It’s easy to look at Clear Lake in late October and assume the real estate market is simply slowing down with the season. The boats come out of the water, the evenings turn cooler, and the pace around town feels a little quieter.
But there’s more to it than a seasonal slowdown.
Homes are moving noticeably faster than they were a year ago. Inventory is up, giving buyers more room to breathe. And asking prices are still holding above last year’s levels, especially for well-located homes and properties connected to the lake lifestyle.
This is my Monday market update for late October 2026, and I’m focusing on three numbers that tell the clearest story for Clear Lake, Iowa, ZIP code 50428:
- Median listing price: $434,250
- Active listings: 150 homes
- Median days on market: 65 days
Those numbers give us a useful starting point. They do not tell the whole story, but they help us understand the direction of the market and what buyers and sellers should be thinking about this week.
Clear Lake Market Update at a Glance
According to the latest October 2026 ZIP 50428 snapshot from Realtor.com Economic Research:
- The median listing price is $434,250, down 1.98% from September but up 2.18% from October 2025.
- There are 150 active listings, up 1.70% month over month and up 11.88% year over year.
- The median time on market is 65 days, down 4.41% from September and down 26.14% from last year.
- The median price per square foot is $256, up 8.48% year over year.
- The median sold price in this snapshot is $360,000, up 13.56% from a year ago.
- Homes are selling for roughly 97% of the asking price, or about 2.65% below list on average.
- The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate connected to the 50428 market is around 7.25%.
Realtor.com currently classifies 50428 as a buyer’s market, meaning the supply of homes is greater than the demand. But it also calls this a “warm” market, with homes selling in a median of 65 days. That combination tells you a lot: buyers have leverage, but good homes are still finding buyers in about two months.
The local closed-sale report adds another layer. The September 2026 MAAR Clear Lake report recorded 7 closed sales, compared with 5 in September 2025. That is a 40% increase in closings, with a September median sales price of $406,000, up 4.1% from the year before.
That may sound like the numbers do not match. They do.
The ZIP-wide Realtor.com snapshot and the local closed-sale report are looking through different windows. One is focused on current listings and recent market activity across all of ZIP 50428. The other looks at the smaller group of homes that actually closed in Clear Lake during one month. A handful of lakefront, condo, vacation, or higher-end sales can move a monthly median quite a bit.
1. Median Price: Holding Above Last Year
The first headline number is $434,250, the October median listing price for ZIP 50428.
That number eased about 2% from September, but it remains 2.18% higher than it was a year ago. In other words, sellers are still bringing homes to market at firm prices, even as buyers become more selective about what they are willing to pay.
The September closed-sale report tells us something encouraging, too:
- September 2026 median sales price: $406,000, up 4.1% from $390,000 in September 2025
- September 2026 average sales price: $459,350, down 5.3% year over year
- Rolling 12-month median sales price: $341,900, down just 0.7%
- Price per square foot over the rolling 12 months: $217, up 1.3%
When I look at those numbers together, I see a market that is holding its value but not moving in a perfectly straight line. Some properties are commanding strong prices. Others need to meet buyers closer to where the market actually is.
That distinction matters in Clear Lake because not every home is competing in the same market. A lakefront property with a dock, a low-maintenance condo, a vacation home, and an in-town house each attract a different buyer. Their condition, location, seasonality, and lifestyle appeal all influence the final price.
A market median is a starting point, not a verdict on any one home.
What the median price means for buyers
For buyers, the $434,250 listing median does not mean every home costs that much. It tells you that the overall ZIP code includes a broad range of properties, including lakefront and higher-end homes. The $360,000 median sold price in the same snapshot is a good reminder that what buyers actually pay often lands below what sellers are asking.
With a 97% sale-to-list ratio, there is negotiating room in many transactions. But with mortgage rates around 7.25%, your monthly payment deserves as much attention as the purchase price.
I recommend starting with a comfortable monthly number, then working backward. A lender can help you understand how taxes, insurance, down payment, and interest rate affect the homes that make sense for you.
You can also review the Clear Lake buyer resources before you start touring. A little preparation can save you a lot of Saturday afternoons.
What the median price means for sellers
For sellers, this is a market where pricing accurately on day one matters.
The data does not support automatically adding a premium simply because a home is in Clear Lake. Buyers are comparing condition, updates, location, garage space, lake access, storage, and monthly payment. In September, local sellers received 97.1% of their original list price, down from 99.6% a year earlier. If a home starts too high, it may sit long enough for buyers to assume something is wrong.
The best pricing conversation is specific to your address. I look at comparable homes that sold, not just the ones currently for sale, and then account for the details that make your property different.
2. Inventory: More Choices Than Last Year
There are currently 150 active listings in ZIP 50428.
That is up 1.70% from September and up 11.88% from October 2025. Buyers have meaningfully more choices than they did a year ago.
The September local report backs that up with a twist. Clear Lake had 75 homes in inventory, down 20.2% from 94 a year earlier, and 9.5 months of supply, down 25.2% from 12.7 months.
Those two views are not as contradictory as they look. The ZIP-wide count includes more of the surrounding area, while the local report tracks a narrower slice of the market. What both agree on is the direction: relative to the pace of sales, supply has loosened compared with the frenzy of recent years, but it is not piling up without attention.
To me, that says the market has become more balanced. Buyers have options, and sellers still need to compete, but homes are not simply stacking up.
What inventory means for buyers
More inventory gives you time to compare.
You do not have to make an offer on the first house you like, especially if the property has been available for several weeks. You can look at a second or third home, compare neighborhoods, and think carefully about condition and future resale value.
That said, good homes can still move quickly. A well-priced property in a desirable location may not behave like the ZIP code median. The house with the right floor plan, a clean inspection profile, or a strong lake connection may attract attention immediately.
The opportunity is not simply “wait and negotiate forever.” It is having enough information to know when a home is fairly priced and when it is not.
What inventory means for sellers
Inventory makes presentation more important.
Professional photography, thoughtful preparation, and a clear pricing strategy can help your home stand apart from the other 149 listings. Buyers often form their first opinion online, long before they walk through the front door.
That is why my listing process includes professional photography, video, drone coverage, floor plans, and a 3D walkthrough. You can read more about the approach on my Clear Lake seller page.
The goal is not to make every home look like something it is not. It is to help buyers see the home clearly and understand why it belongs on their shortlist.
3. Days on Market: The Market Is Moving Faster Than Last Year
The third headline number is 65 median days on market.
That is down 4.41% from September and down 26.14% from October 2025. It is the clearest sign that, despite higher interest rates and more available inventory, homes are generally finding buyers faster than they were a year ago.
The September closed-sale report shows a different number: 85 days on market until sale, down 28.6% from 119 days in September 2025.
Again, these figures are not contradictory. The 65-day Realtor.com number is a current ZIP-wide listing snapshot. The 85-day local number looks specifically at homes that closed in September. A property that closes today may have been listed weeks or months earlier, and the monthly closed group can include homes that took longer to sell.
The continuous thread is this: Clear Lake homes are selling, but buyers are paying attention to price and condition.
For buyers
A 65-day median tells you that you may have negotiating room, but you still need to look at the individual property.
Ask how long the home has been listed, whether it has had a price reduction, and whether it has gone under contract before. A home that has been sitting for 90 days may offer more flexibility than a home that came on the market yesterday.
The sale-to-list ratio of about 97% is useful context, too. Buyers are not typically paying the full asking price across the entire market, but that does not mean every seller will accept 3% below list. The condition, location, and competition around a particular property matter more than the ZIP-wide average.
For sellers
Days on market is feedback.
If your home has been available for several weeks without serious interest, the market may be telling you something about price, presentation, condition, or all three. Waiting for the “right buyer” can work in certain situations, but it is important to understand what the waiting is costing you in time and leverage.
The strongest launch usually happens before the sign goes in the yard: preparation is complete, the photography is ready, the price is grounded in recent sales, and the first weekend is treated as an important opportunity.
The Monday Takeaway
Here is how I would sum up the Clear Lake market in late October:
- Prices are holding above last year, with an October median listing price of $434,250, up 2.18% year over year.
- Inventory is up from last year, with 150 active listings, giving buyers more choices.
- Homes are moving faster than a year ago, with median days on market down to 65.
- Closed-sale data is encouraging: 7 September closings, a $406,000 median sales price, and 85 days on market until sale, all better than a year ago.
- It is a buyer’s market on paper, but a warm one: homes are still selling in about two months.
- The market is not one-size-fits-all. Lakefront homes, condos, vacation properties, and in-town homes can behave very differently.
- A median is a starting point, not a verdict. Your home needs its own pricing and strategy conversation.
A Neighborly Word Before You Make Your Next Move
Market statistics are useful, but they are not a substitute for looking closely at the home, the block, the timing, and your goals.
Whether you are thinking about buying your first home in Clear Lake, finding a lake getaway, downsizing, or selling a property that has been part of your family for years, I’m happy to talk through the numbers with you. You do not need to be ready to list or make an offer today.
Call or text me at 641-512-0633, or send me a message here. I’m always glad to answer questions over coffee, or at least help you make sense of the market from your own kitchen table.
This is the Monday market update for late October 2026. Market data changes frequently, and statistics may vary based on geography, property type, data source, and reporting period.
Sources: Realtor.com Economic Research, ZIP 50428, October 2026; MAAR Clear Lake closed-sale data.
