Cincinnati Inventory Is Up 6.8%. Here’s What I’d Do as a Buyer

Cincinnati inventory is up 6.8%. That’s good news if you’re buying: more homes to compare and more room to negotiate. Overall it’s still a tight market, but on some houses buyers have the upper hand right now. Here’s how to tell the difference.

What does it mean for buyers that Cincinnati inventory is up 6.8%?

I’ve had a lot of buyers ask me some version of this lately: “There are more houses for sale now, so do I finally have the upper hand?”

Honestly, it depends on the house. Greater Cincinnati had 3,456 active listings in September 2026, up 6.8%. Across the whole metro, we’re still at about 2.25 months of supply, and the median home sold in just 9 days, so overall this isn’t a buyer’s market. But that’s the average. On some houses, especially ones that have been sitting, buyers have real leverage right now. The trick is knowing which kind of house you’re looking at.

The quick version:

• Greater Cincinnati had 3,456 active listings in September 2026, up 6.8%. That’s a metro-wide number. It tells you which way the market is leaning, not what’s happening on your street.
• Supply is about 2.25 months metro-wide, still tight overall. But on some houses, it’s a buyer’s market, especially ones that have been sitting.
• 1,537 homes sold in September, down 4.4% from 1,608 a year earlier. But the average sale price rose about 1.5%, to $383,172. More choice hasn’t meant lower prices.
• The median home sold in 9 days. Good homes are still moving fast.
• Keep your inspection contingency, and treat the deadline in your signed contract as the one that matters.

How should you change your search in Blue Ash, Montgomery, Mason, West Chester, and Liberty Township?

Get pickier. Don’t get slower.

The extra inventory is your chance to compare condition, location, and price across a handful of homes instead of grabbing the first one you walk through. Just know that the standout homes still aren’t waiting around.

Keep in mind those metro numbers cover the whole region. A townhome search in West Chester and a bigger-lot search in Montgomery are two completely different markets, even though they’re 20 minutes apart.

Here’s what the ground looks like by area:

• Blue Ash: Median Sale Price: $445,000; Median Days on Market: 61
• Montgomery: Median Sale Price: $548,750; Median Days on Market: 54
• Mason: Median Sale Price: $475,000; Median Days on Market: 50
• West Chester: Median Sale Price: $419,900; Median Days on Market: 50
• Liberty Township: Median Sale Price: $274,950; Median Days on Market: 39
• Sharonville: Median Sale Price: $300,000; Median Days on Market: 56

Source: aggregated public listing data, trailing 90 days, as of October 2026. These figures come from a different source than the September MLS numbers above and measure days on market differently, so use them to compare areas to each other, not to the 9-day metro median.

These aren’t rankings. Each median reflects whatever mix of homes happened to sell, so size, age, and style all pull the number around. What a specific house is worth comes down to its condition, its street, and its timing.

Blue Ash is a good example. Recent data shows 25 active listings, 10 new ones in the last 30 days, and 59 sales over about 90 days. That’s enough supply to shop around, and still competitive on the homes that are priced right.

If you’re also looking toward Centerville, Springboro, or Kettering, the Dayton REALTORS® monthly report is the closer read for you.

How I’d use the extra choice

• Look at what sold, not just what’s listed. Closed sales tell you what buyers actually paid.
• Watch days on market. A home that’s been sitting longer than its neighbors is where a measured offer makes the most sense.
• Hold out for the right location. You can update a kitchen. You can’t move the house. More options means you can be choosy about the setting, and where you live will shape your day-to-day as much as the house will.
• Move fast on the standout. With a 9-day median, the house that checks every box probably won’t wait while you tour five more.

Which of these matters most for you depends on your budget and your timeline, and that’s the conversation I like to have before we tour a single house.

Does more inventory mean home prices are falling?

No. More listings give you more to choose from. They don’t automatically bring prices down.

Look at September. 1,537 homes sold across Greater Cincinnati, down 4.4% from 1,608 a year earlier. You might expect prices to soften with fewer sales and more listings. Instead, the average sale price went up, from $377,519 to $383,172, about 1.5%.

The Dayton area shows the same pattern. Per the Dayton REALTORS® August 2026 report, closed sales were down more than 4% from a year earlier, but total sales volume rose 0.84% to about $423 million. Fewer homes sold, and more money changed hands.

Statewide, Ohio REALTORS® reported 39,168 active listings in August 2026, up 1.9% from 38,427 a year earlier, with 3.67 months of supply. Inventory is climbing, just slowly.

Two to three months of supply is still well short of a balanced market overall. That’s why a great house in Mason, Montgomery, or Liberty Township can still get multiple offers. At the same time, a house that’s overpriced or needs work can sit while everything around it sells. Both things are true right now, sometimes on the same street.

Whether a particular house is priced to sell or priced to sit is something I figure out with comps in hand, not from a regional percentage.

Can you negotiate harder, and should you keep your inspection contingency?

On the right house, yes. And either way, keep your inspection contingency. More choice is not a reason to give up your protection.

Where you actually have leverage

When you’ve got a few homes that would work, you don’t have to chase one at any price. That means you can:

• Offer based on recent comparable sales instead of the list price.
• Ask for seller-paid repairs or credits after the inspection.
• Walk away from a house that’s overpriced for its condition.

Here’s where it gets interesting. On some houses, this is a buyer’s market right now. A home that’s been sitting, is priced above its comps, or needs work is where sellers are most willing to talk, and that’s where I’d push on price, repairs, or credits. A fresh listing that’s priced right is a different story. Those can still move in days. Part of my job is telling you which one you’re looking at before we write the offer.

Why I’d keep the inspection contingency

The Ohio Department of Commerce home buyer’s guide recommends having a qualified inspector look at the property before closing. That’s good advice in any market.

Your rights come from your contract. Ohio’s published purchase contract lets you ask the seller to fix unsatisfactory inspection items, and you can terminate if the two of you can’t agree before the contingency period runs out. The exact deadline and wording are in the contract you sign, so read yours carefully.

If you’re tempted to waive the inspection to make your offer stronger, call me and your lender first. Waiving it means giving up your way out if the inspection finds something serious.

When to schedule the inspection

The day your offer is accepted. Inspection rights run on deadlines, and there’s no one number of days that applies to every Ohio deal. Put the written-notice deadline from your contract on your calendar and get your repair requests in before it hits.

Let’s find where you belong.

[Schedule a Consultation] · [Request a Free Home Evaluation] if you’re thinking about selling, too.

About Rhonda Everitt

I’m a REALTOR® with Comey & Shepherd Realtors, helping buyers and sellers across the Cincinnati and Dayton-area suburbs, including Blue Ash, Montgomery, Mason, West Chester, Liberty Township, Centerville, and Springboro. My approach is simple: start with where you want to live, then give you the straight numbers to get there.

Comey & Shepherd Realtors · 513-457-1115

Equal Housing Opportunity. Real estate licensees are regulated by the Ohio Division of Real Estate and Professional Licensing. This article is general information, not legal, tax, or financial advice; confirm your own numbers with your closing agent, tax advisor, or lender.

Frequently asked questions

Is Cincinnati-area inventory really up 6.8% this fall?

Yes. Greater Cincinnati had 3,456 active listings in September 2026, up 6.8%, with about 2.25 months of supply. It’s a metro-wide number, so your price range and town may look different.

Is it a buyer’s market in Cincinnati right now?

It depends on the house. Overall, supply is still tight at about 2.25 months, and the median home sold in 9 days. But homes that have been sitting, are priced above their comps, or need work are where buyers have real leverage.

Does more inventory mean prices will fall in Blue Ash or Montgomery?

Not so far. Metro-wide, the average sale price rose about 1.5% from September 2025 to September 2026, even with more listings and fewer sales. Recent area data puts the Blue Ash median at $445,000 and Montgomery at $548,750 (trailing 90 days, as of October 2026), and any one home’s value depends on its condition and street.

Can buyers negotiate more in Mason or West Chester now?

On some homes, yes, especially ones that have been on the market a while or are priced above their comps. There you can make a measured offer, ask for repairs or credits, and walk away if the numbers don’t work. Well-priced new listings can still draw strong interest.

Should I keep an inspection contingency in 2026?

In most cases, yes. It protects your right to ask for repairs or get out of the contract if you and the seller can’t agree before the deadline. Talk to me and your lender before you consider waiving it.

Should I wait for more listings or buy when the right home shows up?

Buy when the right home shows up at a price that makes sense. With about 2.25 months of supply and a 9-day median, waiting for more listings is a gamble, and the home that really fits is hard to replace. If you’re early in your search, we can set up alerts and watch what sells while you decide.

Ready to make the extra choice work for you?

More inventory gives you a better shot at finding a home that fits, as long as you’re ready to move on the right one and protect yourself in the contract. I’ll help you compare what’s selling in Blue Ash, Montgomery, Mason, West Chester, and Liberty Township, figure out which houses have room to negotiate, and put together an offer that makes sense for you.