My salary is $77k per year (although I usually make $20-30k more than that because of bonuses). I currently live in Florida (where my family is from), but don't need to. My work is 100% remote, so I can be anywhere. Can I afford a decent house in the Des Moines area on this salary, assuming I don't get any bonuses at all? I have been exploring the idea of moving to the midwest. I have a hunch that my money could go further there. What I've been doing for the past five years is moving around South America, usually every 3 months (you can usually visit a country for 90 days without a visa), living cheap, and visiting Florida for the holidays. I'm looking to purchase a home and I'm kinda stunned that UA-cam showed me this video. Either way, it looks like you don't have a huge audience on UA-cam, but I thank you for taking the time to make this video.
The short answer is “yes,” that salary (without bonuses) would be plenty to afford at least the median priced home in the area. However, its a nuanced answer that is going to vary based on your style of living. Appreciate your comment! Feel free to reach out if there’s anything I can do to help further. My cell is (515) 414-6281. You’re 100% correct that I don’t have a huge UA-cam following but I’ve been working on SEO and am glad to see the video got in front of you!
Anything near the Des Moines or Raccoon Rivers is prone to flooding. Valley Junction is right off the Raccoon and floods regularly as does the area around Gray's Lake. Any land south of Saylorville Lake along the river floods also. You're not likely to find any homes under $120k that are decent. The main problem you run into are basement walls being cracked from hydrostatic pressure and previous flooding issues. Avoid the Drake neighborhood, East Village and University neighborhood near the Iowa State Fairgrounds. These are high crime areas that always have radio chatter on the police scanner.
Basement/water problems are common around here, unfortunately. Make sure you keep up on home maintenance (grading, gutters, etc.) and have the right insurance!
anywhere but river bend evelyn k davis kirkwood glen new visions or mondamian residential every where is safe but the neighborhoods onna north side and stay away from oak ridge ts is the projects
Des Moines's property taxes are very high. Look for any suburb. It will depend on where your job is located as where you might want to live. Education is best in suburbs.
Hey im from CT and i work remotely making 130k a year. Will that bring me far in Iowa? Im kinda priced out in my town of Norwalk, due to all the new Yorkers coming in. Im planning on having a trip to des moine next month to get a feel for the state and possibly buy a house. Is there any difference between the core cities (des moine,cedar rapids, Iowa City)? Me and my girl like to go out often to restaurants , movies and shopping. would des moine be the better city for that?
Hey great question! Feel free to contact me at 515.414.6281 if this still leaves things unclear. I'm biased, but when it comes to restaurants, movies, and shopping I think Des Moines is going to have the most/best options for you. I've never been a huge fan of what Cedar Rapids has to offer but I lived in Iowa City for 6 years before moving here. Iowa City has a much smaller feel than Des Moines but still has good shopping and local restaurants, just not to the degree Des Moines does. Hope that helps!
Whats parts of Des Moines is not safe or should I stay away from? I am a traveling nurse and looking for a safe area to live in for three month's starting November 1st.
the north side stay away from oak ridge that’s the projects river bend kirkwood glen evelyn k davis new visions mondamain residential everything else is safe
Hi Jody! The most walkable area would be either Downtown or the East Village (which is basically downtown 2.0). There are pockets of Ankeny, West Des Moines, and Grimes that are very walkable as well.
Depends on the part of Des Moines you live in - and it's not all the time. They're working on a solution! www.kcci.com/article/des-moines-foul-odor-monitoring-data/60705513
Not sure what you are talking about because the Republicans have been in control of Iowa for decades. They closed the mental Hospitals and also brought workers from Mexico years ago
Seriously? That common sense goes right out the window at 4 way stop signs here and the common courtesy is nowhere to be seen at times in the aisles of Hy-Vee.
![[2024] Top 14 Places to Live in Des Moines](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3SbkSfuGUPg/mqdefault.jpg)
Reach out if there's anything I can do for you! 515.414.6281
My salary is $77k per year (although I usually make $20-30k more than that because of bonuses). I currently live in Florida (where my family is from), but don't need to. My work is 100% remote, so I can be anywhere. Can I afford a decent house in the Des Moines area on this salary, assuming I don't get any bonuses at all? I have been exploring the idea of moving to the midwest. I have a hunch that my money could go further there. What I've been doing for the past five years is moving around South America, usually every 3 months (you can usually visit a country for 90 days without a visa), living cheap, and visiting Florida for the holidays. I'm looking to purchase a home and I'm kinda stunned that UA-cam showed me this video. Either way, it looks like you don't have a huge audience on UA-cam, but I thank you for taking the time to make this video.
The short answer is “yes,” that salary (without bonuses) would be plenty to afford at least the median priced home in the area. However, its a nuanced answer that is going to vary based on your style of living. Appreciate your comment!
Feel free to reach out if there’s anything I can do to help further. My cell is (515) 414-6281.
You’re 100% correct that I don’t have a huge UA-cam following but I’ve been working on SEO and am glad to see the video got in front of you!
Anything near the Des Moines or Raccoon Rivers is prone to flooding. Valley Junction is right off the Raccoon and floods regularly as does the area around Gray's Lake. Any land south of Saylorville Lake along the river floods also.
You're not likely to find any homes under $120k that are decent. The main problem you run into are basement walls being cracked from hydrostatic pressure and previous flooding issues.
Avoid the Drake neighborhood, East Village and University neighborhood near the Iowa State Fairgrounds. These are high crime areas that always have radio chatter on the police scanner.
Basement/water problems are common around here, unfortunately. Make sure you keep up on home maintenance (grading, gutters, etc.) and have the right insurance!
WONDERFUL
Thank you!
anywhere but river bend evelyn k davis kirkwood glen new visions or mondamian residential every where is safe but the neighborhoods onna north side and stay away from oak ridge ts is the projects
is there any houses under 50,000 next to a city that has jobs ? and a home depot to fix it up?
It's pretty rare to find a home under $50k around here, but it is possible. Just know it's going to need A LOT of work!
Des Moines's property taxes are very high. Look for any suburb. It will depend on where your job is located as where you might want to live. Education is best in suburbs.
Yep we are the 8th highest state in the U.S. when it comes to property taxes, unfortunately
Hello Matt. do you also work with rentals ? I will be retiring next year and I want to make Des Moines my summer home
Hey there! I don't do as many rentals as purchases but I'd love to help.
Feel free to give me a call anytime at 515.414.6281
Hey im from CT and i work remotely making 130k a year. Will that bring me far in Iowa? Im kinda priced out in my town of Norwalk, due to all the new Yorkers coming in.
Im planning on having a trip to des moine next month to get a feel for the state and possibly buy a house.
Is there any difference between the core cities (des moine,cedar rapids, Iowa City)?
Me and my girl like to go out often to restaurants , movies and shopping. would des moine be the better city for that?
Hey great question! Feel free to contact me at 515.414.6281 if this still leaves things unclear.
I'm biased, but when it comes to restaurants, movies, and shopping I think Des Moines is going to have the most/best options for you. I've never been a huge fan of what Cedar Rapids has to offer but I lived in Iowa City for 6 years before moving here.
Iowa City has a much smaller feel than Des Moines but still has good shopping and local restaurants, just not to the degree Des Moines does.
Hope that helps!
130k is plenty
for 130k I’m pretty sure you could buy the State 😂 Des Moines is the only truly big city in IA. The others are a big step down in terms of size.
Whats parts of Des Moines is not safe or should I stay away from? I am a traveling nurse and looking for a safe area to live in for three month's starting November 1st.
You should check out this video!
ua-cam.com/video/hnJ6lWdoIyA/v-deo.html
the north side stay away from oak ridge that’s the projects river bend kirkwood glen evelyn k davis new visions mondamain residential everything else is safe
What, in your opinion, is the most walkable area of Des Moines?
Hi Jody! The most walkable area would be either Downtown or the East Village (which is basically downtown 2.0). There are pockets of Ankeny, West Des Moines, and Grimes that are very walkable as well.
Oak Park
The smell here in des moines is so bad.
Depends on the part of Des Moines you live in - and it's not all the time. They're working on a solution!
www.kcci.com/article/des-moines-foul-odor-monitoring-data/60705513
If you vote democrat, move into the city. You'll feel right at home. If you have common sense, and common courtesy, move anywhere else in Iowa.
Not sure what you are talking about because the Republicans have been in control of Iowa for decades. They closed the mental Hospitals and also brought workers from Mexico years ago
Seriously? That common sense goes right out the window at 4 way stop signs here and the common courtesy is nowhere to be seen at times in the aisles of Hy-Vee.