January Housing Data Shows Growing Inventory and Steady Sales in Des Moines Metro

February 11, 2026

Freezing temperatures were no match for the Des Moines metro housing market’s appeal in January. Increases in inventory and sales highlighted the frigid month, according to January housing statistics from the Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS®.

“January’s numbers show the Des Moines housing market starting the year on solid footing,” said Scott Steelman, president of the Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS®. “Inventory remains higher than a year ago, prices are trending up, all encouraging signals of buyer activity building despite typical winter conditions. These early indicators suggest steady demand as we move further into 2026.”

Active inventory warmed in the first month of the year with 3,826 homes on the market, an 11% increase from the 3,446 homes listed one year ago. Conversely, month-over-month, inventory dipped slightly, 3.8% from the 3,976 homes listed in December 2025. 

Despite below freezing temperatures cropping up in January, closed sales remained stable with 684 transactions, a 1.3% increase from the 675 homes sold one year prior. Again, month-over-month comparisons fell short, dipping 35.8% from the 1,066 homes sold the previous month. 

Pending sales, however, tell a different - yet welcome - story increasing in both yearly and monthly measurements. January saw 1,026 pending transactions, a 1.6% increase from the 1,010 pending sales of January 2025. Monthly, the increase was wider, jumping 50.4% from December.

Median sale price jumped to $295,000 in January, a 3.5% increase from the $285,000 median sale price of one year ago. The metric increased 4.2% from the $283,000 median sale price of December. 

Days on market ticked up slightly in January, increasing to 68 days from the 66 days on market last year - a 3% increase. Month-over-month, days on market increased from 64 days, a 6.3% jump. 

Financing for the month continued to follow typical patterns. Conventional financing accounted for 464 transactions, or 67.8% of all sales in January. Consumers paid cash for 127 transactions, or 18.6% of sales, while FHA loans accounted for 45 transactions, or 6.6% of sales for the month.