265 homes sold in Albert Lea in the last year, at a typical $181K
Almost every sale is a house. 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 Albert Lea homes are listed.
Every place Albert Lea 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 Albert Lea.
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.
Houses are 92% of Albert Lea’s sales, at a typical $180K
265 homes sold in the year to May 2026.
typical sale · 245 sold in 12 months
- Per square foot
- $119MN $191
- Days to sell
- 40
- Sold over asking
- 27%
- Listings with a price cut
- 28%
Multi-family (2–4 units): 7 sold, typical $163K
Townhouses: 7 sold, typical $205K
Condos: 6 sold, typical $154K
Too few sales in 12 months for reliable figures.
About as many homes sell as usual, at twice the 2016 price
265 sales in the last year, against 318 in 2017 and a low of 213 in 2012. The typical sale went from $90K in 2016 to $181K.
Source: Redfin Data Center, MLS sales. Typical price and $/sq ft are the monthly medians, weighted by sales.
What $200K buys in Albert Lea
Check a listing against what Albert Lea 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 Albert Lea are more common than before the pandemic, with about as many homes for sale
We read every month of Albert Lea’s 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 May 2026, 265 sales.
If you’re buying in Albert Lea
- Shop in April. It brings about 33 new listings a month, close to the busiest month, with fewer bidding wars (21% over asking).
- You can negotiate. 27% of listings have cut their price, against 12% before the pandemic.
- Bid near asking. Buyers paid 98.1% of the list price on average; 25% paid over.
- You’ll usually have time. Only 38% of homes go under contract within two weeks; the typical one takes 41 days.
Spring brings the homes; summer brings the bidding wars
May has the most new listings (about 36 a month), but July is the most competitive: 28% of July sales close over asking. January has the least competition (15%) but only about 13 new listings.
Averages for each calendar month, 2015 on.
Nearly as heated as 2021, and calmer than Minnesota
| Albert Lea now | 2017–19 | 2021 peak | MN now | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sold over askingShare of sales that closed above the list price | 25% | 20% | 35% | 33% |
| Gone within two weeksShare of homes under contract within 14 days | 38% | 18% | 51% | 42% |
| Listings with a price cutShare of homes for sale that cut their price | 27% | 12% | 25% | 28% |
| Price paid vs. askingAverage sale price ÷ list price | 98.1% | 96.1% | 98% | 99.2% |
| Days to sellMedian days from listing to contract | 41 | 63 | 27 | 35 |
69 homes for sale on a typical day
That’s 1.8 times the 2021 low (38), 11% fewer than in 2017–19 and well under 2012’s 154.
1 in 4 listings has cut its price
27% in the last year, against 12% in 2017–19 and 28% across Minnesota. More sellers are pricing high and coming down.
Houses and condos, year by year
A house typically sold for $180K in the last year (245 sales), a condo for $154K (6).
Median sale price, weighted by sales each month. Years with fewer than 4 sales of a type are left out.
Albert Lea ranks 112th of 144 busy Minnesota markets for bidding wars
Share of sales over asking in the last year, among towns with 60 or more sales. Albert Lea is one of the state’s calmer markets.
Source: Redfin Data Center, city market tracker, January 2012 to May 2026 (MLS sales, not seasonally adjusted). Ratios are weighted by homes sold; price cuts by homes for sale.
Owning the typical Albert Lea home costs about $1,117 a month
Price: Albert Lea’s typical sale, last 12 months. Property tax at Albert Lea’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 Albert Lea is affordable on local pay is on Cost of living.
Six things worth knowing
New listings in May
The month with the most choice. January has the fewest, about 13.
Best time to buyProperty tax, a year
Of a home’s value: the median bill over the median home value. On a $181K home, about $2,070 a year.
Taxes vs. neighborsSchools
The schools grade for Albert Lea, from test results, graduation and how much students grow.
Schools in Albert LeaTypical commute
The average one-way trip to work for people who live in Albert Lea.
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.
Northwood sells for less a square foot
The busier markets within 25 miles of Albert Lea, 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 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Austin | 356 | $205K | $129 | 35% | 36 |
| Albert Lea | 265 | $181K | $119 | 25% | 41 |
| Blooming Prairie | 33 | $219K | $128 | 33% | 57 |
| Northwood | 26 | $166K | $93 | 23% | 78 |
Redfin Data Center, June 2025 to May 2026. Towns with fewer than 20 sales are left out, and Redfin doesn’t report every town separately.
Post your home to Albert Lea, free
Selling it yourself, renting out an apartment or looking for a roommate? Post it to Albert Lea. People who follow the town see it, and so do people comparing Albert Lea with their own town. No commission, no listing fee.
Questions about buying a home in Albert Lea
What do homes sell for in Albert Lea, MN?
265 homes sold in the year to May 2026 at a typical $181K, $119 a square foot.
Is Albert Lea a buyer’s or seller’s market?
A seller’s market: 84 homes were for sale in May 2026 and 25 sold, about 3.4 months of supply. Buyers paid 98.1% of asking on average, and 27% of listings cut their price.
When is the best time to buy in Albert Lea?
May brings the most new listings. The sales history shows which months have fewer bidding wars.
How much are property taxes in Albert Lea?
About 1.1% of a home’s value a year. On a $181K home that’s near $2,070.
Where can I see homes for sale in Albert Lea?
Zillow, Redfin, Realtor.com and Homes.com all carry Albert Lea’s MLS listings; the search links above open each one filtered to Albert Lea.
Sales, prices, days on market and listings: Redfin Data Center (MLS, monthly, not seasonally adjusted). 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).