Why does FSBO vary across Iowa?

Larger metros generate more total FSBO transactions in absolute terms; share of FSBO holds roughly steady around 7-9% nationally.

Where does the 8% share come from?

NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, multi-year average. Applied uniformly as a market-level estimate.

Can I list my home FSBO here?

Yes, every FSBO city page links to the listing form. No commissions.

Seller authority IA

Cities with the most FSBO activity in Iowa.

For-Sale-By-Owner thrives where sellers want to skip the commission and buyers shop direct. This ranks Iowa cities by estimated annual FSBO transaction volume.

Last updated September 2026

Iowa ranking

50 cities ranked. Click any row for the matching local page.

#	City	Est. FSBO transactions / yr	Score
1	Des Moines	255 deals/yr	60	View →
2	Cedar Rapids	160 deals/yr	55	View →
3	Davenport	125 deals/yr	52	View →
4	Sioux City	105 deals/yr	51	View →
5	Iowa City	95 deals/yr	49	View →
6	Dubuque	85 deals/yr	48	View →
7	Council Bluffs	85 deals/yr	48	View →
8	Waterloo	85 deals/yr	48	View →
9	Ames	70 deals/yr	46	View →
10	West Des Moines	70 deals/yr	46	View →
11	Ankeny	60 deals/yr	44	View →
12	Cedar Falls	50 deals/yr	42	View →
13	Urbandale	50 deals/yr	42	View →
14	Marion	45 deals/yr	41	View →
15	Bettendorf	40 deals/yr	40	View →
16	Marshalltown	40 deals/yr	40	View →
17	Muscatine	35 deals/yr	39	View →
18	Burlington	35 deals/yr	39	View →
19	Ottumwa	35 deals/yr	39	View →
20	Mason City	35 deals/yr	39	View →
21	Fort Dodge	35 deals/yr	39	View →
22	Clinton	35 deals/yr	39	View →
23	Newton	25 deals/yr	35	View →
24	Indianola	25 deals/yr	35	View →
25	Coralville	25 deals/yr	35	View →
26	Johnston	20 deals/yr	33	View →
27	Waukee	20 deals/yr	33	View →
28	Altoona	20 deals/yr	33	View →
29	Boone	20 deals/yr	33	View →
30	Clive	20 deals/yr	33	View →
31	North Liberty	20 deals/yr	33	View →
32	Oskaloosa	20 deals/yr	33	View →
33	Pella	15 deals/yr	29	View →
34	Decorah	15 deals/yr	29	View →
35	Fort Madison	15 deals/yr	29	View →
36	Keokuk	15 deals/yr	29	View →
37	Storm Lake	15 deals/yr	29	View →
38	Spencer	15 deals/yr	29	View →
39	Fairfield	15 deals/yr	29	View →
40	Mount Pleasant	15 deals/yr	29	View →
41	Carroll	15 deals/yr	29	View →
42	Le Mars	15 deals/yr	29	View →
43	Waverly	15 deals/yr	29	View →
44	Norwalk	15 deals/yr	29	View →
45	Knoxville	15 deals/yr	29	View →
46	Grinnell	15 deals/yr	29	View →
47	Pleasant Hill	15 deals/yr	29	View →
48	Charles City	10 deals/yr	25	View →
49	Grimes	10 deals/yr	25	View →
50	Denison	10 deals/yr	25	View →

Methodology

FSBO volume = population × 1.5% annual turnover × 8% FSBO share (national average). Cities with higher populations rank higher; this is a directional volume estimate, not a property-level count.

FAQ

Why does FSBO vary across Iowa?: Larger metros generate more total FSBO transactions in absolute terms; share of FSBO holds roughly steady around 7-9% nationally.
Where does the 8% share come from?: NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, multi-year average. Applied uniformly as a market-level estimate.
Can I list my home FSBO here?: Yes, every FSBO city page links to the listing form. No commissions.