By Jamie Ayers
In 2021, the average time it takes to sell a home in Ohio — from listing through closing — is approximately 91 days. That’s 56 days to get an offer, plus the typical 35-day closing period.
Key factors that impact Ohio home sale timelines include local market conditions (e.g., buyer demand, job market, rising home values, etc.), time of year, and your property’s type and condition.
Your agent’s listing strategy (pricing, marketing, networking, etc.) and the buyer’s financing situation — i.e., the amount of time it takes for them to secure loan approval — will also influence how long your sale ultimately takes.
Read on to learn more about how long it takes to sell a house in Ohio and get some pro tips on how to speed up your sale, get better offers, and save thousands in the process.
What’s the average time to sell a house in Ohio?
Average Time to Sell* Average Price*
National 99 days $601,428
State 91 $285,181
*Based on Realtor.com Data (December, 2020)
The average time it takes to sell a house in Ohio in 2021 is 91 days — 56 days to get an offer and an additional 35 days to close. This is approximately 7.8% faster than the national average. Keep in mind that these are annual averages and the numbers will vary by month and/or season.
Best time to sell a house in Ohio
In addition to the average days on market and list price data, we’ve compiled data on the BEST (and worst) times to sell your Ohio house based on what’s most important to you:
Fastest Time to Sell: When should you list your home if you’re looking to sell quickly?
Highest Sale Price: What month should you list in to get the best possible price for your home?
Best month to sell a house fast in Ohio
Month* Days on Market**
Best Month October 43 days
Worst Month January 79 days
*Based on Realtor.com Data (December, 2020)
**Days on market doesn't include the amount of time it typically includes to close (about 35 days)
The best month to sell a house fast in Ohio is October. The median time it takes for Ohio homes listed in October to sell is 43 days, which is 21 days faster than the annual average.
Best month to sell a house in Ohio for price
Month* Average Price*
Best Month July $307,861
Worst Month January $255,366
*Based on Realtor.com Data (December, 2020)
The best month to sell a house in Ohio in terms of sale price is July. The median sale price in July is $307,861, which is 7.4% — or $22,680 — more than the annual average.
Tips to get your Ohio home sold
1. List in the summer
We’ve seen that homes that go up for sale in summer sell the quickest and demand the highest prices. But why is summer such a good time to sell a house in Ohio?
Firstly, summer is the time of year during which people tend to have the most downtime on their hands. They’re either off work taking vacations or have more off days than usual from school or other obligations.
All that extra time gives home sellers a chance to conduct the sale in a more thoughtful, leisurely manner. Potential buyers have more time to take a look at homes and have conversations about what they’re looking for.
In addition to that, summer is when the curb appeal of Ohio homes is at its maximum. The bright sunlight, flower-laden trees, and lush yards make an attractive sight for buyers.
2. Hire a professional photographer
This flows out of what we talked about in the last point. Ohio has beautiful summers with long days and plenty of bright sunlight. It’s a season when your house looks great in natural light. The best way to take advantage of that is by hiring a professional photographer to take pictures of the home.
Having high-quality photos is essential, so you can effectively market your home. With more and more buyers looking for homes on the Internet, it’s pictures of your home that will create a first impression among your target market. You may also be able to get your photographer to create virtual tours of your home, which is another effective way to market the property.
3. Invest in the right renovations
Renovating parts of your home can help you sell it faster and at a higher price than otherwise. But it’s important that you choose the right upgrades to make.
The best way to know what renovations to make is by having an understanding of the local market and the buyer demographics. Sellers marketing their homes to young professionals might choose to give the interior a more modern look. If you’re selling to families, on the other hand, the focus might be on functional elements like the kitchen and safety features.
4. Pay attention to the garage
It’s natural for homeowners to pay attention to how the front of the house looks, but don’t forget to tidy up the garage.
This is important because the snowy winters in Ohio make garages a must-have feature. Most people don’t enjoy having to dig their cars out from under the snow every wintery day. Many also use their garage as extra storage space for things that they don’t want in the house.
In cities where the competition is high, a spacious, well-designed garage could be the difference between finding a buyer quickly and spending a long time on the market.
5. Avoid we buy houses for cash companies
We Buy Houses for Cash signs are easy to spot in all of the major cities across Ohio. When trying to sell a home fast, you may be tempted to work with such a company. This isn’t a good idea, especially if you want to sell your house at the right price.
We Buy Houses for Cash companies act as dual agents in the sale of a home. That means that they represent both buyer and the seller, which is an obvious conflict of interest. This results in sellers making much lower than what they would have if they hire a real estate agent to assist them.
Such services also process titles themselves as a way to save money. This could cost you down the road since the due diligence is done poorly.