Des Moines, IA Rental Market for Investors
An estimated 71% of Des Moines's active listings could cash-flow as a short-term rental — here's what the numbers say for investors, as of August 2026.
Homes in Des Moines that pencil right now
A sample of active Des Moines listings whose DSCR clears 1.25 using short-term rental income projections we accept as a direct lender. These are spread across the price range, not ranked, and current as of August 2026.
$150,000DSCR 1.572 bed · 1 bath · 943 sqft
- STR revenue
- $24,188/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,027/mo
On the market 39 days · Listed by Remax Concepts
Scout this home & market: 2-bed house in Des Moines
$158,000DSCR 1.402 bed · 1 bath · 730 sqft
- STR revenue
- $23,028/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,099/mo
On the market 138 days · Listed by Realty One Group Impact
Scout this home & market: 2-bed house in Des Moines
$179,000DSCR 1.443 bed · 1.5 bath · 1,352 sqft
- STR revenue
- $26,556/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,227/mo
On the market 156 days · Listed by Homeworks Realty, Llc
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Des Moines
$180,000DSCR 1.483 bed · 0.5 bath · 1,133 sqft
- STR revenue
- $29,038/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,304/mo
On the market 68 days · Listed by Remax Concepts
Scout this home & market: 3-bed house in Des Moines
$199,900DSCR 1.502 bed · 1 bath · 699 sqft
- STR revenue
- $31,314/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,390/mo
On the market 17 days · Listed by Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Innovations
Scout this home & market: 2-bed house in Des Moines
$215,000DSCR 1.352 bed · 1 bath · 864 sqft
- STR revenue
- $27,590/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,361/mo
On the market 32 days · Listed by 1 Percent Lists Evolution
Scout this home & market: 2-bed house in Des Moines
$335,000DSCR 1.404 bed · 2 bath · 1,515 sqft
- STR revenue
- $41,377/yr
- Est. interest-only payment
- $1,976/mo
On the market 58 days · Listed by LPT Realty, LLC
Scout this home & market: 4-bed house in Des Moines
As of August 2026, we analyzed 838 active for-sale homes in Des Moines, Iowa. The typical listing is priced at $259,900 and is projected to generate about $33,365 a year as a short-term rental.
After setting aside an estimated 20% for operating costs, an estimated 70.6% of those homes could still cover an investor mortgage payment on short-term-rental income — well above the 52.5% median across the 200 major metros we track, ranking Des Moines #25 of 200 for cash-flow potential.
On market momentum: homes in Des Moines sit a median of 60 days on the market, and 29% of active listings came on in just the last 30 days — a steadily paced market, which shapes how much room there is to negotiate.
For a DSCR loan — which qualifies on the property's rental income rather than your personal income — that's a relatively healthy setup: in Des Moines, a meaningful share of listings throw off enough short-term-rental income, after costs, to cover an estimated investor mortgage payment.
What actually works in Des Moines
Des Moines works for investors, but the window is specific: 239 of the 639 Des Moines homes, condos and townhomes we can price confidently clear a DSCR of 1.25. Nine in ten of them are priced under $321,000.
| Price | 1 bed | 2 bed | 3 bed | 4 bed | 5 bed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| $150k–$250k | 0%0.91 | 44%1.21 | 62%1.38 | 100%1.72 | — |
| $250k–$350k | — | 11%0.95 | 15%1.06 | 81%1.38 | — |
| $350k–$500k | — | 0%0.63 | 8%0.86 | 12%1.00 | 33%1.03 |
| $500k+ | — | — | 0%0.44 | 0%0.74 | 0%0.81 |
Darker means a larger share of that group cash-flows. “—” means fewer than 8 active listings — too few to draw a conclusion from.
Des Moines in full
| Active for-sale homes analyzed | 838 |
|---|---|
| Median list price | $259,900 |
| Median projected STR revenue (annual, gross) | $33,365 |
| Median average daily rate (ADR) | $178 |
| Median occupancy | 52% |
| Median beds | 3 |
| Median size | 1,358 sqft |
| Estimated cash-flow-positive share | 70.6% |
| Median days on market | 60 days |
| New listings (last 30 days) | 28.9% of active |
As a user of this system, you agree to all Scout Terms & Conditions and Home & Mortgage Conditions.
Would a Des Moines rental qualify for a DSCR loan?
Pre-filled with Des Moines's median price and projected short-term-rental income — change any field to match a specific property.
Advanced
On a 5-minute call with you, we can use Scout to run real numbers on real properties.
Estimates for educational purposes. Final terms subject to credit, property & program approval.
5 senior bankers · 47 statesPressure-test the market before you trust the median.
We’ll help you compare the market-level signal with the exact property, local costs, rental rules, and financing structure.
Thinking about an investment property in Des Moines?
Send the address or your target buy box. We’ll run the property with today’s assumptions.
Prefer to talk now? Call or text Chad: 858-353-8331.