Real Estate Investing in Des Moines, Washington

Everything the listing leaves out — vacancy, rent trend, cap rate, landlord climate. All free.

1 ZIP codes • Population: 39,815 • King County

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Should you buy in Des Moines, WA? Our answer, based on the numbers below.

🏠 For Homebuyers
CAUTION
Grade D (49/100)

Proceed carefully. Weak appreciation or affordability makes this a harder case for most buyers.

📈 For Investors
MIXED
3.0 / 5 (47/100)

A middle-of-the-road market. Workable, but the best opportunities may be nearby ZIPs rather than this one.

⚠️ Risks to Know
1 flag
  • Tenant-protective state: Landlord rating 1.0/5 — slower evictions, more regulations.

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3.0/ 5

Investability

Citywide average

2.0/ 5

Appreciation

3.0% 5yr CAGR

1.0/ 5

Landlord Climate

Regulatory friendliness

🏦 30-yr Fixed Rate: 6.76% as of Sep 10 Source: Freddie Mac PMMS
Avg Investability
Avg Home Value $595,296
Avg Monthly Rent $2,105
ZIP Codes 1

Investing in Des Moines Real Estate

Des Moines in Washington is one of the markets where the numbers warn before they reward — 1 ZIPs, a sizable population, and a rating that reflects material risk.

Des Moines is the kind of market where the cap rate on paper and the cap rate realized tend to diverge. decisively out-of-state investors should be especially careful with the assumptions they carry in.

plainly Des Moines's sale market has not rewarded patience. less favorable for listings sit longer, price cuts are common, and rent growth has been flat to negative in multiple ZIPs.

Des Moines's population trends and income levels suggest a market where affordability is strained, which constrains how aggressively rents can rise without hurting collections.

A great house in the wrong ZIP is still a bad deal — screen every market by cash flow & cap rate.
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Best ZIP codes in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA

Des Moines is part of this metro. Every ZIP in it, ranked. Free.

Cash Flow → Appreciation → Affordable →

Landlord Ground Truth

Real numbers from people who own or manage rentals in Des Moines, WA. Anonymous, moderated, never written by AI.

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Property managers serving King County

Manage rentals here? List your business →

Alki Property Management LLC specializes in apartment rentals. summary from their website

Small multifamily
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Brink Property Management offers residential property management and vacant home management services in Bellevue, providing marketing, tenant screening, rent collection, and maintenance. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
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Full Service Property Management offers compassionate property management across Metro Seattle, including multi-family management, property marketing, and maintenance services. summary from their website

Single-familySmall multifamily
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Listings are shown for convenience — Repit doesn’t endorse or vet these companies. Ratings shown come only from email-verified visitors.

Avg Home Value
$595,296
Avg Monthly Rent
$2,105
1% Rule
✗ Below
Landlord Friendly (WA)

🎓 Colleges & Universities in Des Moines

1 College 5,126 Students 2,752 Off-Campus Renters
C+
Highline College
4-Year Public · 5,126 students
📍 ~2,752 students rent off-campus

Investor Insight: With 2,752 students living off-campus, Des Moines has substantial rental demand from the college population — typically stable, lease-renewing tenants.

Neighborhoods in Des Moines

ZIP Codes in Des Moines, WA

Screen every ZIP in Des Moines

Filter Des Moines’s ZIPs by cap rate, vacancy, appreciation and 30+ more criteria, and export your shortlist to CSV — with the Investor plan ($19/mo).

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Frequently Asked Questions About Des Moines, WA

Is Des Moines in WA worth investing in?

With a 3.0/5 investability score, Des Moines, WA ranks as a solid market for rental property investors. Median prices of $595K and rents of $2,105/mo drive the underlying numbers.

What kind of vacancy should I budget for in Des Moines, WA?

Des Moines, WA carries elevated vacancy risk. Expect even-keeled absorption at market rents of $2,105/mo.

What investment strategy works best in Des Moines, WA?

Investors who focus on careful cash-flow rentals with hands-on management typically do well in Des Moines, WA. The numbers - $595K homes against $2,105/mo rents - support that play.

Is Des Moines, WA a good market for FHA house hackers?

The a challenging house-hack environment in Des Moines, WA reflects the rent-to-price spread. Expect meaningful PITI offset at market rents.

How much is rent in Des Moines, WA?

Investors in Des Moines, WA typically see rents near $2,105/mo per month against $595K home values - a solid setup for rental cash flow.

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