Selling a home in Powell: how long it takes right now and what to expect.

Karen Smith, Smart Move Group | The Brokerage House

A few years ago, a well-priced home in Powell could go under contract over a weekend. Sellers who remember that market are now often surprised when their house is still active after two or three weeks. Most of the time, nothing is wrong with the house. The market moves at a different pace now, and planning for that pace makes the whole move less stressful.

I've sold homes in Powell and Northwest Columbus since 2015, and I grew up here. This is what I'm telling sellers this year.

How long homes are taking to sell

Through the first ten months of 2026, homes in Delaware County spent 39 days on the market before selling. Over the same months in 2025, it was 31 days. Sellers received 97.8% of their original list price, down from 98.3% a year earlier.

In practice, that means planning for five to six weeks on the market before you have a buyer, with the time to close on top of that. Some homes go faster. Some take longer, especially in late fall and winter. If you're also buying your next home, build that time into your plan from the start.

A Powell sale from this fall

In July we listed a home on Minuteman Court for friends of mine. They had owned it since 2001. It was their first house, and they raised their kids there.

Along the way, the first contract fell through before closing. The inspection turned up a few items, and the sellers took care of them, but in the end the buyers decided the house wasn't the right fit for them. That is a hard week for any seller, and harder when you've already started planning your next move.

They stayed patient while we went back to work, and the house closed on October 23 with the right buyer. It sold for $479,000.

To the sellers and my dear friends: thank you for trusting us with a home you loved for 25 years.

What I tell sellers before we list

Get the house ready before we set a price.

I compare it to selling a car. You take it to the car wash and get it all sparkly. Same thing with your house. We walk through the home together first, so the price reflects the house buyers will actually see.

Know your comps and treat the list price as a starting point.

When we price a home, we look at what has sold nearby and what is sitting. The list price is just the starting point. If a few weeks of showings tell us something, a price adjustment is a normal next step, and it uses real feedback from buyers.

Expect a bump or two after you accept an offer.

Inspections, appraisals, financing, and a buyer's own sale can all change a deal before closing. Most problems have an answer. I always says that any problem you can come across can get fixed. If a contract does fall through, the house goes back on the market and we keep going.

Give yourself time.

Patience is one of the things our team cares about most, for buyers and sellers. Nobody should feel rushed into a decision about their home. Starting the conversation early, even months before you list, gives you room to prepare without pressure.

If you're thinking about selling in Powell next year, call or text me and we'll look at your timeline together.

Source: Columbus REALTORS MLS, Local Market Update for Delaware County, January to May 2026.