8 best House Hunters episodes set in Iowa
For these buyers, purchasing their forever home in Iowa was a dream come true. Check out these gripping episodes of “House Hunters” to see a new side of Iowa.
In Iowa, small-town charm is abundant, but we also have some larger cities for those who prefer some extra hustle and bustle in their lives. This perfect duality is seen clearly in the state’s size ranking compared to the other 49 states, landing nearly smack-dab in the middle. This puts Iowa in a unique position that makes it look mighty nice to some homebuyers, including both relocators and those just hopping a few towns over.
Luckily, HGTV has been churning out “House Hunters” episodes since 1999. The series gives viewers across the U.S. and world alike an inside scoop into what local homes and real estate markets are like, allowing folks to see the inherent beauty in properties they’d normally never experience. Of course, we also laugh at the homebuyers’ unrealistic expectations, but that goes without saying.
“House Hunters” is the perfect wind-down show at the end of a long day or week, and these episodes can help you relax and see a new side of the state—or maybe even your neighborhood. From the aptly named Iowa City to the Iowa towns that people constantly mispronounce, the following locations have been visited by HGTV’s crew, and we recommend watching these episodes set here if you’re interested in good drama, better views, and the best escape.
This couple is looking high and low for “Family Time in Iowa”
Iowans are all about family time, and it doesn’t matter if you were born in Iowa or moved here. A priority for family seems to run in the water here, and that couldn’t have been represented better on TV than it was in a Sep. 2022 episode of HGTV’s “House Hunters.”
In this episode, a pilot who’s dedicated his career to the Air Force is looking to find a family-friendly home with his wife. After constantly moving because of his military work, he and his wife want to finally call Iowa City home, but as always on “House Hunters,” not everything is peachy.
As a disciplined military man, the pilot would like to stay under their set budget if at all possible, but his wife wants to splurge on a home that’s large enough to comfortably fit a full family. Will the priority for family win out in the end in true Iowan spirit, or will practicality pull ahead? Check out the episode to see if this couple finds themselves in a tailspin or happily on cloud nine.
“Making a Statement in Iowa” proves challenging for this family
There’s nothing quite like selling your house to put a ticking time limit on your home-buying process. It’s a strategy that puts a lot of pressure on a final decision, but if handled well, it could lead to your forever home. But just how did it fare for the family in this Mar. 30 episode of “House Hunters”?
The crux of the matter is that this family wants to find a home in Des Moines that caters to their children more. However, the style and size of the house are up for debate. One partner wants a bigger home that will be flashy to friends and family, while the other would rather move into a smaller abode that won’t require much maintenance, not caring if it’s super flashy. You have to watch the episode to see where they actually land.
Being “Back Home Again in Iowa” turned out better than anticipated for this couple
Moving back to the state or town you’re from, especially if it’s for a despondent reason, can be emotionally challenging. It can be hard to find joy in it, but if you’re triumphant and turn your lemons into the most delicious, thirst-quenching lemonade, you might have just set yourself up for a lifetime of happiness.
Cue this Jan. 2024 episode of “House Hunters” in which one young couple moves back home to Iowa following one of their mother’s battles with cancer—and they find beauty in Des Moines. That doesn’t mean they won’t fall into a classic conundrum: Do we spend less on a fixer-upper and find joy in the renovation projects or spend more on a move-in-ready house? Find out this and if they can agree on a final budget in the episode.
This couple is looking for “Dollars and Sense in Iowa” wherever they can find it
We all remember where we were in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic had shut the world down, and we spent more time at home, committing ourselves to new hobbies—and new series to binge-watch. This episode of “House Hunters” set in Iowa may be one you’ve seen before, having first aired in June 2020 when more folks were tuned into their TVs.
This is another episode set in Des Moines, and it can be a frustrating one to watch because you can see both sides of the couple’s problem. Do we opt for a house that’s more dated but feels cozier, or do we sign the dotted line for one that’s newer? This can be tricky, especially in cases where newer properties actually cost less than older ones (wild to think about, right?). You might find yourself yelling at the TV with this one, but that just means that the producers did their jobs well.
These two lovebirds encounter “A Dilemma in Des Moines” that’s quite unique
Having been on the air for more than 25 years, “House Hunters” has a tried-and-true formula that works well: It highlights homebuyers who don’t always agree on what they want or have expectations that simply don’t fit within their budget. It creates instant tension, leading to an exciting episode of exploration. But usually disagreements are tied to home styles and sizes—not whether the buyers should purchase a residential home or an office building.
And yet that’s precisely the problem in this June 2023 episode. A couple who have never owned a home before are torn between going with something traditional and something unique, like a corporate spot. Charming, sure, but would it work as a home even if they go for it? You have to watch the episode to find out!
For this couple, an “Iowa Famcave” is the ultimate must-have
You’ve probably heard of the term “man cave”—you know, the basement or other space that’s meant to be a man’s space for sports games, kicking back his feet with a beer in his hands, and generally relaxing. But have you heard of a “famcave”? It’s the same idea; this is a space where the family can all have a great time together, whether that’s watching a gripping movie, playing board games, or painting canvases. This special room is one of the biggest musts for the couple in this Jan. 2018 episode of “House Hunters.”
Family is top of mind for this couple, and they know they want space for quality time. However, this couple can’t decide on what type of property they want to settle in once they move to Cedar Rapids. They could lean historical, or they could be more utilitarian and keep their family as their top priority. Can historical and family-first coexist? You know where to find the answer.
One half of this couple has “Renovation Doubts in Des Moines”
Purchasing a home that needs some work isn’t the end of the world, but you need to be prepared for the renovations to come. Being eager about it isn’t even a problem. However, you have to be level-headed going into the experience, as well as realistic about what renovations you can feasibly pull off. Enter this Jan. 2020 episode of “House Hunters” that sees a young couple struggle to balance dreams of renovations with reality.
This is another he-said-she-said episode, with the young woman not wanting to lean too heavily into renovations. Meanwhile, her partner is excited at the prospect of getting his hands dirty and pouring his time, money, and energy into the very fabric of their new home. Can she convince him to get a move-in-ready property instead? How much can he actually handle? These are all questions that are considered in this episode.
“Dreaming of More Space in Des Moines” might require compromise from this couple
As your family grows, it’s only natural to want to upsize your home to fit your new needs as parents. But this can lead to mounting tension if you aren’t aligned with your partner’s desires for their new abode. In one Jan. 2025 episode of “House Hunters,” a pair of young parents find this out the hard way.
This episode dabbles in the debate between new and old homes, but it interestingly focuses a lot more on layout. Here, the central fight is between an open-concept house and one that’s more old-school with its strict, closed-off rooms. This is a hard bridge to mend because the two can’t coexist that easily, but will this couple be able to pull a rabbit from a hat with the help of their trusty real estate agent?
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