Ownership Submission
FORM 4
Check this box if no longer subject to Section 16. Form 4 or Form 5 obligations may continue. See Instruction 1(b).
UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES

Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940
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(Print or Type Responses)
1. Name and Address of Reporting Person *
MIZEL LARRY A
   2. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol
MDC HOLDINGS INC [MDC] 		5. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer
(Check all applicable)
__X__ Director __X__ 10% Owner
__X__ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
Chairman of the Board and CEO
(Last)
(First)
(Middle)
4350 S. MONACO STREET, SUITE 500		 3. Date of Earliest Transaction (Month/Day/Year)
08/17/2012
(Street)

DENVER, CO 80237		 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed(Month/Day/Year)
 6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing(Check Applicable Line)
_X_ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person
(City)
(State)
(Zip)
Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 3. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 4. Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4 and 5)		 5. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 6. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 7. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V Amount (A) or (D) Price
Common Stock $.01 Par Value 08/17/2012   M   46,625 A $ 21.39 226,625 D  
Common Stock $.01 Par Value 08/17/2012   S   46,625 D $ 33.62 (1) 180,000 D  
Common Stock $.01 Par Value               5,012,737 I By Ari Capital Partners, LLLP (2)
Common Stock $.01 Par Value               3,507 I By 401(k) (3)
Common Stock $.01 Par Value               1,362,214 I By CGM Capital, LLLP (4)

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
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Table II - Derivative Securities Acquired, Disposed of, or Beneficially Owned
(e.g., puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)
1. Title of Derivative Security
(Instr. 3)		 2. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security 3. Transaction Date (Month/Day/Year) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (Month/Day/Year) 4. Transaction Code
(Instr. 8)		 5. Number of Derivative Securities Acquired (A) or Disposed of (D)
(Instr. 3, 4, and 5)		 6. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date
(Month/Day/Year)		 7. Title and Amount of Underlying Securities
(Instr. 3 and 4)		 8. Price of Derivative Security
(Instr. 5)		 9. Number of Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned Following Reported Transaction(s)
(Instr. 4)		 10. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I)
(Instr. 4)		 11. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership
(Instr. 4)
Code V (A) (D) Date Exercisable Expiration Date Title Amount or Number of Shares
Non-Statutory Stock Option (right to buy) $ 21.39 08/17/2012   M     46,625 11/18/2002(5) 11/18/2012 Common Stock $.01 Par Value 46,625 $ 0 0 D  

Reporting Owners

Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships
 Director  10% Owner  Officer  Other
MIZEL LARRY A
4350 S. MONACO STREET
SUITE 500
DENVER, CO 80237		   X   X   Chairman of the Board and CEO  

Signatures

 Larry A. Mizel   08/17/2012
**Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

* If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 4(b)(v).
** Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
(1) The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $33.22 to $34.13, inclusive. The reporting person undertakes to provide to M.D.C. Holdings, Inc., any security holder of M.D.C. Holdings, Inc., or the staff of the Securities and Exchange Commission, upon request, full information regarding the number of shares sold at each separate price within the ranges set forth in this footnote.
(2) Reporting Person may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of the shares held by ARI Capital Partners, LLLP ("Ari Capital"). The sole general partner of Ari Capital is CVentures, Inc. ("CVentures"), a corporation, which has approximately a 1% partnership interest in Ari Capital. Reporting Person is the beneficiary of various trusts which own 50.6885% of the stock of CVentures. Also, Reporting Person is a director and president of CVentures and may be deemed to control the other 49.3115% of the common stock of CVentures. A trust, of which Reporting Person is the sole beneficiary, is the sole limited partner of Ari Capital, and has approximately a 99% partnership interest in Ari Capital. Reporting Person and Reporting Person's spouse are trustees of the trust.
(3) Shares are held in Reporting Person's 401(k) Savings Plan account which changes on a daily basis.
(4) Reporting Person may be deemed to have beneficial ownership of these shares held by CGM Capital LLLP ("CGM Capital"). The general partner of CGM Capital is CVentures, Inc. ("CVentures"), and has a 1% equity interest in CGM Capital. A trust, of which Reporting Person's spouse is the sole beneficiary, is the limited partner of CGM Capital, and has a 99% equity interest in CGM Capital. Reporting Person is a trustee of this trust.
(5) This option, under the Company's 2001 Equity Incentive Plan, became exercisable as to 25% of the shares covered thereby on November 18, 2005 and as to 75% of the shares covered thereby on November 18, 2006.

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