How to Wholesale Real Estate in Des Moines, IA
Des Moines's wholesale spread is set by three numbers: 67.4% of sales close below list, sale-to-list runs 0.982, and median DOM is 26 days. Here's what those mean for your sourcing.
DATA · Zillow Research (via scrape.do) · AS OF APRIL 2026
Des Moines is a mid-tier wholesale market right now — disciplined operators can build a book; tourists will get squeezed.
- → 67.4% of sales below list — sellers negotiating
- → Median DOM 26 days — speed market, off-market only
- → Sale-to-list 0.982 — balanced
- → Buyer mix: landlords / BRRRR
Wholesaling in Des Moines starts with one question: how often are sellers leaving money on the table? In this market, it's a mixed bag. 67.4% of closings land below list — enough room to negotiate on the right deal, but no broad discount across the board. Selective sourcing wins.
The lists that should produce here, based on the current data:
- Price-cut targets — when 67.4% of homes close below list, price-cut filters surface owners already psychologically resigned to discount
Disposition matters as much as sourcing. Des Moines buyers right now lean toward landlords and BRRRR operators — the 6.58% gross rent yield supports cash-flow underwriting, so your assignment fee competes with a real DSCR-positive deal on the buyer's side.
Net: spread is tight but real here. The arithmetic that needs to clear is the same everywhere — purchase + assignment fee + buyer's rehab + buyer's profit ≤ 70-75% of ARV — but the room to find that spread depends on whether sellers will negotiate. The data above says they will in Des Moines.
The numbers behind the analysis.
Same Des Moines data, different lens.
ARV math, rehab scope, and exit timing for the local buyer profile.
Buy-rehab-rent-refi-repeat math tuned to local rents, prices, and DSCR.
Buy-and-hold rental analysis tuned to local rents, taxes, and tenant mix.
Subject-to, seller financing, wraps, and lease-options sized for the local market.
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