Real Estate Agent in Des Moines
Whether you are selling, buying, relocating, or making two moves at the same time, start with local guidance that helps you see the full picture and make the next decision with confidence.
The right agent helps you make sense of the move before it becomes urgent.
Choosing a real estate agent is not only about finding someone to open doors or put a sign in the yard. It is about finding a guide who can help you understand the decisions in front of you, ask better questions, and keep the next steps clear as the details change.
Ratliff Real Estate Group helps Des Moines metro households sell, buy, relocate, and navigate new construction. Natasha Ratliff brings more than 11 years of local experience and leads the seller side of the work. Kenneth Ratliff focuses on the buyer side, from the home search through offer and closing decisions.
That division is especially useful when your move involves more than one property. If you need to sell a home and buy the next one at the same time, the sale, financing, purchase, possession, and moving dates all affect one another. We help you see those connections early, then choose a path that fits your real priorities.
For a seller, that may mean starting with a realistic view of value, the competing homes buyers will see, the work worth doing before photos, and the date you hope to be in the next place. For a buyer, it may mean deciding which monthly payment feels comfortable, which locations support the routine you want, and how to compare condition and terms before an offer becomes urgent.
The conversation is also useful when the answer is not yet clear. You may be weighing a move across town against a relocation, considering a resale home and a new build, or trying to decide whether to sell now or prepare first. A clear plan does not make those choices for you. It gives you the information and sequence to make them with less guesswork.
A move gets easier when the important details stay in view.
Every client brings a different home, timeline, and set of questions. Our job is to help make the next useful decision clearer, without forcing your situation into a one-size-fits-all script.
The move, not just the transaction
A home purchase or sale has to work with your timing, budget, household, work, and next address. Start with the result you need, then organize the property decisions around it. That keeps a great-looking house or an early offer from making the whole plan for you.
Clear roles for each side
Natasha leads seller strategy, from pricing and preparation through marketing, offer review, and closing. Ken focuses on the buyer side, helping clients compare homes, neighborhoods, terms, and the path to the next set of keys. When a client is selling and buying, both sides stay connected.
Local details that change the answer
Two homes with a similar price can ask very different things of a buyer or seller. Condition, lot, age, taxes, association details, commute, competing inventory, builder process, and timing all matter. Local guidance is about putting the relevant details in the same conversation.
A plan you can actually use
Good advice should leave you knowing what to do next. We help clients identify the questions that need an answer now, the specialists who should answer them, and the dates that need room on the calendar. You do not need to solve every part of the move in the first conversation.
Bring the question that is in front of you.
You might be months away from a sale, just beginning a home search, comparing a new build, or trying to make sense of two connected transactions. The first conversation gives the next step a place to start.
Meet Natasha and Ken →- 01
Start with your situation
Share what is changing, what you know so far, and the timing you are trying to protect.
- 02
Map the important decisions
Identify property, financing, timing, and preparation questions so the next steps have a practical order.
- 03
Choose the right path
Move into a buyer search, seller plan, relocation plan, new-construction comparison, or a plan that joins more than one of those paths.
- 04
Stay connected as details change
Keep the information, people, and dates that affect the move visible as the search, listing, offer, or closing progresses.
Choose a path that fits the move you are making.
If selling is the decision in front of you, start with value, preparation, pricing, and the plan for your next address. If buying is next, begin with the payment, location, home condition, and offer questions that shape a confident search.
If you are relocating or considering new construction, the right path may have more variables. We help you compare what is known, identify what needs to be confirmed, and keep the timing connected to the life you are building.
Seller strategy and buyer advocacy under one roof.
Natasha leads the conversations that help sellers understand pricing, preparation, marketing, offers, inspection decisions, and closing timing. Ken helps buyers compare homes and neighborhoods, prepare offers, and move through the purchase process with their priorities in view.
When a client is doing both, the two roles make it easier to keep the sale and purchase moving together at the same time. You still make the decisions. Our role is to help you understand what affects them and what needs attention next.
“Natasha was patient, knowledgeable, and helped us understand every step of the process.”Wazira Withers, client testimonialExplore the Sell + Buy path →
Questions people ask before choosing an agent.
How do I choose a real estate agent in Des Moines?+
Start with the kind of move you are making, then ask how the agent will help with the decisions that come before a listing, showing, offer, or closing date. It is useful to understand their local experience, communication style, role in your transaction, and how they will keep the next steps organized.
Do I need a different agent to buy and sell at the same time?+
Not necessarily. The important part is having a plan that keeps the sale, purchase, financing, timing, and backup options visible at the same time. Ratliff Real Estate Group has separate seller and buyer focus so both sides of the move receive attention.
When should I talk with a Des Moines real estate agent?+
Earlier than most people think. A conversation before you are ready to list or tour can clarify value, preparation, financing questions, timing, and the choices that deserve attention before a deadline starts driving the move.
Can an agent help with new construction?+
Yes. New construction still involves decisions about the community, lot, written inclusions, finished-home cost, lender requirements, builder process, inspections, walkthroughs, and closing timing. The right questions depend on the specific home and builder agreement.
Which Des Moines metro communities does Ratliff Real Estate Group serve?+
Natasha and Ken work with buyers and sellers throughout Des Moines and nearby communities, including West Des Moines, Ankeny, Waukee, Urbandale, Grimes, Johnston, Clive, Altoona, Pleasant Hill, Norwalk, and Bondurant.
Talk through the move you are planning.
Start with the questions that matter most, then choose a next step that fits your home, your timing, and your life.