If you are unsure where to start looking for a new house, Iowa has not one, but two cities with the best markets for first-time homebuyers.
Winterset and Council Bluffs were in the top 10 cities in the country with the best markets for homebuyers ages 25 to 34 years old, according to Realtor.com.
Winterset, a town southwest of Des Moines, was ranked in third place. Council Bluffs, located on the border of Omaha, placed fifth. Realtor.com scored cities across the country based on metro and location-based metrics to determine the best places. These two cities beat out towns in New York and Maryland as ideal locations if you are buying your first home.
Here is all you need to know about these two prime locations as a first-time buyer.
More:See the 10 most expensive homes sold in Des Moines area in 2023
How affordable is housing?
Council Bluffs had the fifth most affordable median price listing at $200,000, according to Realtor.com. That is nearly $6,000 cheaper than the average price of a home in Iowa, which has increased by 3.3% over the last year, according to Zillow.
Houses in Winterset were more expensive than the average home value in Iowa, priced at $269,400. However, both of these towns were less than the national average of $382,230.
What are the populations?
Winterset has 5,450 people, growing 1.8% from 2020 to 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Council Bluffs has more than 62,405 people, decreasing by .6% in the same time period, according to the census.
More:Iowans pay some of the highest property taxes. What to know as tax bills are due.
What is the availability of housing?
Winterset has more housing available for first-time buyers. Over the last 12 months, there were 47.8 houses available per every 1,000 existing households in Winterset.
Benton, Arkansas, and Riviera Beach, Maryland, were the only states to have more options than Winterset, according to Realtor.com.
Council Bluffs had slightly fewer options, with 37.9 for every 1,000 existing houses.
How much could I sell my house for?
The first home you buy may not be the one you stay in forever. Homes in Winterset averaged a 9.9% price growth forecast for 2024. Houses in Council Bluffs are expected to grow in price by an average of 4.5% in 2024. While this was in the middle of the pack on the list, both cities were higher than the national average of -1.7%, according to Realtor.com.
More:Des Moines metro home sales fell in 2023, but could falling interest rates revive market?
What is there to do in Winterset and Council Bluffs?
When moving to a new town, amenities — or the lack there of — can contribute to the value of a house, according to Investopedia. Winterset had a higher rating of culture and lifestyle business per 1,000 households, scoring an 18. Council Bluffs scored a 13.
CORRECTION: An earlier version of this article inaccurately described Winterset’s location relative to Des Moines. It has been corrected.
Kate Kealey is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at kkealey@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter at @Kkealey17.
