Columbus real estate Archives - Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services

Columbus Area Home Inventory Builds as Home Price Rise

RealSupport — Tue, 12 May 2026 08:00:11 +0000

Despite rising inventory, the median price of a Central Ohio home in April 2026 increased 8.3% compared to April 2025. According to data from the Columbus & Central Ohio Regional MLS, April’s median home price was $346,500.

When the sales prices are calculated as an average, home prices were up 5.9% from a year ago, averaging $396,480.

April gave Central Ohio home buyers the best inventory seen in years. The number of homes listed for sale through the Columbus & Central Ohio Regional MLS increased 13.4% compared to April 2025. Home supply, which considers the rate of absorption of available homes, stood at 2 months.

Improved supply helped slow down the pace of sales. On average, homes spent about 39 days on the market before going under contract. This is a slowdown of about 7 days compared to April 2025.

While this is not a “slow” market by any means, the gradual trend of longer days on market and rising inventory should eventually ease home price appreciation. This does not mean buyers should expect home prices to fall below their current thresholds. Instead, the data points to home prices rising more slowly, and by smaller increments, as the number of new listings reach their seasonal peak.

All real estate is local, however, and some Central Ohio markets might ignore that script. Home sales have been robust in the Olentangy Local School District, the Grove City Corporation, the Westerville City School District and the Lancaster City School District. Home prices vary widely by district, with Olentangy Local School District posting the highest median of this group at $581,703.

For Central Ohio home buyers, the spring and early summer market will offer the best selection of homes that we’ve seen in years. And if you work with us, your selection is enhanced by our ability to show you any home on the market, including homes for sale by owner (FSBO) and new construction for sale by home builders, in addition to homes listed through the MLS.

As Exclusive Buyer’s Brokers, we serve your best interests at all times! Unlike real estate agents and brokerages who represent sellers, as an Exclusive Buyer’s Broker, we only represent you, the buyer, getting you the best price and terms with no conflict of interest, at all times.

Understanding this distinction could literally save you thousands of dollars not only on the purchase price and terms, but also on seller concessions and home inspection issues, whether you are a first-time homebuyer or an experienced homeowner!

Andrew Show
Exclusive Buyer’s Broker, CEBA-M, MCNE, CSP, PSA,e-PRO, CREM, ABRM, AHWD
Buyer’s Resource Realty Services www.BuyersHome.com
Serving Metro Columbus, Ohio with Exclusive Buyer’s Agents
7100 North High Street, Suite 204, Worthington, Ohio 43085
614-888-4110 | 888-888-4110 Toll Free | 614-839-4110 Fax

The post Columbus Area Home Inventory Builds as Home Price Rise appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Payments can Change on a Fixed-Rate Mortgage: Here’s What Ohio Home Buyers Should Know

RealSupport — Wed, 29 Apr 2026 05:10:28 +0000

Having a fixed-rate mortgage offers protection against future increases in mortgage interest rates. Specifically, a fixed-rate mortgage means that the principal and interest portion of your monthly payment will remain the same, though the allocation between them will adjust as the loan matures. (You can see how this works on mortgage calculators, as found on Bankrate and other financial websites.)

But this doesn’t mean your overall monthly payment can’t go up. If you have an FHA, VA or USDA mortgage, an escrow account for the payment of property taxes and homeowner’s insurance is required. If your property tax bill goes up, and/or your homeowner’s insurance premium rises, the escrow portion of your monthly mortgage payment will increase. If these expenses rise year-over-year, the escrow portion of your mortgage payment will be rising to catch up.

Ohio homebuyers and homeowners need to know that escrow accounts can also require a “reserve.” Mortgage servicers are allowed by law to hold 2 months worth of escrow deposits as a cushion against future increases in taxes and insurance. However, since the 2-month reserve also has to be maintained, increases in taxes and insurance can mean 14-months worth of escrow deposit catch-up.

For example: If you have annual property taxes of $4,800 and an annual homeowner’s insurance premium of $950, These two items would total $5,750 per year. Your monthly escrow would be based on $5,750 divided by 12 months = $479.16 per month. This $479.16 would be added to your principal and interest payment, to create your total monthly mortgage payment.

But if your tax bill comes in at $5,100 and your insurance premium changed to $1,200, your mortgage servicer will pay these bills anyway – but then collect the difference from you. This is a one-two punch, because they need to make up the shortfall for the current year, and collect at least these amounts for next year. Also, if there is an escrow reserve, it needs to be increased to match the new monthly deposits.

It would look something like this:

Taxes: $4,800 collected, $5,100 paid = $300 shortage

Insurance: $950 collected, $1,200 paid = $250 shortage

New escrow payment:

Total annual tax and insurance payments: $6,300 per year = $525.00 new monthly escrow deposit

Total shortage $550. Divided by 12 = $45.83 per month shortage recovery

Total new monthly escrow payment $570.83.

If an escrow reserve is held, your servicer will also collect 2 months of the difference between the old escrow deposit ($479.16) and your new base escrow deposit ($525.00), which is $45.84.

So, $45.84 x 2 = $91.68. This would be divided by 12, to collect over 12 months with the rest of the escrow deposits, becoming another $7.64 on your monthly escrow payment. The grand total for your monthly escrow deposit would now be $578.43.

As an option, you can elect to pay off an escrow shortage in a lump sum, rather than have it prorated over a 12-month period.

Mortgage servicers analyze, or reconcile, your escrow account each year. Escrow overages can happen too, and if your tax and insurance payments come in lower than expected, you may receive an escrow refund for the difference.

Always check your mortgage statements, and watch your tax and insurance bills, too! If you have questions about the handling of your escrow account, reach out to your servicer promptly.

The post Payments can Change on a Fixed-Rate Mortgage: Here’s What Ohio Home Buyers Should Know appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Millennial Generation Leads First-Time Home Buyers

RealSupport — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 06:51:26 +0000

There is good news and less-than-good news in the latest home buyer survey from the National Association of REALTORS©. In the 2026 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report from NAR, a generational divide is evident among home buying activity, with Baby Boomer adults commanding the lion’s share of the market.

When home buying activity as a whole is examined, Baby Boomers accounted for 42% of the market. This is unchanged from the prior report. Baby Boomers also account for the majority of home sellers at 55%.

Millennials were runner-ups in the home buying race, accounting for 26% of purchase transactions. They were followed by Gen X at 25%, Gen Z at 4%, and the Silent Generation at 4%.

When home buying is examined through the lens of first-time buyers only, the results are more nuanced. This is where Millennials have the greatest market share, followed by Gen X buyers, with Boomers a distant third. However, over the past year, the percentage of purchase transactions belonging to first-time buyers has dropped to 21%. This is the smallest market share for first-time buyers since NAR began tracking it in 1981.

Last year, first-time buyers accounted for 24% of all home purchases. This too, was a low percentage compared to historic norms.

Rising home prices have contributed to the drop in first-time buyers. The median price of a Columbus area home, for example, was $315,000 as of February 2026. Travel back in time to 2020, and you would see a median home price of $200,000 to $232,000. This is quite a price jump in the span of six years, and mortgage interest rates are higher now as well.

For Columbus area home buyers, there is a bright spot – our median home prices are lower than many other major cities, and our employment outlooks are promising. Conditions for first-time buyers will hopefully improve as more home inventory comes to market, and mortgage interest rates decline. Consumer sentiment, economic conditions and interest rate trends could bump the table, but home demand in Central Ohio has been very consistent.

In the meantime, future home buyers should prepare for success! Get started with out free e-book, “How to Buy a Home like a Pro.” The tips and strategies will help you save money and avoid common pitfalls in the home buying process!

The post Millennial Generation Leads First-Time Home Buyers appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Columbus Economy Continues to Draw Home Buyers

RealSupport — Fri, 30 Jan 2026 04:55:28 +0000

Home buyers are finding an economic haven in Central Ohio, according to a recent article in the New York Post. During 2025, Columbus was among the few U.S. metros seeing population growth, while two-thirds of major metros saw population declines. The Post called this home buying trend a search for “recession proof” cities, but we found more to the story.

The home buying data comes from the Bank of America Institute, which studies consumer spending patterns and financial behavior. Overall, their analysis shows that Americans have been moving less since 2021. When Americans do move, most are trading one nearby city for another, typically staying in the same Census region.

For example, Columbus attracts home buyers from Chicago and Pittsburgh, while also attracting buyers from other areas of Ohio. Today’s relocation decisions are being driven by economic opportunity and housing affordability – and by proximity to familiar areas. The sweet spot for relocating home buyers seems to be 1 to 3 hours from their current residence.

When it comes to collecting new residents, two Midwestern cities are leading the pack: Indianapolis and Columbus. Both cities experienced steady population growth during two consecutive quarters in 2025. The cities are somewhat similar in metro population, climate, and culture. However, Columbus has the edge in technology investment and job growth. And this is where the road forks: Columbus has a higher median income than Indianapolis, and higher housing costs. Still, the Columbus median home price remains below the national average.

When it comes to economic strength and job prospects, the Columbus Metro is hard to beat! If you are considering a move, contact us for expert home buying advice. We will also help you explore Columbus neighborhoods and Central Ohio communities!

Get started with our free e-book, “How to Buy a Home Like a Pro!” Download it today from our website, without any obligation.

The post Columbus Economy Continues to Draw Home Buyers appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Columbus Home Inventory Climbs as 2025 Winds Down

RealSupport — Mon, 29 Dec 2025 07:22:48 +0000

Improved home inventory has been the Columbus area real estate story for 2025! That trend continues with the latest home sales data from Columbus REALTORS©. Here is a summary of November’s market reports, along with our thoughts!

The number of homes for sale in the Columbus Metro was 19.5% higher in November 2025 than November 2024. However, this is primarily due to homes spending more time on the market as new listings trickle in. For example, homes took an average of 40 days to go under contract during November, compared to about 28 days in November 2024.

The percentage of new listings coming to market increased marginally, rising 0.6% compared to last year.

On a year-over-year basis, home prices increased in November, reaching a median of $325,000 compared to $315,000 in November 2024. On a month-to-month basis, median home prices remained flat from October 2025 to November 2025.

On average, sellers are getting about 95% of their original asking price. Overall, this data does not suggest any significant slowdown in the market. Yet there is a particular statistic that bears watching: the number of homes under contract. This is down about 6% compared to November 2024.

The lengthening days on market, combined with lower contract activity, suggests that the Columbus real estate market is slowing as we end 2025. But we have yet to see home prices heading lower; in fact, asking prices are 5% higher than they were a year ago. Home inventory still remains below normal, and this is supporting home prices.

As the New Year gets underway, we have a real estate market approaching balance with gradual increases in home inventory, followed by lengthening days on market. In other words, 2026 could look much like 2025 for Columbus area home buyers! The wild card rests in mortgage interest rates. If we see a meaningful drop in borrowing costs in the year ahead, market activity will pick up steam.

If you’re planning to buy a home in 2026, prepare for success with our free e-book, “How to Buy a Home Like a Pro!” Download it today from our website, without any obligation.

As Exclusive Buyer’s Brokers, we serve your best interests at all times! Unlike real estate agents and brokerages who represent sellers, as an Exclusive Buyer’s Broker, we only represent you, the buyer, always getting you the best price and terms with no conflict of interest.

The post Columbus Home Inventory Climbs as 2025 Winds Down appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Central Ohio Homes Offer Value for Buyers

RealSupport — Sat, 15 Nov 2025 21:11:24 +0000

Quick! Name somewhere in the USA where you can buy a quality home under $400,000 in a major metropolitan area with ample job opportunities, including a growing tech sector. If you said Central Ohio, you’d be right! The latest data from Columbus REALTORS© shows that while home prices in Central Ohio are rising, our market continues to offer better value than many other locations in the country.

The newest statistics show that the national median home price stood at $415,200 as of October 2025. The median home price in Central Ohio was $325,000, reflecting a 3.2% increase on a year-over-year basis. Here’s a snapshot of some of the most active, and affordable, real estate markets in Central Ohio:

Hilliard City School District: median home price $387,000

Grove City South-Western City School District: median home price $306,000

Further from Columbus, the communities of Lancaster, Newark and Marion are being discovered by home buyers. As of October 2025, the median home sale prices in these markets ranged from $182,500 to $265,000.

The pace of Central Ohio home sales has slowed somewhat, with homes spending an average of 34 days on the market before going under contract. A year ago, homes spent an average of 28 days on the market. The slight slowdown in sales pace is due to the expansion of home inventory, which has improved throughout 2025.

Home inventory is measured by the time it would take for buyers to purchase everything that is currently available on the market, assuming no new listings popped up. Inventory stood at 2.4 months of supply in October 2025. In other words, even though new listings grew by 9% on a year-over-year basis, the pace of sales didn’t slow that much. This speaks to the healthy home demand in Central Ohio, and the need for home buyers to have their own expert representation in the market!

You will achieve the best home buying value with the help of an Exclusive Buyer’s Broker! Learn how with our free e-book, “How to Buy a Home Like a Pro!” Download it today from our website, without any obligation.

The post Central Ohio Homes Offer Value for Buyers appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Breathing Room for Buyers as Central Ohio Home Inventory Grows

RealSupport — Fri, 24 Oct 2025 05:34:23 +0000

Central Ohio home buyers have some breathing room in the market as home inventories grow. Here is the latest market report from Columbus REALTORS©, along with our own insights!

The inventory of Central Ohio homes for sale during September 2025 was 21% higher than it was in September 2024. The improvement in home inventory helped slow down the speed of sales, which gave buyers more time to explore their options. During September, homes spent an average of 30 days on the market before going under contract, which is 5 days longer than September 2024.

With more homes on the market, price appreciation has slowed. The median sale price of a Central Ohio home was $325,000 in September, up just 0.3% from September 2024. However, median prices are much higher in certain Central Ohio communities, such as Upper Arlington, Powell, Bexley, New Albany and Dublin, to name a few.

We are seeing some price adjustments in the market. On average, sellers received 96.5% of their original asking price during September. This is a 1% drop from September 2024, when sellers received 97.5% of their asking price.

Improved market conditions for buyers boosted home sale activity. Closed home sales in Central Ohio are up 7.9% on a year-over-year basis.

But as of October, Ohio’s real estate market faces a potentially different landscape. The shutdown of the Federal government became effective October 1, 2025. There are roughly 8,312 Federal workers in Franklin County who may be affected by the budget stalemate to some degree.

However, if the shutdown lingers, wider impacts may be felt. Home buyers using FHA or VA-backed mortgages may experience delays in mortgage underwriting and approval. Also, the National Flood Insurance Program will not be issuing new policies during the shutdown.

For buyers who are not affected by these matters, the remaining weeks of 2025 could offer the best home buying opportunities of the year! Conventional mortgage interest rates have been on a downward trend. And if more inventory comes to market, buyers will have additional home choices and more time to view them. Buyers will have some leverage with motivated sellers who seek a deal before year-end.

The post Breathing Room for Buyers as Central Ohio Home Inventory Grows appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Home Buyers are Waiting Longer as Home Affordability Falls

RealSupport — Wed, 18 Jun 2025 05:20:16 +0000

If you’re a home buyer in your late 30’s or more, you’re in good company. According to the National Association of REALTORS© Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the median age of a first-time home buyer in 2024 was 38. As recently as 2023, the median age of a first-time buyer was 35. Back in 2015, the median age of a first-time buyer was 31.

First-time buyers also hold a shrinking share of the real estate market. During 2024, first-time home buyers accounted for 24% of all home purchases. This is the lowest percentage of market share since NAR began tracking this data in 1981.

On the other hand, repeat home buyers aren’t getting any younger. The median age of a repeat buyer was 61 in 2024. In 2023, the median age of a repeat buyer was 58.

The aging of home buyers isn’t a surprise to economists. Home prices have been rising since the end of the Great Recession, but they spiked after the pandemic. The median sales price of a U.S. home was $317,100 during the 2^nd quarter of 2020. By the 2^nd quarter of 2022, the median sales price of a U.S. home was $437,700.

According to the NAR survey, last year’s buyers had to save money for a longer period of time before entering the market. About 57% of buyers reported using personal savings to help finance their home purchase. Only 12% of buyers relied on cash gifts or loans from family to facilitate their home purchase.

In a certain sense, the housing market hasn’t been “balanced” in decades. Residential single-family homes, for better or worse, are now a Wall Street asset class, with investors holding thousands of homes as rentals. And years before the Great Recession’s housing bust, the real estate market was juiced by easy-money mortgages, which created speculative home buying and speculative home building.

One would have to return to the 1990’s to get an idea of how a balanced real estate market used to behave, when home inventory stood around 6 months of supply, and mortgage interest rates were between 7% and 9%. The U.S. median home price in 1995 was $114,600. It was a very different market, but it wasn’t a rose garden for home buyers. The Internet was in its cradle days, without the buyer resources that are now commonplace online. Listing agents controlled real estate market information, and buyers were at a serious disadvantage.

In short, what a “normal” real estate market used to be, may look very different from the normal market of the future! The best advantage you can give yourself as a home buyer is the representation of an Exclusive Buyer’s Broker. We explain how we save you money and protect your best interests in our free e-book, “How to Buy a Home like a Pro!” You can download it today without any cost or obligation by visiting our website.

The post Home Buyers are Waiting Longer as Home Affordability Falls appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Columbus Falls from “Hottest” Market List

RealSupport — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 05:33:29 +0000

The Columbus real estate market is no longer in the “hottest” market category, according to the Spring 2025 Wall Street Journal/Realtor.com Housing Market Ranking. Columbus fell out of the top 20 hottest markets during Spring 2025, falling to #28. However, other Ohio markets made the top 20, including Toledo, Canton-Massillon, Akron and Dayton.

The ranking weighed home affordability in the data, and this is where Columbus lost statistical ground. The average sale price of a Columbus home was $369,625 during March 2025, an increase of 3.9% from March 2024.

Meanwhile, markets like Toledo, Akron and Dayton had average sale prices in the range of $225,000 to $250,000. Listings in these price ranges drew a high number of online views, with about 43% percent of those views originating from outside of Ohio.

In other words, rising home prices in Columbus have caused some buyers to browse less expensive Ohio markets. This isn’t a bad thing, as it potentially reduces buyer competition in the Columbus area.

By the numbers, Central Ohio home inventory increased by 45% during April 2025, compared to April 2024. The improvement in home inventory is a welcome change for home buyers! Yet homes are selling quickly, spending just 32 days on market before going under contract. Buyers are still feeling pressure in Central Ohio, and being prepared for the market is a must. We can help!

The post Columbus Falls from “Hottest” Market List appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.

Columbus Area Home Buying Conditions Improve

RealSupport — Thu, 20 Mar 2025 11:41:10 +0000

Columbus area home buyers have better market conditions these days, though sellers remain in the driver’s seat. Here’s the latest real estate data from Columbus REALTORS©, along with our own insights!

Columbus area home inventory continues to improve. The number of Columbus area homes for sale in February 2025 increased by 32% compared to February 2024. This is the highest inventory level of any February since 2017. This is bringing some relief to home buyers, who have faced historically-low levels of inventory for many consecutive months.

Home inventory now stands at 1.5 months of supply, and homes are spending an average of 43 days on market before going under contract. This is far from a balanced market, but it’s another improvement compared to prior home buying conditions.

With more homes on the market, price growth has slowed. Home prices increased by 1.9% on a year-over-year basis, reaching a median of $305,000. This seems to be a “sweet spot” for purchase activity. Homes priced from $300,000 to $399,000 accounted for 22% of all sales during February 2025, the largest share of any price range. The median home price in the Columbus area remains more affordable than other major metros in the country, presenting a good value to home buyers. Nationally, the median home sale price as of February 2025 was $402,500.

Meanwhile, mortgage interest rates have decreased slightly compared to a year ago. The average interest rate on a 30-year fixed Conventional mortgage was 6.67% as of March 20. Rates have been below 7% (for home buyers with excellent credit) for 9 consecutive weeks. This is also an improvement in home buying conditions compared to a year ago.

All considered, the market conditions in the Columbus area remain challenging for buyers, but sales trends are moving in the right direction. Buyers who are financially prepared, and represented by an Exclusive Buyer’s Broker are best positioned to succeed!

And because we only represent home buyers, we can show you ANY home on the market, including homes for sale on the Columbus Regional Multiple Listing Service, homes For Sale by Owner (FSBO) and new construction homes for sale by builders. Find out more with our free e-book, “How to Buy a Home like a Pro!“

As Exclusive Buyer’s Brokers, we serve your best interests at all times! Unlike real estate agents and brokerages who represent sellers, as an Exclusive Buyer’s Broker, we only represent you, the buyer, getting you the best price and terms with no conflict of interests.

The post Columbus Area Home Buying Conditions Improve appeared first on Columbus Ohio Real Estate | Buyer's Resource Realty Services.