Ten minutes off I-80 at Exit 110, De Soto is close enough to the West Des Moines suburbs to draw people who want small-town living with an easy commute, and far enough out that the housing hasn't caught up to suburban prices yet. The town dates to 1868, with Quaker settlement roots going back further, but the housing you'll actually find here is mostly ranch-style — built in the mid-to-late 20th century, single-story, the kind of layout that was efficient to build fast and is now a little dated for how people actually want to live.
There are new lots opening up too, since De Soto's proximity to the metro has started pulling in new construction alongside the older ranch stock. Between the two, it's a town with a fairly clear split: update what's there, or build what's next to it.
If your house is a ranch built a few decades back, there's a good chance we've already worked on three just like it in this town alone.
