Sec Form 4 Filing - MIZEL LARRY A @ MDC HOLDINGS INC - 2012-08-16

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 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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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 (MM/DD/YY) 08/16/2012 (Street) DENVER, CO80237 4. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YY) 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 (MM/DD/YY) 2A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 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 08/16/2012 M 75,000 A $ 21.39 255,000 D Common Stock $.01 Par Value 08/16/2012 S 30,662 D $ 32.65 ( 1 ) 224,338 D Common Stock $.01 Par Value 08/16/2012 S 44,338 D $ 33.36 ( 2 ) 180,000 D Common Stock $.01 Par Value 5,012,737 I By Ari Capital Partners, LLLP ( 3 ) Common Stock $.01 Par Value 3,507 I By 401(k) ( 4 ) Common Stock $.01 Par Value 1,362,214 I By CGM Capital, LLLP ( 5 )

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 (MM/DD/YY) 3A. Deemed Execution Date, if any (MM/DD/YY) 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 (MM/DD/YY) 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 08/16/2012 M 75,000 11/18/2005( 6 ) 11/18/2012 Common Stock $.01 Par Value 75,000 $ 0 46,625 D

Reporting Owners Reporting Owner Name / Address Relationships Director 10% Owner Officer Other MIZEL LARRY A 4350 S. MONACO STREET SUITE 500 DENVER, CO80237 X X Chairman of the Board and CEO Signatures Larry A. Mizel 08/17/2012 Signature of Reporting Person Date

Explanation of Responses:

( 1 )The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $32.10 to $33.09, 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 )The price reported in Column 4 is a weighted average price. These shares were sold in multiple transactions at prices ranging from $33.10 to $33.73, 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. ( 3 )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. ( 4 )Shares are held in Reporting Person's 401(k) Savings Plan account which changes on a daily basis. ( 5 )Reporting Person may be deemd 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. ( 6 )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.

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.

* 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).

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