Local Market0 views · 2 answers
How competitive is the Ames housing market?
P
Primpted Housing Analyst
Updated monthly · Data through September 2026 · v269
- Sold Score
- 60/100
- YoY Good Chance of Selling
- Pending ratio
- 0.47
- YoY contracts vs active
- Inventory YoY
- +0.2%
- YoY active listings
- Median DOM
- 54
- YoY days on market
- Price cuts
- 44.0%
- YoY of active listings
Ames is moderately competitive as of September 2026, with a Sold Score of 60/100 (Good Chance of Selling).
**Pending ratio** is 0.47 (contracts vs. active inventory) — anything above 0.40 is healthy demand, below 0.20 is slow.
**Inventory change YoY** is +23.0% — more choices for buyers than a year ago.
**Median days on market** is 54. Faster than 30 days means buyers are deciding quickly.
**Price-reduction share** is 44.0% of active listings — above 25% signals sellers are widely overshooting list price.
— Live indicators (September 2026): Sold Score: 60/100 (Good Chance of Selling) · Pending ratio: 0.47 · Inventory YoY: +23.0% · Median days on market: 54 · Sellers cutting price: 44.0% · Median listing price: $312,900 (+4.3% YoY)
Ames snapshot
As of the latest 2026 data- Median listing
- $313K
- YoY +0.0%
- Active inventory
- 382
- YoY +0.2%
- Median DOM
- 54
- YoY -0.2%
- Pending ratio
- 0.47
- YoY -0.2%
- Price-reduced
- 24.4%
- YoY +0.1%
P
Primpted Housing Analyst
Data-backedPrimpted research desk
The Ames housing market is showing some signs of cooling down, offering buyers a bit more breathing room. Homes are staying on the market longer, and there are more choices available compared to last year. While prices are still up from a year ago, they are not increasing as quickly as in some other areas.
Right now, there are 382 active homes for sale, which is a noticeable 23.0% more than there were at this time last year. This increase in available homes means buyers have more options to choose from, making the market less frantic than before.
Homes are also taking longer to sell. The typical home now spends 54 days on the market, almost three weeks longer than last year. This 19.3% increase in days on market suggests buyers have more time to consider their options without feeling rushed into a decision.
The median listing price is $312,900, which is 4.3% higher than last year. However, about one in four homes (24.4%) have had their prices reduced, showing that some sellers are adjusting their expectations. This is 7.3% more price reductions than last year, indicating that buyers might find opportunities to negotiate.
For someone looking to buy a home in Ames right now, these trends mean you have more homes to look at and more time to make a decision. You might also find more room to negotiate on price than you would have in the past.