Published October 7, 2026 in Market Update

North and south Ankeny are moving at very different speeds

By Steve Stych

Real estate, Ankeny

Most people think of Ankeny as one market. The numbers say otherwise. In the three months ending August 31, 2026, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted homes in the south part of Ankeny sitting on the market a median of 23 days. Homes in the north part sat a median of 56 days. That is more than a month's difference, inside the same city.

Rates are not helping either direction. Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates surged above 7% for the first time since January 2025. CNBC put them above 7.5% as of October 3, 2026. When borrowing costs rise, buyers get more careful. That tends to hit slower markets harder.

The speed gap, side by side

A few things jump out here. South Ankeny (ZIP 50023) is moving fast. The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that nearly 4 in 10 homes there went under contract within two weeks of listing. That share is up 9 points from the same period last year. Homes are selling close to full price too, at an average of 99% of list.

North Ankeny (ZIP 50021) tells a different story. The median days on market stretched to 56 days, which is 12 days longer than the same period in 2025. Only 24% of homes went under contract within two weeks, and that share fell 6.4 points from a year ago. That said, prices there are actually up 7.9% from last year, and more homes are selling overall, up 29.1% by count.

So north Ankeny is not a bad market. It just asks for more patience. If you price it right and plan for a longer timeline, the numbers show buyers are still there.

What the speed difference looks like

How quickly homes go under contract

Prices moved in opposite directions

This is the part that might surprise you. South Ankeny homes are selling faster, but the median price there fell 5.4% compared with the same three months in 2025. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median at $350,000. North Ankeny homes are sitting longer, but the median price rose 7.9% to $340,000.

Speed and price do not always move together. South Ankeny may be moving faster partly because sellers there have adjusted their prices. North Ankeny sellers are getting more money, but they are waiting longer for it. Neither outcome is wrong. They are just different trades.

The bigger picture: rates and price cuts

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that 20.8% of listings took a price cut in September 2026. That is the highest share since October 2022. Active listings nationally topped 1.16 million homes, also per Realtor.com. More supply and higher rates put more pressure on sellers to price carefully. That is true everywhere, and Ankeny is not exempt.

To put it in perspective: both Ankeny ZIPs still show months of supply under 3. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2.5 months in south Ankeny and 2.6 months in north Ankeny. That is not a buyer's market by most definitions. But it is not the kind of market where you can price high and wait either.

What this means if you are selling

If your home is in south Ankeny, the data suggests pricing it well and being ready to move. Nearly 4 in 10 homes went under contract in two weeks. The market there is rewarding sellers who price right from day one.

If your home is in north Ankeny, plan for a longer timeline. The median was 56 days, and that number grew from last year. That does not mean your home will not sell. It means you should go in with realistic expectations and a price that reflects where the market actually is.

What this means if you are buying

South Ankeny moves fast. If you find something you like there, waiting a week to think it over carries real risk. About 19.2% of homes sold above list price, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator.

North Ankeny gives you more time. With a median of 56 days on market, you are less likely to lose a home overnight. That said, rates above 7% mean your monthly payment math has changed. Run those numbers before you fall in love with a price.

One more thing I want to say: a ZIP code number is still a wide net. One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP. If you want to know what your block is doing, I am happy to pull that for you. What did I miss? If something here does not match what you are seeing on your street, tell me.