Questions About Selling a House in Des Moines, IA

What you keep is not the sale price by itself. Compare the written price with costs that apply to your house and your other sale option, such as repairs, agent commission, concessions, cleanout, utilities, insurance, taxes, mortgage payoff, liens, and the time you carry the property. Those amounts vary by property, so compare likely net proceeds rather than one headline price.

We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us. Start with the condition, access, occupancy, and timing you know.

We give written cash offers in 24 hours. Written offer and written terms before you commit; title-company closing. The offer timing is not a property-specific closing date; review the written terms for the actual house.

We have two ways to buy. A Cash Offer is built for speed, condition, and tough situations — heavy repairs, tight timelines, difficult circumstances. EZ Sale is often the better fit when the house doesn't need major repairs and you want a higher number. Either way, you compare written numbers and you pick what works best for you.

Iowa real estate transfer tax is 80 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the price above the first $500. The person conveying the property, normally the seller, is liable by law; exemptions may apply, so the closing professional confirms whether the tax applies and the taxable amount. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Iowa real estate transfer tax. Your mortgage, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes remain separate.

Yes. Selling does not by itself require the tenant to move. Iowa law makes the buyer the successor landlord, with the rights and obligations for the tenant’s rental deposit. When your interest ends, you or your agent must, within a reasonable time, either transfer the deposit (minus lawful deductions) to the buyer and notify the tenant, or return it to the tenant. Bring the lease, deposit records, and tenant notices into the closing discussion.

A sale may still be possible if the payoff or redemption amount can be paid in time. Iowa home mortgages are generally foreclosed through a court case that can lead to a sheriff’s sale. For an occupied one- or two-family home, most lenders must give the owner 30 days to cure the default before suing and tell the owner that counseling and mediation are available. The sale must be posted and published, with the first publication at least four weeks before the sale. Some foreclosures allow redemption after the sale, generally for one year with shorter periods in some cases; a foreclosure without redemption for nonagricultural property has no right to redeem after the sheriff’s sale. Have the title company or an attorney confirm the current deadline and amount needed. If a foreclosure sale is scheduled, tell us the date right away so we can try to close before it.

You can ask about a house with a code notice, but a sale does not erase an existing order, charge, or deadline. Iowa law lets cities require an owner to address a nuisance or dangerous building; if the owner does not act within a reasonable time after notice, the city may do the work and assess its cost against the property. Des Moines says its Property Maintenance Code applies to occupied, business, and vacant properties. Share the notice so the buyer and closing professional can review the repairs and requirements. If we buy the house, the repairs become our job.

Yes, you can start the conversation before every estate document is gathered. An Iowa estate sale generally goes through the court-appointed personal representative, not an heir acting alone. If the will gives the representative power to sell, the usual court steps do not apply; otherwise, the representative generally petitions the court, gives notice to interested people, and gets an order before the sale. A homestead and a surviving spouse’s rights can affect the process, and mortgages or liens still need to be addressed at closing. The will, deed, appointment, and any court order determine who may sign.

Start with the property address, what you know about its condition, who lives there, and the timing you have in mind. A deed, lease, estate appointment, tax notice, payoff statement, lien notice, city notice, or court paper may help answer a follow-up, but you can call before you have gathered everything.