Iowa Market Builds Spring Momentum with Rising Inventory & Strong Buyer Activity

Iowa’s housing market continued to gain momentum in April as growing inventory, rising pending sales and faster-moving properties signaled a strong and competitive spring market across the state. 

“April’s metrics show a healthy and active market taking shape across Iowa,” said Erik Melloy, 2026 Iowa REALTORS® president. “Inventory growth is creating more opportunities for buyers while strong pending sales and steady price appreciation demonstrate continued confidence in the market. We’re seeing the type of spring activity that benefits both buyers and sellers.”

New listings continued an upward trajectory in April with 4,946 new listings, a 2.4% increase from the 4,831 new listings at the same time last year. Month-over-month, new listings increased 11.9% compared to the 4,431 new listings entering the market in March, a sign that spring has begun to heat up. 

Active inventory followed suit in April, illustrating that buyers have a wealth of options as they begin to look for their next home. With 8,550 single-family homes on the market, April saw a 10.2% increase from the 7,758 active listings recorded in April 2025. Monthly, active inventory jumped 5% from March’s 8,143 listings. 

Closed sales came in at 3,085 transactions in April, a 2.9% increase from 3,036 closed sales of one year ago. More telling of current market conditions, closed sales month-over-month jumped 10.1% from the 2,805 closed sales of March. 

The outlook for the spring market continues to be optimistic in April with 3,766 pending sales, a 4.4% increase from the 3,606 pending sales of April 2025. Pending sales increased 3.2% in monthly metrics from March’s 3,648 recorded pending sales. 

Median sales price came to $248,000 in April, a 4.5% increase from the $237,255 median sales price of a year ago. The figure dropped 0.8% from March’s $250,000 median sales price. 

Days on market remained flat year over year with a median of 11 days. Conversely, the median days on market dropped 31.3% from the 16 days recorded one month ago. 

“The increase in listings paired with strong buyer demand is helping create a more stable and sustainable marketplace this spring,” said Les Sulgrove, Iowa REALTORS® statewide housing analyst. “Homes are continuing to move at a steady pace, especially in the single-family segment, and the rise in pending sales suggests this momentum should carry well into the summer months.”

Condo & Townhomes 

New listings for condo and townhomes across the state grew slightly in April, increasing 5.6% to 749 listings from the 709 listings of April 2025. Month-over-month the increase was more subtle at 0.7% from the 744 new listings of March. 

Active inventory increased 9% in April with 1,994 overall listings compared to last year’s 1,830 active listings. Monthly, the metric declined 0.7% from the 2,008 active listings of March. 

Closed sales illustrated that the condo and townhome market continues to prove a viable option for many homebuyers. April recorded 456 transactions, an 18.1% increase from the 386 closed sales of April 2025. Compared to March’s 395 closed sales, April saw a 15.4% increase in transactions. 

Pending sales once again previewed a healthy spring market with 600 new pending transactions, a 15.2% increase from the 521 pending sales of one year ago; and a 7.1% increase from last month’s 560 pending sales. 

Median days on market landed at 23, a 9.5% increase from 21 days on market of a year ago, and a 21% increase from the 19 median days on market of a month ago. Median sales price for April came to $235,000, a 2.2% increase from the $229,945 of last year, and a 0.4% decrease from the $236,000 median sales price of March.