Quick answer: the will's power of sale governs first; when it doesn't grant one, the district court authorizes the sale for one of three specific purposes. The homestead follows its own separate rule. Run your own numbers in the Iowa probate real estate sale calculator.
Three purposes, not a general power
The will comes first, the court second
Authority to sell comes from the will first and from the district court second — when the will itself grants a clear power of sale, that generally governs; when it doesn't, the representative turns to the court for authorization instead.
The homestead plays by its own rule
Under §633.386(3), the homestead may be sold only under provisions the court directs, unless it has been set off to a surviving spouse who has not elected to occupy it — a distinct, more protective carve-out that doesn't apply to the estate's other real property.
A septic-inspection exemption, specifically for probate
Iowa Code §455B.172(11) normally requires a certified septic inspector's report before a county recorder will record a deed — but it specifically exempts a transfer by a fiduciary administering a decedent's estate, and a chapter 633 transfer under court order. The exemption removes the paperwork requirement, not the underlying duty to deal straight with a buyer.
A local probate attorney can review your estate — many offer a free consultation.
Polk County (Des Moines) and Linn County (Cedar Rapids) process these sales at high volume, but §633.386's rules apply identically across every Iowa county.