Published September 25, 2026 in Market Update

Central IA listings rose, but buyers are still absorbing them

By Steve Stych

Real estate, Central IA Market

These numbers cover the three months ending July 31, 2026. Keep that in mind as you read , they are not today's snapshot, but they are the most complete picture we have.

The National Association of Realtors reported 4.9 months of supply nationally, the highest in over ten years. That sounds like a lot of homes sitting around. But in Central IA, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 2,378 homes sold across our 15 ZIP codes, up 5.9% from the same three months in 2025. More listings came in, and more homes moved. That is a different story than the national one.

So what does that mean for you? New listings rose 5.4% and inventory rose 5.1%, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. But sales rose 5.9%. Buyers absorbed the new supply about as fast as it arrived. That is not a stalled market.

How Central IA compares with the country

Nationally, the National Association of Realtors put supply at 4.9 months. That is the highest in over ten years. Here, our ZIP codes range from 1.8 months to 3.7 months of supply, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. To put it in perspective, six months is generally considered a balanced market. We are well under that.

Freddie Mac put the average 30-year fixed mortgage rate at 7.03% as of September 24, 2026. That is real money every month. It is worth knowing before you plan a move in either direction.

Months of supply by ZIP code

Supply varies a lot across our market. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted anywhere from 1.8 months in 50310 to 3.7 months in 50263. Neither end of that range is alarming, but they tell very different stories for a seller.

Prices: a mixed picture, not a collapse

Some ZIP codes saw prices dip a little. Some saw them rise a lot. That is normal in a market this size. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices rose 2.1% year over year through the second quarter of 2026. Our ZIPs are all over the map compared with that.

A few ZIPs saw prices fall from a year ago. ZIP 50313 was down 11.2%, and 50316 was down 6.6%, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is worth knowing if you own in those areas. On the other side, 50325 was up 27.6% and 50312 was up 18%. Those are big swings, and they happened in the same market, in the same three months.

How fast are homes selling?

Days on market also tells two different stories depending on where you look. The Real Estate Data Aggregator put the median at 10 days in 50311 and 113 days in 50263. Most ZIP codes sit somewhere in the middle, but that gap is wide.

ZIP 50263 at 113 days is 24 days longer than a year ago, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a meaningful change. If you are selling there, pricing carefully from the start matters more than it did last year.

What share of homes sold above list price?

Not every home sold above asking. That is worth saying plainly. The Real Estate Data Aggregator shows the share ranged from 8.9% in 50312 to 28.7% in 50322. Nationally, a source reported that sellers gave concessions in 44.7% of U.S. sales in August. Central IA is holding up better than that picture suggests, but it is not uniform.

The pros and the cons, side by side

Both columns are real. Neither one tells the whole story on its own. That is what I mean when I say this market is not stalled, but it is not identical from one ZIP to the next.

A note on the national picture

The National Association of Realtors reported existing-home sales were up 1.6% year-to-date through the first eight months of 2026. That is modest growth nationally. Central IA's Real Estate Data Aggregator count of 2,378 sales, up 5.9%, is running ahead of that pace. The Federal Housing Finance Agency reported U.S. house prices up 2.1% year over year through the second quarter of 2026. Some of our ZIPs are well above that. Some are below it.

If I missed something you were wondering about, just let me know. I am happy to dig into a specific ZIP or a specific situation. No pressure either way.