The Federal Housing Finance Agency published the 2025 Q1 Housing Price Index report, and national data show home prices rose 4.0 percent between the first quarter of 2024 and the first quarter of 2025. House prices were up 0.7 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. FHFA’s seasonally adjusted monthly index for March was down 0.1 percent from February. Nationally, the U.S. housing market has experienced positive annual appreciation each quarter since the start of 2012.

The five-year home appreciation in our region was between 35.86% and 44.22%, with all of our regional Metropolitan Statistical Areas experiencing positive gains. 

In the past year, home prices in our markets have increased: 0.34% in Cedar Rapids, 2.80% in the Quad Cities, 6.12% in Dubuque*, 8.29% in Iowa City*, and 3.72% in Waterloo-Cedar Falls*. This compares to other cities: Des Moines, 2.52%, and Chicago, 6.63%. Appreciation varies by location and price range, with more affordable homes often seeing stronger gains due to higher demand and tighter supply, while higher-end properties tend to appreciate at a slower pace.

Information courtesy of the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) for the first quarter of 2025. FHFA stats always run one-quarter behind. Their full report is available at www.fhfa.gov.  

 * Iowa City, Dubuque, and Waterloo-Cedar Falls MSAs did not meet FHFA’s criteria for inclusion in their published summary table because they had fewer than 1,000 total transactions. However, we have provided these values using the FHFA’s Home Price Index (HPI) Calculator, available at  fhfa.gov/data/hpi/datasets?tab=hpi-calculator. These figures are based on FHFA’s data and methodology but were manually calculated for inclusion in this report.

“After several years of rapid gains, home price growth has leveled off to a more sustainable pace across our region,” said Chris Beason, President of Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors. “We’re seeing more homes on the market, giving buyers more options, while demand remains strong, particularly in the more affordable price points. This is leading to a more balanced market, where prices are rising modestly or holding steady. Buyers aren’t as rushed, and sellers are still seeing great value. With stable conditions and strong affordability, we expect this healthy market to continue through 2025.”

About Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors

A family-owned company since 1862, Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors has grown to 286 sales associates, 59 employees, and 10 offices, selling nearly 4,200 homes in eastern Iowa, northwest Illinois, and southwest Wisconsin in 2024. The company has residential sales offices in Bettendorf, Burlington, Cedar Rapids, Clinton, Davenport, DeWitt, Dubuque, Iowa City, and Muscatine, Iowa; and in Moline, Illinois. For more information on Ruhl&Ruhl Realtors, visit their website at www.RuhlHomes.com.

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