Housing prices and selling conditions
These measures describe housing prices and selling conditions for the areas and periods shown. Compare them alongside repair costs, your mortgage payoff and selling costs.
| Measure | Value | Source and area | Period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median sale price | $225,750 | Redfin · Des Moines, IA | Three months ending August 2026 |
| Median days on market | 24 days | Redfin · Des Moines, IA | Three months ending August 2026 |
| Homes sold | 870 homes | Redfin · Des Moines, IA | Three months ending August 2026 |
| Typical home value (Zillow ZHVI) | $210,572 | Zillow · Des Moines, IA | As of August 2026 |
| For-sale inventory | 1,031 homes | Zillow · Des Moines, IA | As of August 2026 |
Include utilities, other bills and any mortgage payments while waiting to sell. Allow time for closing, too.
Des Moines, IA / Market report
Des Moines, IA Housing Market and Selling Costs
Use this report to compare an as-is cash sale with listing, repairs, or waiting. City market figures add context; they do not set a price for your particular house.
USA Home Buyers buys houses in Des Moines and in Polk and Warren Counties, Iowa. We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
Prefer to talk through the property? Call 888-274-5006.
We'll give you a written cash offer within 24 hours.
We give written cash offers in 24 hours.
Share the address, condition, occupancy, and timing you are considering.
Market numbers
Recent housing measures for Des Moines
The shared display keeps each measure with its source, geography, and data period. Read these market-wide numbers as context for your comparison, not a valuation of one property.
Prices, timing and your selling options
Home prices in Des Moines
Homes in Des Moines, IA sold for a median of $225,750 for the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin). Repairs and condition affect what someone will pay for your house. Homes in Des Moines, IA spent a median of 24 days on the market for the three months ending August 2026 (Redfin). You still have bills while waiting to sell, including utilities and any mortgage payments. Allow time for closing, too.
What the numbers mean
A citywide figure does not price your house
A median sale price summarizes completed sales in the stated place and period. Zillow's typical home value is a separate model-based measure, not a completed-sale price. Current context: $210,572 (As of August 2026; Zillow typical home value for Des Moines, IA). Neither measure tells you what a particular Des Moines house will bring.
Condition and needed repairs can change which option leaves you with more. Tenants, access, or turnover timing can affect what a sale involves, and the time you can wait affects the bills you carry while deciding.
We buy houses as-is, in any condition — no repairs, no cleaning, no cleanout required to sell to us.
Local selling costs
Iowa transfer tax and the county tied to your address
Des Moines is Iowa's capital city. Census boundary data show that the incorporated city intersects Polk and Warren Counties. That is citywide geography, not a parcel determination: confirm the county for your exact address before relying on county records or choosing a county recorder.
City of Des Moines: About DSM → U.S. Census TIGERweb city and county boundary data →
Iowa charges 80 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the sale price above the first $500. On a taxable $100,000 sale, that is $159.20. State law makes the person conveying the property, normally the seller, liable for the tax. The county recorder must receive the tax before recording the deed. Exemptions apply to some transfers, so the closing professional confirms whether the tax applies and the taxable amount.
Iowa Code §428A.1, rate → §428A.2, exemptions → §428A.3, liability → Chapter 428A, recording provisions → Iowa Department of Revenue tax and fee information →
When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Iowa real estate transfer tax. Your mortgage payoff, liens, back taxes, and share of current property taxes are separate amounts.
What you may keep
Sale price and money left after costs are different numbers
Compare a realistic sale price or written offer with repairs, cleanout, mortgage payoff, listing commission if you list, other selling costs, and the bills you carry while waiting. The Des Moines calculator lets you change planning assumptions and compare what may remain after costs.
Just an estimate — the actual number could be more or less depending on the home's condition. The calculator is for planning, not a property-specific offer.
Des Moines, IA Home Sale Net Proceeds Calculator
CalculatorCompare what you would keep from listing your house or selling as-is for cash. Change the repair costs, cleanout, monthly bills and closing costs to fit your house.
Des Moines market report questions
Do the Des Moines market figures tell me what my house is worth?
No. The figures describe market activity or a modeled typical home value for the named place and period; they do not price your particular house. Condition, repairs, access, occupancy, title, and timing all affect the comparison for your address.
How is Iowa's real estate transfer tax calculated?
Iowa charges 80 cents for each $500, or fraction of $500, of the sale price above the first $500. On a taxable $100,000 sale, the tax is $159.20. The person conveying the property, normally the seller, is liable under state law, but exemptions can apply. When you sell to us, we pay the closing costs, including Iowa real estate transfer tax. Mortgage payoffs, liens, back taxes, and your share of current property taxes are separate.
Which county is a Des Moines property in?
The incorporated City of Des Moines intersects Polk and Warren Counties. Citywide boundaries do not determine the county for a particular parcel, so confirm the exact address before relying on county records or choosing a county office.
How do I compare the sale price with what I may keep?
Compare a realistic sale price or written offer with repairs, cleanout, mortgage payoff, listing commission if you list, other selling costs, and bills while you wait. The Des Moines calculator lets you change planning assumptions. Its result is an estimate, not a cash offer. Just an estimate — the actual number could be more or less depending on the home's condition.
What sellers say about USA Home Buyers
Choose a next step for your situation
Compare this report with the details that matter to your house. Request a written cash offer with the form above, or call 888-274-5006.
Ready to compare your house? Request a written cash offer or call 888-274-5006.