There was cause for celebration when the December 2010 home sales figures came out this week as unit sales ended the year on an up note. 571 properties sold in December 2010, a 15.8% rise from the year prior, and and a 12.8% rise from November's numbers . Prices were essentially flat however from last December, falling .6% to $161,420 down from December 2009's $162,470 average sales price.
Indianola saw the biggest unit sales increase surging 137.5%, from 8 units last year to 19 units in December 2010. Clive fared the worst with sales falling -52.9% from last year's 17 to 8 this year.
Price increases were greatest in Des Moines which saw a 6.2% increase. The biggest decline was logged in Pleasant Hill which saw prices drop -31.3%.
The top three price categories for sales were:
- $200,000 ~ $249,900: 72 units
- $140,000 ~ $159,900: 60 units
- $160,000 ~ $179,900: 54 units
19 homes sold from $400,000 on up out of an inventory of approximately 309 homes. The luxury category remains one of the most challenging in the Des Moines area.
70 condo-town homes old out of an inventory of approximately 970 units. In my opinion this category offers some of the best values among local inventory.
The three most popular means of financing were:
- Conventional: 266 sales
- FHA: 145 sales
- Cash: 124 sales
For the month approximately 18.4 homes sold every day. People need to realize that properties are selling and many sellers of single family homes are getting prices essentially in line with last year. Interest rates backed up a bit and sit around:
Conventional and FHA 30 year fixed as low as 4.625%
Conventional and FHA 15 year fixed as low as 3.875%
Conventional and FHA 5/1 ARM as low as 2.875%
Buyers can still expect decent values and rates remain low. Conditions would seem to indicate some favorable conditions for both buyers and sellers in much of the Des Moines market.
| City | 12/2010 Total Sold |
12/2009 Total Sold |
Total Sold % Change |
2010 YTD Sold |
2009 YTD Sold |
YTD Sold % Change |
| ALTOONA | 21 | 20 | +5.0% | 224 | 237 | -5.5% |
| ANKENY | 64 | 62 | +3.2% | 937 | 1,048 | -10.6% |
| CLIVE | 8 | 17 | -52.9% | 205 | 213 | -3.8% |
| DES MOINES | 176 | 143 | +23.1% | 2,284 | 2,665 | -14.3% |
| INDIANOLA | 19 | 8 | +137.5% | 194 | 184 | +5.4% |
| JOHNSTON | 23 | 23 | 0% | 306 | 356 | -14.0% |
| PLEASANT HILL | 7 | 5 | +40.0% | 140 | 98 | +42.9% |
| URBANDALE | 47 | 26 | +80.8% | 566 | 552 | +2.5% |
| WAUKEE | 22 | 24 | -8.3% | 310 | 344 | -9.9% |
| WEST DES MOINES | 58 | 50 | +16.0% | 818 | 920 | -11.1% |
| TOTAL - DMAAR MLS (all cities) | 571 | 493 | +15.8% | 7,660 | 8,507 | -10.0% |
| City | 12/2010 Avg Sale Price |
12/2009 Avg Sale Price |
Avg Sale Price % Change |
12/2010 Median Sale Price |
12/2009 Median Sale Price |
Median Sale Price % Change |
| ALTOONA | 155,795 | 184,451 | -15.5% | 143,000 | 185,918 | -23.1% |
| ANKENY | 203,444 | 209,236 | -2.8% | 193,250 | 204,950 | -5.7% |
| CLIVE | 225,019 | 262,242 | -14.2% | 178,127 | 225,950 | -21.2% |
| DES MOINES | 102,068 | 96,094 | +6.2% | 89,450 | 84,500 | +5.9% |
| INDIANOLA | 152,046 | 201,362 | -24.5% | 135,000 | 144,000 | -6.2% |
| JOHNSTON | 225,518 | 247,906 | -9.0% | 209,900 | 182,500 | +15.0% |
| PLEASANT HILL | 154,136 | 224,414 | -31.3% | 125,000 | 202,250 | -38.2% |
| URBANDALE | 224,677 | 212,099 | +5.9% | 207,777 | 176,500 | +17.7% |
| WAUKEE | 182,185 | 195,444 | -6.8% | 173,500 | 185,450 | -6.4% |
| WEST DES MOINES | 198,779 | 195,958 | +1.4% | 187,332 | 159,700 | +17.3% |
| TOTAL - DMAAR MLS (all cities) | 161,420 | 162,470 | -0.6% | 147,500 | 144,000 | +2.4% |
| City | 12/2010 Days on Market |
12/2009 Days on Market |
Days on Market % Change |
| ALTOONA | 139.5 | * | * |
| ANKENY | 143.3 | * | * |
| CLIVE | 101.3 | * | * |
| DES MOINES | 87.7 | * | * |
| INDIANOLA | 94.1 | * | * |
| JOHNSTON | 132.3 | * | * |
| PLEASANT HILL | 90.4 | * | * |
| URBANDALE | 98.1 | * | * |
| WAUKEE | 140.7 | * | * |
| WEST DES MOINES | 102.0 | * | * |
| TOTAL - DMAAR MLS (all cities) | 113.0 | * | * |
Data courtesy of the Des Moines Area Association of REALTORS 12/01~31/2011. All rights reserved.
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