliff Ave., a 14-unit apartment building that sold for $1.725 million on Sept. 8.

Looking at the data for Mesa County’s third quarter this year, Kevin Bray shared the following observations:

• Commercial building permits, not including commercial remodels, are up 23 percent over 2024, increasing from 26 permits issued in 2024 to 32 so far this year.

“The increase highlights continued confidence in Mesa County’s commercial market, and while higher construction costs, continued material and labor shortages and longer timelines pose challenges, expanding industries and a steadily growing population create meaningful opportunities for new development,” Bray wrote in a news release.

• The third quarter of 2025 showed a slight increase in the number of units closed with 151 sold year to date in 2025 compared to 147 transactions during the same period last year.
• Active commercial listings were comparable to this year’s second quarter with a decrease of only 1.4 percent, from 208 to 205, and down 5.5 percent from the third quarter of 2024, dropping from 217 to 205.
• Active leases remain steady in the upper 100s with 180 currently on the market.
• County sales tax collections are up 2.5 percent year over year, rising from $40.9 million in 2024 to $42 million so far in 2025.
• According to the September 2025 report, year-to-date tax revenue has increased 23.5 percent in the construction industry, 24.9 percent in finance and 14.8 percent in the professional sector. It has decreased 8.1 percent in the medical industry and 5.4 percent in utilities.
• In retail categories, auto sales and general merchandising have seen the largest increases at 5.9 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively. Home improvement decreased 3.1 percent, and food and beverages decreased 0.8 percent. Most other retail categories have had slight increases.