When a nearby house sells, it is natural to do the math: divide its sale price by its square footage, then multiply by yours. It feels like a reasonable starting point.
I would not choose your asking price that way. Two homes on the same street can appeal to different buyers, need different amounts of work, and offer very different living space. A clean calculation can hide those differences.
If you are thinking about selling in Central Ohio this fall, here is how I would build a price you can explain and defend.
More choices make the comparison matter
The September 2026 Columbus REALTORS® report recorded 6,530 homes for sale across the Entire MLS, up 12.3% from September 2025. Days on market until sale rose from 30 to 33. These are regional figures, not a forecast for your street.
My takeaway for sellers: give buyers a clear reason to choose your home at its asking price. More regional inventory makes it especially useful to understand the alternatives a buyer can tour alongside yours.
Start with homes a buyer would actually compare
A nearby sale deserves a look. It does not automatically deserve equal weight.
For a home in Blacklick, Gahanna, Westerville or another Central Ohio community, I want to compare the exact location, property type, size, age, layout and condition. I also want to verify the school district by address rather than assume it from a mailing city.
A ranch with the bedrooms and laundry on the main floor is not interchangeable with a two-story simply because both have three bedrooms. A condo with association dues and shared maintenance responsibilities needs a different comparison from a detached home where the owner handles those costs directly.
The question I keep coming back to is simple: would the same buyer seriously consider both homes?
Make sure the square footage means the same thing
Price per square foot is only as useful as the measurements behind it. A listing that includes finished basement space in its total can look very different from one showing only above-grade space.
Fannie Mae’s property measuring guidance requires partially or completely below-grade space to be reported as below-grade area in applicable appraisals. It also explains why appraisal measurements can differ from MLS or public-record figures.
That does not mean a finished basement has no value. It means I want to understand what is being counted before using a per-square-foot number to help price your home. Compare above-grade space consistently, then evaluate the basement’s finish, usefulness and market appeal separately.
Separate improvements from wishful adjustments
A newer roof, a well-planned kitchen and a worn-out HVAC system all deserve attention. None comes with a universal dollar adjustment that works for every home.
I would look at how similar homes with those features performed. Receipts help document the work, but the amount spent is not automatically the amount added to the sale price. Buyers are choosing between complete homes, not reimbursing a renovation budget.
For example, imagine two otherwise similar homes: one has a refreshed kitchen but needs a roof, while the other has older cabinets and a recently replaced roof. That is a hypothetical comparison, not a local sale. It shows why “updated” is too broad a label to settle the price.
Before taking on a project just to sell, review the likely benefit and your timeline. My guide to buying and selling at the same time can help you think through how preparation fits the move.
Use sold homes and current competition for different jobs
Closed sales show what buyers actually paid. Active listings show the choices buyers have now. A seller can ask any price; an unsold asking price is not proof of value.
I would also review pending listings, price reductions and time on market, while remembering that a pending home’s final terms may not yet be public. Where information is available, concessions matter too: the headline sale price does not tell you everything about the deal.
A useful pricing conversation should leave you with a supported range, the strongest comparable sales, the competition worth watching and a plan for reviewing the response after launch. If showings are scarce or feedback repeatedly points to a mismatch, we should revisit the evidence instead of relying on a promise that the right buyer will appear.
Bring your home into the conversation
You do not need to have the house perfectly ready before asking what it could sell for. The layout, condition, location and your moving plans are enough to start a useful discussion.
If you are weighing a sale this fall or preparing for next year, contact me at The Grover Group. I can help you compare the right homes and decide what deserves attention before you list.
Ryan Grover | The Grover Group
CENTURY 21 Excellence Realty
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