August 2026 Central Ohio Housing Market Update: More Homes to Choose From as Prices Continue to Rise

The Central Ohio housing market continued to give buyers and sellers a mixed picture in August. Home prices remained higher than they were a year ago, but buyers had more homes to choose from and properties spent slightly more time on the market.

Here’s what the August 2026 numbers from the Columbus REALTORS® Entire MLS mean for consumers.

Buyers Have More Homes to Choose From

One of the more noticeable changes from last year is the number of homes currently available for sale. At the end of August, there were 6,124 homes on the market, up 6.8% from August 2025.

The months supply of inventory also increased slightly, from 2.3 months last August to 2.4 months this August.

In practical terms, there are more homes available than there were at this time last year. For buyers, that can mean more properties to consider during their home search. However, the market is still seeing home prices above last year's levels.

Home Prices Remain Higher Than Last Year

The average sales price reached $401,147 in August, a 3.2% increase from August 2025. The median sales price was $345,500, up 2.2% year over year.

So while more homes are available, that increase in inventory has coincided with prices that remain higher than they were a year ago.

For homeowners thinking about selling, the numbers show that homes were still closing at higher prices overall than in August 2025. For buyers, it means increased selection hasn't translated into lower market-wide sales prices based on this report.

Homes Are Taking a Little Longer to Sell

Homes that closed in August spent an average of 30 days on the market, compared with 29 days in August 2025.

That’s only a one-day difference, but it fits with the broader picture of a market where buyers have more inventory available than they did a year ago.

For sellers, it’s a reminder that not every home will necessarily sell immediately. For buyers, the increase in available homes and slightly longer average market time may provide a little more room to evaluate their options.

Sales Activity Was Slightly Lower in August

A total of 2,749 homes closed in August, down 2.5% from August 2025. Another 2,891 homes went into contract, a 2.2% year-over-year decrease.

New listings also declined. 3,292 homes were newly listed during August, which was 4.4% fewer than a year earlier.

So, compared with August 2025, fewer homes were newly listed, fewer went into contract, and fewer sales closed during the month—even though the total number of homes available for sale was higher.

The Year-to-Date Picture Is a Little Different

Looking beyond one month provides additional context.

Through August, 20,006 homes had closed in 2026, which was 2.3% more than during the same period in 2025. New listings were also up 2.0% year to date, reaching 27,264.

Prices have risen over that longer period as well. The year-to-date average sales price was $394,706, up 4.2%, while the median sales price was $342,000, up 3.7%.

What Does This Mean for Central Ohio Buyers and Sellers?

August’s numbers point to a market with more homes available and slightly longer selling times than a year ago, while prices remain higher.

For buyers, the increased number of homes for sale means there are more choices available compared with last August. For sellers, prices remain above last year's levels, although homes are taking slightly longer to sell on average and August sales activity was lower year over year.

The biggest takeaway is that there isn’t just one number that tells the story of the Central Ohio housing market. Inventory is up, prices are up, and August sales activity is down from a year ago—but total sales for 2026 remain ahead of last year through the first eight months.

Those differences are worth understanding whether you're considering buying, selling, or simply keeping an eye on what your local housing market is doing.