Greetings!

Happy Fall! Central Ohio’s housing market in August showed steady price growth and expanding inventory despite a slight dip in monthly sales volume. Year-to-date trends remain ahead of 2025, with buyers gaining leverage as options expand.

Central Ohio's housing market demonstrated steady resilience in August 2026. While monthly sales experienced a mild dip, expanding inventory gave buyers more negotiating leverage. Year-to-date performance remains firmly positive, with central Ohio maintaining a significant price advantage over national averages.

Central Ohio Housing Market: August Overview

Monthly Snapshot (August 2026 vs. August 2025):

• Closed Sales: 2,749 homes (▼ 2.5%)
• Single-Family: 2,394 (▼ 2.7%)
• Condominiums: 355 (▼ 0.8%)
• Active Inventory: 6,124 homes for sale (▲ 6.8%)
• Months of Inventory: 2.4 months (Up from 2.3)
• New Listings: 3,292 homes (▼ 4.4%)
• Median Sales Price: $345,500 (▲ 2.2%)
• Median Days on Market: 30 days (▲ 1 day)
• List Price Received: 96.9% (vs. 97.2% last August — average ~3% buyer discount)

Year-to-Date (YTD) Momentum (Jan–Aug 2026 vs. Jan–Aug 2025):

• Total Closed Sales: 20,006 (▲ 2.3%)
• YTD Single-Family Sales: ▲ 2.2%
• YTD Condo Sales: ▲ 2.6%
• Homes Entered Contract: 21,797 (▲ 2.9%)
• YTD Median Sales Price: $342,000 (▲ 3.7%)

Central Ohio vs. National Benchmarks:

• Sales Trends: Central Ohio's monthly dip (▼ 2.5%) largely mirrored national existing-home sales (▼ 1.2%).
• Inventory Growth: Local inventory growth (▲ 6.8%) outpaced the national increase (▲ 5.9% to 1.62M homes).
• Affordability Edge: At $345,500, Central Ohio's median price remains $83,600 below the national median price of $429,100 (which rose 1.6% YoY).

Key Takeaways

• More Leverage for Buyers: Inventory climbed to a recent August high of 6,124 homes, with buyers securing an average discount of ~3.1% off original list prices.

• Property Type Split: YTD growth remains healthy across both segments, with single-family sales up 2.2% and condo sales up 2.6%.

• Local Affordability: Central Ohio continues to mirror national cooling trends in sales volume while retaining a significant cost advantage over national median home prices.

Columbus in the News

Bayer reportedly plans to build a $2.2 billion pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in central Ohio. The plant will bring construction jobs, long-term employees, and additional housing to the area.

Honda is reported to be planning a new manufacturing facility in Union County that could bring 3,000 new jobs to the area. The company will invest about $2 billion in the new plant. Once complete, Union County will be home to 4 of the 11 North American Honda plants.

The cost of renting in Ohio continues to increase, with prices more than doubling in the last 5 years. It is even higher in Columbus, where the necessary wage one needs to make to afford a 2-bedroom apartment is $27.79/hour (compared with $22.51/hour for the state as a whole). Downtown Columbus is even more pricey since residents would have to earn $40/hour to afford a 2-bedroom apartment.

This can be a challenging market, and it is more important than ever to have a trusted expert in your corner. If I can help you or anyone in your circles, please don't hesitate to reach out. For anyone considering selling property, please contact me or use this tool for a free market valuation of your home. I'm here to help!

All the best,

Sean

Featured Listings

• 207 E 5th Ave - Nearly new (2021), natural light filled condo right at the intersection of 4th and 5th Ave in the heart of the Short North! Priced well below market value and with a tax abatement until 2035! - $444,900

• 493 W 3rd Ave - Amazing Harrison West condo with 3 1/2 bathrooms, 2 1/2-car garage, and 1,757 sqft! - $499,900

• 700 S Champion - Beautifully remodeled brick home in fabulous Old Oaks! - Also priced well below market value! - $335,000