Des Moines Real Estate Market
Des Moines Housing Market Report
Des Moines is King County's quiet waterfront value — a marina town on Puget Sound where beach neighborhoods like Redondo and Woodmont trade for a fraction of what comparable water access costs in Seattle or on the Eastside. Between the pier, the boardwalk, and inland streets that first-time buyers can actually afford, this is a market defined by how close you are to the water.
Page author
Adriano Tori
Designated Broker, Founder & CEO — RexMont Real Estate · WA Lic. #27660
Adriano leads RexMont Real Estate — the most-reviewed real estate brokerage in Seattle and the Eastside. 1,200+ closed transactions, $1B+ in production, and 1,241 five-star Google reviews.
As of September 2026, the median listing price in Des Moines is $495K ($348 per square foot), and homes are averaging 53 days on market.
Stats updated September 2026· refreshed monthly and reviewed by RexMont's brokerage team.
By property type
The headline figures above blend every active residential listing in Des Moines. Single-family, condo, and townhouse markets move differently, so the breakdown below is what to quote when comparing one property type across cities.
| Property type | Median list price | Price / sq ft | Days on market | Active listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single-family | $649K | $369 | 42 | 83 |
| Condo | $335K | $348 | 56 | 76 |
| Townhouse | $410K | $304 | 48 | 11 |
Active listings is the sample size behind each row. Same source and refresh date as the headline figures.
Methodology & data sources
Market statistics on this page — median listing price, price per square foot, and days on market — are computed from active residential listings in Des Moines, WA, sourced from RentCast, a licensed real-estate data provider aggregating MLS records and county public records. Figures refresh the first week of every month (current data: September 2026) and are reviewed by RexMont Real Estate's brokerage team (WA firm license #21220). Individual property listings shown on this page come from the live NWMLS feed. Historical figures are not restated after publication.
Journalists: monthly figures for 47 Puget Sound cities are available on a citable, dated page for each market. For custom cuts, methodology questions, or to receive the monthly refresh, contact adriano@rexmont.com. Please attribute "RexMont Real Estate market report" with a link to this page.
Thinking of selling in Des Moines?
Is it a good time to sell in Des Moines? The numbers above are the market. Your number is your home.
RexMont builds a Des Moines comparable analysis from closed sales in your neighborhood, not the citywide median, and shows the net after commission, Washington excise tax and closing costs before you decide anything. 1,241 Google five-star reviews; an agent calls back within minutes.
Market context
What shapes Des Moines' market.
The water sets the hierarchy. Des Moines is one of the few places left in King County where a Puget Sound view or a walk-to-the-beach address is attainable on a working budget — and that scarcity does the pricing. Redondo's boardwalk-and-pier beach community, Woodmont's quieter shoreline streets just north, and anything walkable to the Des Moines Marina and its Saturday farmers market carry a premium the inland blocks don't, and always will.
Location does the rest. The city sits minutes south of Sea-Tac International Airport — the area's dominant employer alongside the region's healthcare and logistics networks — with SR-509 and I-5 putting both Seattle and Tacoma within a direct drive. Highline College anchors the city's own institutional employment and gives the Pacific Ridge area a steady rental and starter-home economy.
Inland, the market is classic South King value. Zenith and the central neighborhoods hold mid-century ramblers on generous lots, the kind of stock first-time buyers and downsizers compete for when it's priced right. The Highline School District serves the city, and Saltwater State Park — one of the most-visited in the state system — gives the middle of the shoreline its greenbelt.
The result is a two-speed market: water-adjacent homes that trade on scarcity and views, and inland homes that trade on payment math. The most common pricing mistake in Des Moines is blending the two — a Redondo hillside view comp says nothing about a Zenith rambler, and vice versa.
Coverage
Service area at a glance
RexMont represents buyers and sellers across these Seattle and Eastside markets. Click any city for the full local guide.
Bellevue, WA
ZIPs: 98004 · 98005 · 98006 · 98007 · 98008
Schools: Bellevue SD
Medina, WA
ZIP: 98039
Schools: Bellevue SD
Clyde Hill, WA
ZIP: 98004
Schools: Bellevue SD
Mercer Island, WA
ZIP: 98040
Schools: Mercer Island SD
Kirkland, WA
ZIPs: 98033 · 98034
Schools: Lake Washington SD
Redmond, WA
ZIPs: 98052 · 98053
Schools: Lake Washington SD
Sammamish, WA
ZIPs: 98074 · 98075
Schools: Lake Washington / Issaquah SD
Issaquah, WA
ZIPs: 98027 · 98029
Schools: Issaquah SD
Newcastle, WA
ZIPs: 98056 · 98059
Schools: Renton SD
Woodinville, WA
ZIPs: 98072 · 98077
Schools: Northshore SD
Kenmore, WA
ZIP: 98028
Schools: Northshore SD
Seattle, WA
ZIPs: 98101 · 98109 · 98112 · 98115 · 98118
Schools: Seattle Public Schools
Buying in Des Moines
Des Moines buyers hunting the water need patience and speed in equal measure — Redondo and Woodmont view listings are scarce and move when they're right. Inland buyers have more room to negotiate. RexMont helps both: verifying view permanence and shoreline particulars on the water, and driving value on the inland streets.
Talk to a Des Moines buyer agentSelling in Des Moines
Des Moines sellers win by selling what the buyer is actually buying — the view, the beach walk, or the lot and the payment. RexMont's listing team prices Redondo and Woodmont homes on water comps, inland homes on value comps, and prepares each to compete at full strength.
Get your Des Moines home valueLive NWMLS data
Active homes for sale in Des Moines
The latest active NWMLS listings in Des Moines, refreshed hourly.
- Median price
- $495K
- Median $/sqft
- $348
- Avg days on market
- 53
- Listings for sale
- 110+
ActiveNew today$430,000
MLS# 258355324830 12th Avenue S
Des Moines, WA 98198
2 bd1.5 ba920 sqftListing courtesy of RE/MAX Northwest
Active1 day on market$545,000
MLS# 25828962063 S 263rd Street
Des Moines, WA 98198
3 bd2.5 ba1,752 sqftListing courtesy of LPT Realty LLC
Active3 days on market$1,300,000
MLS# 2583068600 S 227th Street #coml
Des Moines, WA 98198
0 bd0 baListing courtesy of Engel & Voelkers Seattle DT
Active5 days on market$400,000
MLS# 258175726409 7th Avenue S
Des Moines, WA 98198
0 bd0 baListing courtesy of Coldwell Banker Danforth
Active3 days on market$2,099,000
MLS# 258103028132 8th Ave S
Des Moines, WA 98198
5 bd4.5 ba4,448 sqftListing courtesy of Polaris Pacific
Active5 days on market$315,000
MLS# 258165822993 Marine View Drive S #d306
Des Moines, WA 98198
2 bd1 baListing courtesy of Redfin
Showing the 6 newest of 110 active homes for sale in Des Moines, pulled directly from NWMLS and refreshed hourly. See all 110 Des Moines homes for sale, each with photos, price history, and a per-listing mortgage estimate.
Listing data courtesy of NWMLS. Provided for the consumer's personal, non-commercial use. Market stats reflect representative market data for Des Moines; current listings and individual neighborhoods may vary.
Search all Des Moines listings →Related markets
Compare Des Moines to nearby South King County markets.
Burien Market
The next Sound-side city north — Seahurst, Three Tree Point, and a walkable old-downtown core.
Federal Way Market
Des Moines' southern neighbor — Link light rail access and King County's most attainable entry points.
Kent Market
The valley employment alternative — East Hill family neighborhoods and Sounder rail to Seattle.
King County Market Overview
How Des Moines' pricing fits into the countywide picture, from South King values to Eastside premiums.
Redondo Homes for Sale
The beach community that anchors Des Moines' waterfront market — boardwalk, pier, and view homes.
Des Moines Homes for Sale
Live NWMLS listings across Redondo, Woodmont, Zenith, and the Marina District.
FAQ
Questions buyers and sellers ask first.
Is Des Moines a buyer's or seller's market?
Des Moines runs steadier than the region's boom-and-bust premium markets. Waterfront and view homes in Redondo and near the marina hold value and draw patient, specific buyers; the inland neighborhoods trade on affordability and move faster when priced right. Days on market give buyers some breathing room here — but the water-adjacent stock is scarce enough that the right listing still commands attention immediately.
What is the median home price in Des Moines?
Des Moines' median listing price typically runs around $500K depending on the neighborhood and quarter — the figure at the top of this page refreshes monthly. Inland neighborhoods and condos anchor the lower half of the range, while Redondo and Woodmont view homes and anything walkable to the marina trade well above the citywide number.
Which Des Moines neighborhoods should buyers know?
Redondo is the signature — a beach community with a boardwalk, fishing pier, and Puget Sound view homes climbing the hillside. Woodmont sits just north with its own beach access and established streets. The Marina District anchors the walkable core near the pier and farmers market, Zenith holds quieter mid-century blocks, and the neighborhoods near Highline College offer the most attainable entry points.
How do Des Moines residents commute?
Des Moines sits between two Link light rail corridors, with Sea-Tac Airport minutes north and SR-509 and I-5 carrying drivers to Seattle and Tacoma. A large share of residents work at the airport, at Highline College, or in the healthcare and logistics employers scattered across South King County — commutes here are short by regional standards, which is part of the value story.
How current is the market data on this page?
The median price, price per square foot, and days-on-market figures refresh monthly from regional market data and are reviewed by RexMont's brokerage team. Commentary is updated as conditions change.
How does RexMont represent Des Moines buyers and sellers?
RexMont treats Des Moines as the water-town it is — Redondo view comps have nothing to do with inland rambler comps, and pricing a marina-walkable home off a citywide average leaves money on the table. We match every purchase and listing to the micro-market it actually trades in.
Des Moines rewards knowing the water premium.
In a city where two blocks of elevation can change a home's comp set entirely, working with agents who price the view and the walk correctly is worth real money. RexMont brings 1,241 Google 5-star reviews and $1B+ in closed production to every Des Moines transaction.
Talk to a Des Moines real estate expert