Columbus is not a seller's market in the classic sense anymore. It's not a buyer's market either. It's something most people aren't built to act in: a balanced market with a slight seller lean, where strategy beats assumptions on both sides.
Here's what the data actually shows.
Where Columbus Stood Heading Into 2026
Columbus REALTORS reported 2,193 closed sales in November 2025, up 2.2% year over year. The median sales price was $325,000, up 3.2% from the prior year and flat from October.
That's growth. Steady, real, unexciting growth. Not the 15% year-over-year runs that made 2021-2022 feel automatic for sellers. Prices are rising, just at a pace where buyers can breathe.
Days on market reached about 40 days in November 2025 per Columbus REALTORS data, a 29% increase from the prior year. Earlier 2025 reports showed Columbus homes averaging around 45 days to sell, roughly nine days longer than the year before.
Translation: buyers have time to think. That's a different market than the one sellers got used to.
The Inventory Shift
Inventory is the biggest reason Columbus in 2026 isn't the seller's market it was.
Columbus REALTORS data shows approximately 5,497 homes for sale in November 2025, up 19.5% compared with 2024. New listings were essentially flat year over year, up just 0.6%. That means the inventory increase isn't a flood of new supply. It's existing homes sitting longer before they sell.
Earlier in 2025, Columbus was around 2.4 months of supply, still seller-leaning but tracking toward balance. Statewide, Ohio recorded about 3.35 months of supply in September 2025, per Ohio REALTORS statewide market reports.
More homes on the market plus steady demand is exactly how you get a "balanced with a slight seller tilt" market. Not a panic, not a party. A market that requires work.
Seller's Market, Buyer's Market, or Balanced?
Balanced, with seller advantages that still exist in the right conditions.
Where sellers hold the edge: prices are still rising, Columbus continues to appear on relocation and job-growth radar for 2026, and well-priced homes in the sub-$400K band can still move quickly with strong offers. The market isn't punishing sellers who price correctly.
Where buyers finally have room: homes are sitting longer. Bidding wars are less extreme than the 2021-2022 cycle. Mortgage rates in the low-6% range (per broad 2026 forecasts) are expected to bring more move-up buyers back off the sidelines, adding competition but also options.
The honest summary: sellers who price based on November 2025 Columbus REALTORS data and prepare their home properly can still perform well. Sellers who price based on 2022 memory will sit and cut.
What This Means If You're Selling in Columbus in 2026
A sign in the yard used to do more of the work. It doesn't now.
With a median price of $325,000 and annual appreciation running 3-4%, buyers are running comparisons. At 40 days on market, they have time to see multiple homes before writing an offer. Overpricing doesn't just cost you time, it costs you the buyers who saw your home first and moved on.
What shifts outcomes in a balanced market: realistic pricing grounded in current Columbus REALTORS and MLS data, professional photography, condition, and timing. Launching in spring or early summer still matters. But a well-priced, well-prepared home generates interest in any season.
As a Pricing Strategy Advisor (PSA) and Seller Representative Specialist (SRS), my job is to take the current MLS data and build you a list price and launch strategy that captures seller-side advantages without leaving you exposed to the risks of a market that no longer forgives overpricing.
What This Means If You're Buying in Columbus in 2026
The conditions that made 2021-2022 brutal for buyers are gone. You have options. You have time. That doesn't mean every neighborhood or price band is easy, but the panic is off the table.
Some Columbus submarkets will still feel seller-heavy, particularly move-in-ready homes under $400K in high-demand neighborhoods. Others will give you room to negotiate price, closing costs, or repairs. Knowing which situation you're walking into before you write an offer is the whole game.
As an Accredited Buyer's Representative (ABR) and PSA, I'm watching which Columbus submarkets are still moving fast and which are sitting. That read changes by neighborhood and by price point. I'll tell you exactly where you have leverage and where you need to move without hesitation.
The Bottom Line
2026 Columbus rewards people who treat it as the market it is, not the market it was in 2022 or the market it might become. Sellers need strategy. Buyers need a clear read on their specific submarket. Neither side gets to coast.
If you want to know where your specific neighborhood or price point sits today, I'll walk you through the numbers.
Call or text: 937.239.2919 Schedule a conversation: calendly.com/adam-geuy
Adam Geuy, Realtor, NextHome Experience ABR, SRS, PSA | License #202000794 Each office is independently owned and operated.
Market data sourced from Columbus REALTORS / Columbus and Central Ohio MLS. Confirm current figures for your specific address and submarket before making any decision.