2021 Housing Stats - A Strong Year in Des Moines Area
January 13, 2022
2021 was another excellent year for real estate activity in the Des Moines Metro area, as reported the Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS® (DMAAR). Residential sales were up 6 percent from 2020 and the median sale price increased by 10.6 percent. Homes also sold extremely fast with an average of 28 days on market, compared to 49 days in 2020.
17,653 residential properties sold in 2021 compared to 16,640 homes in 2020. The median sale price calculated to $250,000 for 2021. In 2020, the median sale price was $226,000.
“2021 in the Des Moines Metro was another very good year for real estate. Realtors® in the Des Moines area were extremely busy this year with near record lows for days on market for much of the year. NAR Chief Economist, Dr. Lawrence Yun has mentioned that signs point to a solid 2022 with sales better than the pre-pandemic housing stats, but may be a slight decline from our strong 2021. Typically, Des Moines and Iowa as a whole is a fairly stable market that does not experience the strong highs and lows of many other metro areas. We’re hopeful the construction of new homes in 2022 continues its gradual increase in 2022 that we saw in 2021,” stated 2021 DMAAR President Ted Weaver.
“The top national rankings show that Des Moines continues to be recognized for a great place to live and work. Des Moines was ranked #13 in “Best Places to Live” by U.S. News and World Report. The cost of living in the Des Moines area is lower than the national average. In addition to its relatively low cost of living, many young professionals are attracted to its strong job market and variety of entertainment options,” highlighted Weaver.
Interesting Stats from 2021
- 73 percent of the properties sold in 30 days or less.
- 72% percent of sold properties were priced between $140,000-$400,000.
- 102 properties sold for $1 million or more
Giving Back
“DMAAR recognized the continued need by so many during 2021. The DMAAR Foundation donated a total of $75,000 to deserving organizations. We have so many Realtors serving and giving back at the local level and we wanted to step in as an organization and take that a step further,” stated Weaver.
The $75,000 was split evenly among these charities and causes.
Anawim Housing
Beacon of Life
Camp Sunnyside
Central Iowa Shelter
Children & Families
Dorothy’s House
Hawthorne New Directions
Homes of Oakridge
House of Mercy
Hope Ministries
Iowa Homeless Youth Center
Orchard Place
Red Cross
Youth Homes of Mid America
YESS Emergency Shelter
December Stats
December’s real estate activity dropped slightly with December 2021 sales falling 1.8 percent compared to the number of sold properties in December 2020.
1,361 residential properties sold in December 2021, while 1,446 sold in December 2019.
Homes sold 15 percent faster, at an average of 37 days compared to 44 days in 2020.
Homes sold 8 percent higher in December 2021. Median sale price came in at $252,000, compared to $233,000 in December 2020.
The Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS® Housing Trends Report is a report based on activity for the DMAAR Multiple Listing Service. Properties included in this report are from REALTOR® offices in the Des Moines Metro and surrounding areas including Newton, Pella, Knoxville, Indianola, Winterset, Stuart, Perry, Polk City and many more communities.
Additional Statistics and information about the Des Moines area housing market are available at the DMAAR website, www.dmaar.com.
The Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS® is a professional association that represents more than 2,600 REALTOR® members. The mission of DMAAR is to be the voice of real estate in the Des Moines area. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark, which identifies real estate professionals who adhere to a strict code of ethics as members of the National Association of REALTORS®.
Sources: National Association of REALTORS®, Iowa Association of REALTORS®, data from the DMAAR MLS.