Photo: Iowahwyman · CC BY-SA 3.01,139 homes sold in West Des Moines in the last year, at a typical $338K
About one sale in 3 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 West Des Moines homes are listed.
Every place West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines.
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.
A third of West Des Moines’ sales are condos, at $131K less than a house
686 houses and 404 condos sold in the year to May 2026. Houses sell faster and draw more bidding wars.
typical sale · 686 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $225IA $158
- Days to sell
- 39
- Sold over asking
- 22%
- Listings with a price cut
- 31%
typical sale · 404 sold in the year to May 2026
- Per square foot
- $171IA $165
- Days to sell
- 44
- Sold over asking
- 13%
- Listings with a price cut
- 35%
Townhouses: 19 sold, typical $257K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at 1.6 times the 2016 price
1,139 sales in the last year, against 1,688 in 2021 and a low of 995 in 2012. The typical sale went from $207K in 2016 to $338K.
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 West Des Moines
Check a listing against what West Des Moines 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 West Des Moines are rarer than before the pandemic, with about as many homes for sale
We read every month of West Des Moines’ home sales since 2012 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, 1,139 sales.
If you’re buying in West Des Moines
- Shop in March. It brings about 133 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (24% over asking).
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 98.4% of the list price on average; 17% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 34% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 42 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
April has the most new listings (about 148 a month), but June is the most competitive: 31% of June sales close over asking. March offers nearly as much choice with fewer homes bid up (24%). February has the least competition (21%).
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Calmer than the 2021 frenzy, and about like Iowa as a whole
| West Des Moines now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | IA now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 17% | 22% | 40% | 20% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 34% | 27% | 54% | 35% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98.4% | 98.8% | 100% | 97.5% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 42 | 46 | 20 | 46 |
323 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.8 times the 2023 low (180), about the 2017–19 level and well under 2013’s 492.
Since 2019, houses are up 39%, condos 43%
A house typically sold for $376K in the year to May 2026 (686 sales), a condo for $246K (404).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
West Des Moines ranks 53rd of 91 busy Iowa markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. West Des Moines is in the middle of the pack.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city figures, January 2012 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 West Des Moines home costs about $2,193 a month
Price: West Des Moines’ typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at West Des Moines’ 1.5% (median bill ÷ median value, Census ACS); insurance at 0.35% of price a year. Before PMI, HOA dues, upkeep and the tax deduction. Whether West Des Moines is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in April
The month with the most choice. December has the fewest, about 56.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $338K home, about $5,150 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for West Des Moines, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in West Des MoinesTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in West Des Moines.
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.
Windsor Heights sells for less a square foot; Van Meter for far more
The busier markets within 25 miles of West Des Moines, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Des Moines | 1,139 | $338K | $212 | 17% | 42 |
| Urbandale | 991 | $356K | $220 | 23% | 54 |
| Waukee | 799 | $379K | $240 | 19% | 111 |
| Norwalk | 450 | $332K | $233 | 22% | 83 |
| Clive | 293 | $461K | $231 | 13% | 45 |
| Windsor Heights | 74 | $295K | $194 | 21% | 40 |
| Van Meter | 41 | $356K | $274 | 23% | 75 |
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 West Des Moines, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to West Des Moines. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing West Des Moines with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in West Des Moines
What do homes sell for in West Des Moines, IA?
1,139 homes sold in the year to September 2026 at a typical $338K, $212 a square foot. Houses sold for about $376K, condos for about $246K in the year to May 2026.
Is West Des Moines a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 396 homes were for sale in September 2026 and 101 sold, about 3.9 months of supply. Buyers paid 98.4% of asking on average.
When is the best time to buy in West Des Moines?
April brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in West Des Moines?
About 1.5% of a home’s value a year. On a $338K home that’s near $5,150.
Where can I see homes for sale in West Des Moines?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry West Des Moines’ MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to West Des Moines.
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).