Des Moines Metro March Housing Trends
April 11, 2019
907 homes sold in March 2019 while 1,123 homes sold in March 2018. Home sales dropped 19.2% in March compared to March of last year. Per seasonal trends, more homes sold last month than in February of this year. The median sale price in March calculated to $209,900 compared to $193,500 in March of last year. The average days on market of 77 days was 8.5% higher in March than last year at this time.
On a brighter note, pending sales were up much higher in March than February. Over 450 more properties were pending in March than February. There are 3,344 properties for sale and 1,327 pending on the market.
“The second half of March saw much better weather and more people looking to buy and sell. Active listings were up from February and up from March of last year. We look forward to more activity in the market in April,” stated 2019 DMAAR President, Jenn Clark.
Many Iowans across the state have been impacted by the flooding in March. 59 counties have received a disaster proclamation by Governor Reynolds. The Iowa Association of REALTORS has partnered with the National Association of REALTORS to offer flood relief to help cover the mortgage or rental cost while displaced during this difficult time. Learn more about this flood relief at www.iowarealtors.com/flood
Property taxes are a hot topic this time of year. Many Iowans disagree with their property tax assessment they recently received. Read these tips and advice on the Property Tax Appeal Process.
1. Read the assessment letter carefully.
2. Decide if a property tax appeal is worth the time.
3. Check the Facts. The county assessor's website will have information about each home. Verify the information about the number of bedrooms or bathrooms, square footage and lot size are all accurate. If facts are wrong it may be a fairly easy appeal.
4. Ask a local Realtor® to find comparable properties.
5. Contact your Local assessor’s office and complete necessary steps by April 30.
If the taxpayer is unhappy with the review of the local board, the taxpayer may appeal to the Iowa Property Assessment Appeal Board (PAAB). A taxpayer cannot bypass the local board of review and appeal directly to Iowa PAAB. Please review the details on the process at the Iowa Property Assessment Appeal Board - https://paab.iowa.gov/appealing-your-assessment.
Additional Housing Statistics and information about the Des Moines area housing market are available at the DMAAR Housing Stats page.
The Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS® is a professional association that represents the almost 2,200 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®.