EXHIBIT 32.1

                                  CERTIFICATION

      Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the undersigned
Chief Executive Officer of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc. (the "Company") hereby
certifies that the Report on Form 10-K of the Company for the period ended
December 31, 2004, accompanying this certification, fully complies with the
requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
and that information contained in the periodic report fairly presents, in all
material respects, the financial condition and results of operations of the
Company.

Date: February 17, 2005.                     /s/ Larry A. Mizel
                                             -------------------------
                                             Larry A. Mizel
                                             Chief Executive Officer

The foregoing certification is being furnished solely pursuant to Rule 13a-14(b)
under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 1350 of Title 18, United
States Code, and is not being filed as part of the report or as a separate
disclosure document.