<ARTICLE> 5 <LEGEND> THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM MDC Holdings, Inc. condensed consolidated financial statements included in its Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended September 30, 1995 AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. </LEGEND> <MULTIPLIER> 1,000 <PERIOD-TYPE> 9-MOS <FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1995 <PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1995 <PERIOD-END> SEP-30-1995 <CASH> 17,165 <SECURITIES> 6,387 <RECEIVABLES> 14,385 <ALLOWANCES> 0 <INVENTORY> 455,803 <CURRENT-ASSETS> 0 <PP&E> 9,575 <DEPRECIATION> 0 <TOTAL-ASSETS> 675,976 <CURRENT-LIABILITIES> 0 <BONDS> 300,524 <COMMON> 225 <PREFERRED-MANDATORY> 0 <PREFERRED> 0 <OTHER-SE> 201,851 <TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY> 675,976 <SALES> 618,683 <TOTAL-REVENUES> 642,368 <CGS> 593,287 <TOTAL-COSTS> 11,551 <OTHER-EXPENSES> 9,794 <LOSS-PROVISION> 0 <INTEREST-EXPENSE> 6,313 <INCOME-PRETAX> 21,423 <INCOME-TAX> 7,479 <INCOME-CONTINUING> 13,944 <DISCONTINUED> 0 <EXTRAORDINARY> 0 <CHANGES> 0 <NET-INCOME> 13,944 <EPS-PRIMARY> .69 <EPS-DILUTED> .63