President’s Perspective: April 2026

By Chris Delfs, President, Northwest Iowa REALTORS®
Broker, Keller Williams Siouxland & Keller Williams Okoboji

This past month has been full of exciting real estate news:

I had the opportunity to serve on Iowa’s Presidential Advisory Group (PAG) and spent a day in Des Moines collaborating with industry leaders and real estate professionals from across the state. Together, we’re tackling key issues like contract language, agency, broker accountability, and more. Our focus is to address challenges head-on and create meaningful change in how we conduct business and represent our clients. Over the next six months, I’ll continue working alongside state leaders to develop practical, common-sense solutions for our industry.

There’s also been a lot of conversation recently around “Coming Soon” listings. Your MLS Committee and Board of Directors are actively exploring this topic and what it could mean for our MLS. With recent headlines highlighting partnerships with listing portals like Redfin, Zillow, Homes.com, and Realtor.com, this issue has gained national attention. If you have thoughts or feedback on “Coming Soon” listings, please reach out to Denise or me—we want to hear from you. Your input will help guide decisions as we work toward solutions that expand opportunities for our clients while maintaining fairness among REALTORS®. We’re also researching how other MLSs are successfully implementing these strategies to benefit consumers.

Finally, as the temperatures rise, so does the market activity. Lockbox data on the Board’s website shows a 20% increase in showings compared to this time last year. No matter what’s happening in the world, people are still on the move. And as the sun shines, so do we as REALTORS®. As we head into the busy season, I’m excited for the successes ahead—serving our clients, growing professionally, and continuing to lead in our communities.