Finding a Realtor® Part 2
You might remember our post on Finding a REALTOR – Part 1, from November 2022. That article really focused on what’s key in your real estate agent when you’re buying…
Market Update for 2022
How was Real Estate in 2022 in Des Moines? It has been such a rollercoaster ride in the Des Moines real estate market in the past few years. If…
Finding a REALTOR Part 1
This fall has seen the housing market slow down in many parts of the country, challenging both buyers and sellers. For buyers, higher interest rates combined with the home prices…
Hmm….. is housing hot or not?
If you’ve been looking around AT ALL, you’ve probably realized that the housing market is changing. This is happening nationally, and we’re seeing the first signs here in the Des…
Meet Jessica Shanley
Jessica has been licensed as a Real Estate Agent since 2020. Her passion for Real Estate has flourished over the years. Being a Realtor has become a full time career…
Oh, hello housing inventory! We’ve missed you!
Oh, hello housing inventory! We’ve missed you! It seems you can’t turn on any news programs without hearing about the incipient “housing slowdown”. Are we having déjà vu? Is this…
Townhomes vs. Condo What is the Difference?
Over the past few months, we have seen an influx of buyers who are interested in looking at townhouses (townhomes) and condominiums (condos) for purchase. So, we figured it might…
Please… Tell me this housing market is calming down?
Please… Tell me this housing market is calming down? So far in the first quarter of 2022, we’ve had more of the same trends from 2020 and 2021, but more…
Ask the Lenders
As agents we have worked with many different lenders here in Des Moines. We also have some preferred lenders that have proven to us that they will go the extra mile…
2021 Des Moines Home Sales in Review
How was Real Estate in 2021 in Des Moines? If you thought 2020 was a crazy real estate year… you may not have buckled up from the insanity that was…
How to Purchase a Profitable Investment Property
The following is a guest blog from Katie Conroy, the creator of Advice Mine. Katie enjoys writing about lifestyle topics and created the website to share advice she has…
Is the market starting to calm down?
Maybe! If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know that the last few market updates have been talking about an extreme seller’s market (see July’s update here). …
Extra Market Update… Coming in Hot!
Normally, I run a detailed market update once a quarter. But I can feel the market shifting… as can most of the other REALTOR®s with whom we talk regularly. Given…
Buying a home this year? Be prepared to compete!
Buying a home this year? Be prepared to compete! You might remember from last quarter’s update that 2021’s real estate market started with a bang. This second quarter has proven…
What’s Wrong with Love Letters?
In this increasingly competitive market for homes, you hear of buyers doing some crazy things to get their offers accepted. Some of what we’ve heard have included: ordering pizzas or…
How to Increase Your Home’s Resale Value and Your Bottom Line
The following post is from the guest, Curtis Fisher from TradesBright.org. Tradesbright highlights the many stories of tradespeople who’ve gone above and beyond by using their skills to better their communities…
Why is New Construction So Expensive?
If you’re trying to buy a home right now, you may be watching the prices of brand-new homes go up weekly. Trust me, I’m seeing this too. But why? Why…
3 Essential Questions That Can Help You Buy Your Dream Home
The following is a guest blog from TedKnowsMoney.com. Ted's blog site shares money tips and helps people take control of their finances. He is a professional financial counselor and coach…
Buying a home this year? Be prepared to compete!
Buying a home this year? Be prepared to compete! So far, 2021 has proven to be a year of competition for buyers. I’d like to share a story: Last week,…
Lynn’s Top 10 Exterior Things to Do Before Listing Your Home
The following post is from a guest writer and friend of Home Sweet Des Moines, Lynn Kuhn. Lynn is the founder of Outdoors Transformations here in the Des Moines area.…
Tips for Buying in this Hot Market
Interested in buying or selling a home? Then you should know the exact market conditions at that moment. Here in Des Moines, we’re in an extreme seller’s market in almost…
How to Become a Landlord
The following post is from the guest writer, Dan Hall freelance writer and the author for dadschange.com. Dads Change is a community of dads who want to show our support…
Meet Jeannie Crosby
The Home Sweet Des Moines Team is shifting and changing this year. Jeannie Crosby who has been our "behind the curtain/marketing guru" is shifting gears into the added role of…
How was Real Estate in 2020 in Des Moines?
How was Real Estate in 2020 in Des Moines? 2020 will live on in our minds as the year no one predicted. And the Des Moines real estate market was…
How to Set Your Rental Property Up for Success
The following post is from the guest, Curtis Fisher from TradesBright.org. Tradesbright highlights the many stories of tradespeople who’ve gone above and beyond by using their skills to better their…
2020: Be kind to your realtor friends: We are still busy!
And the real estate market here in Des Moines is still hopping. While fall has brought cooler temperatures to our lives, it hasn’t appreciably cooled the real estate market yet.…
3 lessons learned while searching for a new home
My husband Alan and I recently
Dream Home — 3 lessons learned while searching for a new home
The following is a guest blog from caretokeep.com Karen Mary is the creator and keeper of caretokeep.com. The site is dedicated to helping others find out how to take care…
Is it Time to Refinance? The Pros Respond
Interest rates have been changing, which makes us all ask, “Is it time to refinance my home?” We went to our local panel of "experts" to discuss this question and also…
Best Mortgage Rates
Based on In-Depth Reviews
Best Mortgage Rates Based on In-Depth Reviews
The following is a guest blog from ConsumerAdocates.org With mortgage rates falling to a record low, learn how to choose the right lender, and how smart mortgage decisions can pave…
Des Moines Area Housing Report 2020: “And that house is under contract”
I doubt anyone saw how 2020 would go back in January. Despite coronavirus, the real estate market is in full swing here in Des Moines; in fact, we have been…