Des Moines, IA County Sees 48 Home Flips with 33.2% Gross ROI in July 2026
Real estate investors in Des Moines, IA County turned properties in an average of 176 days, generating $34K in gross profit per flip.
County Overview
Des Moines, IA County demonstrated a notable level of real estate investor activity, with 48 residential homes flipped in the trailing 12 months leading up to July 2026. This measure of properties purchased and resold within a year reflects active capital deployment and value-add strategies in the local market. Each of these flips generated an average gross profit of $34K, indicating significant potential for individual property appreciation and investor returns.
The profitability of these ventures is further underscored by an average gross ROI of 33.2% for flips in Des Moines, IA County. This gross return on investment, calculated before factoring in rehab, holding, or selling costs, highlights the robust margins available to investors who successfully execute flip strategies in the area. Such a percentage signals a healthy environment for capital growth, encouraging continued investor engagement. Furthermore, the average time to flip in the county stood at 176 days, indicating a relatively swift capital turnover for these investment properties. This holding period suggests that properties are being acquired, renovated, and brought back to market efficiently, maintaining liquidity and allowing investors to redeploy capital within a reasonable timeframe.
Within the broader state context, Des Moines, IA County's 48 flips contribute 1.1% of Iowa's total flip activity, which registered 4,187 flips during the same period. This positions Des Moines, IA County as a significant, though not dominant, market for house flipping, ranking #17 among Iowa's 98 counties. The county's specific metrics, a 33.2% gross ROI and an average flip duration of 176 days, reflect a market where investors can achieve substantial returns with relatively efficient turnaround times, according to BatchData's Flip Activity Report.
Local Market Context
Des Moines, IA County's role in the state's real estate investment landscape is clearly defined by its flip activity. While its 48 homes flipped represent a smaller fraction of the national total of 341,944 flips, its #17 ranking among Iowa's 98 counties confirms its importance at the state level. This level of activity suggests a consistent flow of properties suitable for renovation and resale, appealing to both experienced and emerging real estate investor groups. The county's 1.1% share of Iowa's total flips indicates a distributed market where Des Moines, IA County maintains a steady, rather than overwhelmingly concentrated, presence compared to other areas.
The financial performance within Des Moines, IA County's flip market presents a compelling case for investors. An average gross profit of $34K per flip, combined with an average gross ROI of 33.2%, demonstrates that successful flip projects can yield strong financial outcomes. This level of profitability can attract new capital and sustain ongoing investor interest, particularly for those seeking opportunities to leverage property data and market insights for strategic investments. The average 176 days to flip further illustrates market efficiency, indicating that properties are not sitting idle for extended periods, which is crucial for maximizing capital velocity in real estate investing. This relatively short holding period helps mitigate carrying costs and allows investors to cycle funds into new projects more quickly.
The consistent average gross profit and ROI figures, alongside the days to flip, suggest that Des Moines, IA County's flip market generally tracks the broader trends of active renovation and resale seen across many U.S. markets, rather than exhibiting significant divergence. Investors utilizing tools like property search or smart search can identify potential flip candidates, while accessing detailed property data API can provide crucial insights into purchase and resale values. The specific mix of properties being flipped in Des Moines, IA County, characterized by these strong profit margins and efficient turnaround times, underscores a balanced market where demand supports the prices achieved after renovation.
