Des Moines is the 4th best city among the best places to live in the United States, according to a 2018 U.S. News & World Report.
Des Moines is on the rise. It ranked 11th in 2016 and 9th in 2017. This year it was behind Austin, Texas and Colorado Springs and Denver in Colorado.
The report ranked metro areas on the following: value, net migration, quality of life, job market, and desirability.
Houses in Des Moines
Here’s what U.S News had to say about housing in Des Moines:
“Des Moines is a great place to live and raise a family. Elegant colonial and Tudor-style homes built in the early 1900s hide in quiet neighborhoods minutes from buzzy downtown, where lofts and condos draw the millennial crowd. Many families with kids flock to the suburbs where new housing developments continually pop up.”
Manageable traffic. Low crime. Great schools. Desirable neighborhoods. For many people, that’s an unbeatable combination.
You will, however, want someone to help you in your search for the perfect home. Here’s how to find the real estate agent that’s right for you.
Questions to Ask Real Estate Agents in Des Moines
Even in a city the size of Des Moines, there are a lot of choices. The right agent can guide you toward a neighborhood that’ll work for you. Before you jump in, you’ll want to ask a few questions and make sure you’ve got the right person for the job.
• How many years of experience do you have in the business?
• How do you plan to market my home?
• Do you plan on holding open houses?
• What kind of photography do you use?
• Can you provide me with references?
• Will I be working directly with you?
• How do you handle multiple offers?
• What neighborhoods do you specialize in?
• How many clients are you currently working with?
• What will it cost me to sell my house?
• Can you connect me with other professionals such as movers or decorators?
3 Top Realtors in Des Moines
1. Matt Mauro, RE/MAX. Mauro started investing in real estate when he was only 23. Now, 20 years later, he’s as passionate about the business as when he started. Today he specializes in estate sales and classic homes.
2. Misty Soldwisch, Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Innovations. There isn’t one corner of central Iowa that this agent says she isn’t familiar with. You won’t only be buying or selling a home, but you’ll be helping someone else, too. A portion of the proceeds from each of Soldwisch’s sales goes towards charity.
3. Timothy Schutte, EXIT Realty Capital City. Schutte grew up on a farm in Iowa, which is where he says he learned the value of hard work. These days he specializes in the neighborhoods of Clive, Urbandale, West Des Moines, Waukee, Grimes, Johnston, Windsor Heights, and Ankeny.
StorageMart and Des Moines
Moving isn’t easy, but a good agent can smooth out the edges. Another thing that can help is renting a self storage unit in the event that you have to sell your old home before moving into your new home.
At StorageMart, you can rent a unit as small as 25 square feet or up to the size of a garage. Our self storage units can be rented on a month-by-month basis and are always clean and well lit. Need more info? Check out our storage unit guide or rent a unit online today.