Sep 16, 2025 - News
Homebuyers increasingly have roaming eyes
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Des Moines' online shoppers are increasingly eyeing homes outside the market, a new report shows.
Why it matters: Iowa's affordable homes are becoming less accessible with price points influencing searches.
By the numbers: In metro DSM, 55% of Realtor.com listing views between April and June went to homes located outside the metro area. That's up from about 50% during the same period in 2019.
- Other shoppers are moving for work or in search of better weather, the real estate portal reports.
The big picture: In Q2, an average of 58.9% of Realtor.com listing views from the 100 largest U.S. metros went to homes outside the metro where shoppers live.
- That's up from 48.1% in Q2 2019, before remote work and cheap mortgages sent droves of homebuyers to lower-cost areas like Charleston, South Carolina.
Reality check: One website's listing views don't necessarily equal real-life home purchases.
- Many shoppers, particularly first-timers, simply don't have the funds.
- And plenty of homeowners are reluctant to move because it would mean giving up a low mortgage rate.