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While specific data on new housing starts in Des Moines, IA for the entirety of 2025 is not yet available, we can piece together some information and trends:
General Trends and Insights:
* Seller’s Market: As of April 2025, Des Moines is considered a seller’s market, meaning there are more buyers than homes available. This generally leads to higher prices and faster sales.
* Inventory Increase: There’s a noted increase in active housing inventory in the Des Moines Metro in early 2025 compared to the previous year. This increase is more significant in the resale market.
* New Construction Still Strong: While resale listings have increased, new construction still makes up a significant portion of available listings (48% as of February 2025).
* Affordability Concerns: Despite strong demand, affordability remains a challenge due to interest rates.
* Apartment Construction: There are plans for a significant number of new apartment units (over 4,600) in the Des Moines area within the next two years, with some projects slated for late 2025 or early 2026 starts.
* Regional Variations: The housing market can vary within the Des Moines metro area. For example, West Des Moines is noted as a particularly hot market.
Specific Data Points:
* Q1 2025 Update (as of early March): The Des Moines Metro had 956 new construction homes listed, representing a 6.1-month supply.
* Sales Trends (Metro Area):
* Pre-COVID (2013-2019): Approximately 1,450 new construction sales annually.
* COVID Boom (2020-2022): Approximately 2,200 new construction sales annually.
* Post-COVID Market (2023-2024): Approximately 1,800 new construction sales annually.
* Top Communities for New Construction Sales (Metro Area): Ankeny, Waukee, Urbandale, Norwalk, and Altoona account for a significant portion of new home sales.
* Building Permits: In January and February 2025, permits were issued for 11 new commercial projects in the Greater Des Moines area, valued at over $158.9 million. This indicates ongoing construction activity, though not exclusively residential.
* Rental Housing: The Iowa Finance Authority awarded tax credits in May 2025 to support the construction of over 300 affordable rental homes across nine communities, including Des Moines.
To get a more precise number of new single-family housing starts for all of 2025 in Des Moines, you would typically need to wait for reports published in late 2025 or early 2026 that summarize the year’s construction data. These reports often come from local government agencies (like city or county building permit offices), real estate market analysis firms, or housing industry associations. Keep an eye out for these sources later in the year.

Video courtesy of Interactive Brokershome

Video courtesy of Interactive Brokers