Antlers Hotel · Photo: TheCatalyst31 · CC0110 homes sold in Spirit Lake in the last year, at a typical $370K
About one sale in 6 is a condo. Below: what each kind of home sells for, what your budget buys, the best months to buy, how hard you’ll have to bid, and a shortcut to every site where Spirit Lake homes are listed.
Every place Spirit Lake homes are listed, in one stop
We don’t copy listings: the agents’ sites have the photos and the latest price changes. Set what you want once and we open each site already filtered to Spirit Lake.
For sale
Rent
New, land & open houses
Links open the listing sites; TownRatings isn’t paid for them and doesn’t rank one above another. Rentals and government-owned homes come from sources outside the MLS.
8% of Spirit Lake’s sales are condos, at $86K less than a house
92 houses and 10 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 92 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $180IA $158
- Days to sell
- 59
- Sold over asking
- 16%
- Listings with a price cut
- 17%
typical sale · 10 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $195IA $165
- Days to sell
- 127
- Sold over asking
- 10%
- Listings with a price cut
- 44%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 5 sold, typical $382K
Townhouses: 11 sold, typical $412K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
Fewer homes sell than before 2024, at 1.9 times the 2017 price
110 sales in the last year, against 176 in 2023 and a low of 129 in 2017. The typical sale went from $199K in 2017 to $370K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales. Redfin stopped publishing towns’ figures by property type after May 2026, so houses and condos are shown for the year to then.
What $350K buys in Spirit Lake
Check a listing against what Spirit Lake homes sold for
Against the town’s median price per square foot over the last 12 months. A rough check: condition, lot and location within town move a price more than this can see.
Bidding wars in Spirit Lake are back to pre-pandemic levels, with about as many homes for sale
We read every month of Spirit Lake’s home sales since 2017 so you don’t have to. Each figure covers 12 months, because a single month in a town is too few sales to mean much. Latest: the year to September 2026, 110 sales.
If you’re buying in Spirit Lake
- Shop in August. It brings about 23 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (24% over asking).
- Offer under asking. Buyers paid 96.3% of the list price on average; 14% paid over.
- Move fast on good ones. Half of homes are under contract within two weeks.
Summer brings the homes; winter brings the bidding wars
August has the most new listings (about 23 a month), but February is the most competitive: 28% of February sales close over asking. March has the least competition (10%) but only about 13 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and calmer than Iowa
| Spirit Lake now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 14% | 12% | 33% | 20% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 47% | 2% | 10% | 35% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 96.3% | 96.3% | 98.9% | 97.5% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 58 | 87 | 64 | 46 |
36 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s about the 2017–19 level and well under 2023’s 66.
Since 2019, houses are up 76%, condos 67%
A house typically sold for $373K in the year to May 2026 (92 sales), a condo for $286K (10).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Spirit Lake ranks 67th of 91 busy Iowa markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Spirit Lake is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2017 to September 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Spirit Lake home costs about $2,255 a month
Price: Spirit Lake’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Spirit Lake’s 1.1% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether Spirit Lake is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in August
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 5.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $370K home, about $3,890 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Spirit Lake, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in Spirit LakeTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Spirit Lake.
Work & commuteCheck the flood map
Flood insurance isn’t in a standard policy, and lenders require it in FEMA flood zones. Check the address before you make an offer.
Natural hazardsLook up any property
Assessed value, lot size and every past sale of a home you’re eyeing are public, at the town or county assessor and the registry of deeds.
Lake Park, Estherville and Jackson sell for less a square foot; Okoboji and Arnolds Park for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of Spirit Lake, by what sold. Prices, taxes and how far a paycheck goes next door are on Cost of living.
| Sold | Typical sale | $/sq ft | Over asking | Days to sell | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spirit Lake | 110 | $370K | $188 | 14% | 58 |
| Arnolds Park | 109 | $511K | $308 | 7% | 110 |
| Estherville | 78 | $137K | $93 | 22% | 46 |
| Okoboji | 66 | $461K | $345 | 5% | 86 |
| Milford | 52 | $343K | $183 | 19% | 51 |
| Jackson | 23 | $122K | $78 | 13% | 79 |
| Lake Park | 22 | $201K | $132 | 9% | 85 |
Redfin Data Center, October 2025 to September 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Spirit Lake, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Spirit Lake. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Spirit Lake with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Spirit Lake
What do homes sell for in Spirit Lake, IA?
110 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $370K, $188 a square foot. Houses sold for about $373K, condos for about $286K in the year to May 2026.
Is Spirit Lake a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A buyer’s market: 66 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 10 sold, about 6.6 months of supply. Buyers paid 96.3% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in Spirit Lake?
August brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Spirit Lake?
About 1.1% of a home’s value a year. On a $370K home that’s near $3,890.
Where can I see homes for sale in Spirit Lake?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Spirit Lake’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Spirit Lake.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted; from June 2026 each month is a 3-month rolling window, its counts divided by 3). Property tax rate: Census American Community Survey. Two-bedroom rent: HUD Fair Market Rent. Typical home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Schools grade: TownRatings (how grades work).