The “3% Mortgage” Story Is Fading — What That Means for Move-Up Buyers in Des Moines

For the last few years, the Des Moines real estate market has been dominated by one idea: “Nobody’s moving because everyone is locked into a 3% mortgage.” That story was true—for a while. But the market is changing, and for move-up buyers in Des Moines, that shift matters far more than the national

Your First Home Is Not Your Forever Home — And That’s Exactly the Point

If you’re a first-time homebuyer in Des Moines, chances are you’ve felt this tension: “I don’t want to make the wrong decision.”“What if I buy the wrong house?”“Shouldn’t my first home be… perfect?” Here’s the honest truth most people don’t hear early enough: Your first home is not supposed to be pe

The 2026 Des Moines Housing Market: What the Headlines Miss — and Who Actually Wins

Des Moines Real Estate Market 2026: Local Forecast & Who It Favors Most If you’ve been paying attention to housing headlines lately, you’ve probably seen plenty of predictions about what 2026 will bring. Lower mortgage rates.A calmer market.Better affordability. Those forecasts — from places like Re

Moving Up This Winter? The Questions Smart Buyers Are Asking Right Now

The holidays have a way of making things obvious. More people. More stuff. Less space. For many homeowners, it’s not the decorations or the extra dishes that linger after the holidays — it’s the realization that the house that “worked fine” all year doesn’t actually fit their life anymore. If that t