Columbia Inventory Climbs While Home Prices Cool

More homes on the market give buyers real options

Buyers in Columbia have more homes to choose from than they have in years. Active listings climbed 18.7% year-over-year—more than three times the national increase of just 5.4%. That shift handed negotiating leverage to buyers, not sellers.

That growing inventory pool comes with a catch—fewer homes hitting the market are freshly listed. New listings fell 6.7% year-over-year, a much steeper drop than the 0.7% dip seen nationally. If you’re shopping today, most of what you’re seeing has been available for a while.

Sellers are trimming prices to attract buyers

Columbia’s prices fell further than the national trend, giving cost-conscious buyers a meaningful edge. The median list price landed at $299,763—down 3.3% year-over-year compared to a 1.4% national decline. That’s also well below the national median of $419,250.

Nearly 1 in 4 active listings carried a price reduction last month, outpacing the national rate of 20.8% by a notable margin. For buyers, that signals real room to negotiate. Sellers who price too high from the start risk getting lost in a crowded field.

Homes moved slightly faster than a year ago

Correctly priced homes in Columbia still found buyers at a steady clip despite rising supply. The median days on market was 53 days—a modest improvement year-over-year and faster than the national median of 61 days. Sellers today need to take that nuance seriously: well-priced homes moved, but overpriced ones sat.

This market report has been generated with AI tools, with input from Realtor.com Economic Data Manager Sabrina Speianu. Data reflects September 2026 MLS activity.

Use the Realtor.com housing data portal to get more market data.