Should You Sell Your Cincinnati Home in a Higher-Interest-Rate Market? A Data-Driven Look at 2025 & 2026

Should You Sell Your Cincinnati Home in a Higher-Interest-Rate Market? A Data-Driven Look at 2025 & 2026

If you own a home in the Cincinnati area and have been wondering, “Does it make sense to sell right now?”, you’re far from alone.

Many local homeowners have lived through a shift in the real estate environment over the past couple of years, rising mortgage rates, more nuanced buyer behavior, and a market that feels different than the rapid-growth years of the past decade. Some put their homes on the market and didn’t get the response they expected. Others paused their plans entirely.

But here’s the important context: this isn’t a collapse, it’s a market recalibrating itself.

Interestingly, while many national headlines focus on sluggish sales or affordability headwinds, Cincinnati’s housing market has shown notable resilience over the past year.

Local Price Trends Show Stability and Moderate Growth

According to Redfin data, the median sale price in Cincinnati reached $285,350 in November 2025, representing approximately +8.7% year-over-year growth. Even with higher financing costs and slower overall activity. Redfin

Hamilton County-wide figures from Redfin also show median home sale prices around $286,500 in late 2025, marking about +7.1% year-over-year growth while homes continue to move reasonably quickly. Redfin

And even from the regional REALTOR® Alliance’s perspective, homes across Greater Cincinnati posted median prices near $310,000 year-to-date through late 2025, a roughly +5% annual increase compared to the median year-to-date home prices in November of 2024. cincyrealtoralliance.com

These are real numbers that show value hasn’t eroded; it’s just growing more moderately and predictably than in prior years.

 

Cincinnati Realtor Alliance:

Sales and Volume Still Show Activity

While sales volume isn’t at the highs seen during peak frenzy years, it remains active and meaningful. Through November 2025, Greater Cincinnati saw 16,375 home sales, which was roughly +2.5% higher year-over-year, and total sold volume exceeded $6.1 billion, about +9% more than the sales numbers from January - November of 2024. cincyrealtoralliance.com

Seasonal snapshots earlier in 2025 showed home sales in June 2025 up around +13% compared to June 2024, with the median sold price rising about +6.8% to $328,000 on strong activity. cincyrealtoralliance.com

So even though the market feels slower, the data shows sustained activity,  just at a more balanced pace that reflects higher rates, more inventory, and more thoughtful buyers.

Inventory and Selling Timelines Tell a Balanced Story

Inventory across the Greater Cincinnati market has been increasing — not exploding — which creates more choices for buyers without tipping the market into oversupply.

In October 2025, active listings were reported at 3,380 homes, a +30.6% increase when compared to October 2024. While the median days on market moved to about 10 days, suggesting homes are still selling quickly but with a bit more breathing room for buyers. cincyrealtoralliance.com

Cincinnati’s city-specific metrics back this up; Zillow data suggests homes were going pending in about 15 days as of late 2025, with typical list-to-sell dynamics showing a competitive but not frenzied pace. Zillow

This means that while buyers have more time to evaluate, good homes still attract attention quickly, especially those priced correctly!

Mortgage Rates and Affordability Are Improving, Slowly But Meaningfully

Mortgage rates continue to be one of the biggest factors shaping buyer psychology. Last year, rates hovered near historical highs, often between the mid-6% to low-7% range according to national weekly data.

More recently, 30-year fixed rates dipped to around 6.15% at the end of 2025, the lowest average since late 2024, signaling more affordability for 2026 buyers. AP News

National forecasts, including industry projections from Fannie Mae, suggest rates could drift slightly lower later in 2026, potentially driving more transaction activity nationwide. Business Insider

Importantly, these aren’t changes that bring rates back to the pre-pandemic “2–4% era,” but they do improve payment power gradually and make decisions easier for both buyers and sellers.

So, Why Didn’t Some Homes Sell? What Does the Data Show?

About half of the homeowners who listed and then paused their sale in recent cycles did so because:

• Their home was priced based on old comparables from peak markets
• Buyers were being more payment-sensitive and strategic
• Homes without updates or clear value propositions saw slower interest

For example, Cincinnati data shows homes still selling within a relatively short window,  but only when buyers see pricing that reflects today’s financial climate. When pricing lagged behind market reality, homes lingered.

This matches broader patterns in many U.S. markets where homes priced correctly,  even in higher-rate environments, continue to transact. Meanwhile, listings priced too high often move slowly or require adjustments.

Is Waiting the Best Strategy? The Numbers Suggest: Not Always

A common assumption today is that waiting will simply create a better opportunity down the road. If “waiting” means hoping for a return to ultra-low rates, current economic forecasts don’t support that expectation, instead pointing toward steady rates and gradual easing, not dramatic drops.

Meanwhile, inventory improvements in Cincinnati show that buyers aren’t inactive; they’re simply more deliberate. That supports a balanced market, not a buyer’s market devoid of activity.

When price, condition, and presentation align, homes still sell, even in a higher-rate environment.

A Calmer Perspective Going Forward:

Cincinnati’s housing market isn’t static; it’s adaptive. The region’s fundamentals, stable employment, moderate population growth, and historically strong demand continue to support home values even as the transaction pace normalizes.

If you’ve thought about selling, tried selling, or paused your strategy, it doesn’t mean you made a mistake. It likely means you’ve been participating in a market that is asking for clarity over urgency.

 

The numbers tell a clear story: the market still works, it’s just more thoughtful. If you’ve been quietly considering your options, without pressure or urgency, that’s exactly the right place to start. A thoughtful market like this rewards clarity, not guesswork.

-Cameron Gunnels

Cameron@gunnelsrealty.com