Columbus buyers had more homes to compare in October, even though the flow of new listings was slightly lower than a year earlier. Inventory reached 2,059 homes, up from 1,812, while new listings edged down from 1,039 to 1,023. The distinction is useful: the total selection grew without a surge in fresh listings that month.
This report covers Columbus’s corporate city boundaries. Within that citywide view, closings and contracts slowed while the median sale price remained higher than last October.
Inventory of Homes for Sale
2,059
Up 13.6% year over year
Median Sales Price
$290,000
Up 5.5% year over year
Closed Sales
657
806 in October 2025
October Columbus market snapshot
| Metric | October 2025 | October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| Closed Sales | 806 | 657 |
| In Contracts | 815 | 672 |
| Average Sales Price* | $303,921 | $312,916 |
| Median Sales Price* | $275,000 | $290,000 |
| Percent of Original List Price Received* | 96.0% | 95.4% |
| Percent of Last List Price Received* | 98.2% | 98.6% |
| Days on Market Until Sale | 31 | 34 |
| New Listings | 1,039 | 1,023 |
| Inventory of Homes for Sale | 1,812 | 2,059 |
| Months Supply of Inventory | 2.4 | 2.8 |
* Price and list-price measures exclude sale concessions and downpayment assistance.
More inventory alongside fewer completed transactions
The 13.6% inventory increase amounts to 247 additional homes. Months Supply of Inventory rose from 2.4 to 2.8. Closed sales fell 18.5%, from 806 to 657, and contracts declined 17.5%, from 815 to 672.
Those figures give buyers a reason to examine more alternatives and sellers a reason to study their competition carefully. They do not show that every neighborhood or property type has the same conditions. Contracts and closings also represent different transaction stages, so October’s contract count cannot be read as next month’s promised sales total.
The year’s slowdown is smaller than October’s
Through October, Columbus recorded 7,547 closed sales, down 2.1% from 7,712. Contracts totaled 7,871, down 1.7% from 8,005. Both changes were much smaller than the latest month’s declines.
New listings for January through October increased 6.6%, from 9,859 to 10,508, despite October’s 1.5% decrease. The longer view shows more homes entering the market across the year, alongside slightly fewer completed sales and contracts.
Higher sale prices still require careful comparisons
October’s median sale price increased 5.5% to $290,000, and the average rose 3.0% to $312,916. Average Price Per Square Foot moved the other way, falling 1.6% to $202.67. These measures reflect different aspects of the homes sold; they do not establish a single appreciation rate.
The year-to-date median was $295,045, up 3.5% from $285,000. For a pricing decision, narrow that broad city picture to recent sales with comparable location, size, condition and property type.
For Columbus sellers: study the path to the final price
October sales recorded 95.4% of original list price received, compared with 98.6% of last list price received. The difference makes price history relevant when choosing comparable sales. Looking only at the last asking price can miss earlier adjustments.
With more inventory available, position your home against the alternatives buyers can actually visit. Review presentation, condition and asking price together. Days on Market Until Sale increased from 31 to 34, so build a realistic timeline rather than assuming immediate results.
For buyers: turn a larger search into a focused shortlist
Begin with your budget, location and property requirements, then compare the closest matches. The city’s 2,059 available homes are not all substitutes for one another. Your relevant selection may be much smaller.
Use comparable sales and listing history to support an offer. Include inspection findings, repairs and requested concessions in the analysis, rather than treating the citywide list-price ratio as an automatic discount. A well-supported offer remains useful even when overall activity is quieter.
Columbus market questions
Why can inventory rise when new listings fall?
Inventory counts homes available for sale; new listings count homes entering the market during the month. They measure different things. October recorded 2,059 available homes and 1,023 new listings, but the table alone does not explain every change in inventory.
Can I use $290,000 to price my Columbus home?
That is the middle price among October’s closed sales citywide. A useful asking-price analysis needs comparable properties and current competition in your specific part of the market.
Make a plan for your next move
Visit our Columbus real estate page or search current homes for sale. For help comparing your options or setting a supported asking price, contact Ryan Grover and The Grover Group.
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