Straight talk on the Northwest Iowa market, buying, selling, and lake living, from Bob and Katie Bauer.https://compassnwia.com/en-ushttps://compassnwia.com/journal/first-ica-governed-real-estate-office/https://compassnwia.com/journal/first-ica-governed-real-estate-office/AI is creeping into real estate fast, and most of it answers to no one. We decided ours would be accountable. Here is what that means for you.Fri, 26 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTTrustBob Bauerhttps://compassnwia.com/journal/storm-lake-home-worth-now/https://compassnwia.com/journal/storm-lake-home-worth-now/Online estimates miss the lake, the lot, and the last six months of local sales. Here is how we read a Northwest Iowa home's real value.Wed, 24 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTMarketBob Bauerhttps://compassnwia.com/journal/cost-to-sell-a-house-northwest-iowa/https://compassnwia.com/journal/cost-to-sell-a-house-northwest-iowa/Commission, closing costs, prep, and the few line items that actually move your net. Here is what selling really costs around here, in plain numbers.Mon, 22 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTSellingKatie Bauerhttps://compassnwia.com/journal/northwest-iowa-home-buyer-roadmap/https://compassnwia.com/journal/northwest-iowa-home-buyer-roadmap/Buying a home here is not complicated, but the order of operations matters. Here is the path from your first thought to the keys in your hand.Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTBuyingBob Bauerhttps://compassnwia.com/journal/what-sells-a-lake-home/https://compassnwia.com/journal/what-sells-a-lake-home/After twenty years and a lot of closings, the homes that sell fast and for top dollar tend to do the same handful of things right.Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTSellingKatie Bauerhttps://compassnwia.com/journal/buying-lakefront-storm-lake/https://compassnwia.com/journal/buying-lakefront-storm-lake/Lakefront is the dream, and it is a different kind of purchase. Frontage, shoreline, docks, and the things that separate a good lake home from a great one.Sun, 14 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTLake LivingBob Bauerhttps://compassnwia.com/journal/good-time-to-buy-or-sell-northwest-iowa/https://compassnwia.com/journal/good-time-to-buy-or-sell-northwest-iowa/The honest answer is that our market is steadier than the headlines. Here is what the local numbers actually say for buyers and for sellers right now.Wed, 10 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTMarketBob Bauerhttps://compassnwia.com/journal/first-time-buyer-programs-iowa/https://compassnwia.com/journal/first-time-buyer-programs-iowa/You may qualify for more help than you think. A plain-language look at the programs that help first-time buyers in Iowa get into a home.Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMTBuyingKatie Bauer