Central Ohio’s Luxury Housing Market Is Moving: May’s Biggest Sales Hit $3.2 Million
Central Ohio’s luxury housing market had a big May.
The most expensive single-family home sale in Franklin County reached $3.2 million, while Delaware County’s highest-priced sale came in at $1.875 million, according to an NBC4 analysis of property-sale records from the Franklin and Delaware county auditors.
But the prices aren’t the only part of this story that caught my attention.
Look at where these homes are selling.
New Albany accounted for four of Franklin County’s five highest-priced sales, while Delaware County’s top five were spread across Delaware, Sunbury, and Powell. That gives us an interesting snapshot of where high-end buyers are putting their money across Central Ohio.
And whether you own a luxury property or simply like keeping an eye on where our market is heading, there are some useful takeaways here.
What Were Franklin County’s Most Expensive Home Sales?
Franklin County's top five single-family sales in May all exceeded $2 million.
Leading the list was a home on Biddick Court in New Albany that sold for $3.2 million on May 22. A Brandon Road property in New Albany followed at $2.75 million, while an Upper Arlington home on Cambridge Boulevard sold for $2.575 million.
New Albany rounded out the top five with sales of $2.432 million on Ogden Woods Boulevard and $2.1 million on Fenway Road.
So four out of five.
That's a pretty commanding showing for New Albany.
Why Does New Albany Keep Appearing in the Luxury Conversation?
New Albany has long occupied a distinct place in Central Ohio's luxury market.
Its combination of high-end residential communities, larger custom homes, community planning, proximity to Columbus, and continued economic development has created a market capable of supporting some significant price points.
And while we shouldn't use five transactions to declare what's happening across an entire community, seeing New Albany capture 80% of Franklin County's five highest-priced May sales is certainly noteworthy.
It also reinforces an important real estate lesson:
Central Ohio isn't one housing market.
The buyer for a $3 million New Albany property behaves very differently from the buyer shopping for a $350,000 home elsewhere in the region.
Price point matters. Location matters. And the competition within each specific market matters.
What Happened in Delaware County?
Delaware County's luxury sales were more geographically diverse.
The highest-priced May sale was a property on Bridlespur Lane in Delaware that closed for $1.875 million.
A Sunbury home on Heverlo Road sold for $1.859 million, followed by another Delaware property on Longview Drive at $1.85 million.
Powell then claimed the remaining two spots, including a Wilbrook Drive home selling for $1.85 million and a Rosalind Boulevard property selling for $1.8 million.
That distribution is what I find particularly interesting.
High-end housing demand isn't confined to one pocket of Delaware County. We're seeing substantial transactions in established luxury communities as well as areas farther north.
What Does This Tell Us About Central Ohio?
First, there's clearly a buyer pool capable of supporting multimillion-dollar residential transactions.
But I wouldn't take this article and make the leap that “luxury homes are booming everywhere.”
Five top sales don't tell us inventory levels, average days on market, concessions, price reductions, or how every luxury listing is performing.
They tell us something narrower but still valuable:
Qualified buyers are purchasing high-end Central Ohio real estate at substantial price points.
And they're doing it in several different communities.
That's important for homeowners because luxury real estate requires a different strategy than the broader housing market.
Luxury Real Estate Is Hyperlocal
Imagine two homes both listed at $1.8 million.
One is in New Albany.
One is in Powell.
Even at the same price, they aren't necessarily competing for exactly the same buyer.
The buyer may be comparing architecture, acreage, community amenities, proximity to work, taxes, commute patterns, privacy, newer construction versus established neighborhoods, and dozens of other factors.
That's why pricing a luxury property by simply looking at price per square foot can get sellers into trouble.
At higher price points, individual property characteristics become increasingly important.
What Does This Mean If You're Selling a Luxury Home?
A multimillion-dollar sale nearby does not automatically mean your home is worth the same amount.
This is where sellers have to resist the temptation to grab the highest neighborhood sale and declare victory.
The better question is:
Why did that particular buyer pay that particular price for that particular property?
Was it the lot?
Acreage?
Architecture?
Renovation quality?
Location within the neighborhood?
Outdoor living?
Privacy?
A pool?
Finished square footage?
That's the analysis that matters.
Luxury buyers generally have options, and they're often willing to wait for the right property.
Your pricing and marketing need to account for that.
And Presentation Matters Even More at This Level
This is one area where my Realtor and staging worlds collide.
At $1 million, $2 million, or $3 million, buyers aren't simply purchasing bedrooms and bathrooms.
They're purchasing an experience.
That doesn't mean a house has to look like nobody lives there. It means every room needs to communicate the value of the property clearly.
Photography, video, staging, lighting, landscaping, condition, and storytelling become part of the marketing strategy.
If the price says luxury but the presentation says ordinary, you've created a disconnect before the buyer ever walks through the door.
What About Buyers?
Luxury buyers shouldn't assume that a high price automatically means there isn't room for negotiation.
The sales highlighted by NBC4 show us what closed. They don't tell us everything that happened between the original listing and the closing table.
That's why buyers still need to understand:
Comparable sales
Days on market
Listing history
Property condition
Recent improvements
Current competing inventory
A beautiful house can still be overpriced.
And an expensive house can still represent good value relative to its specific market.
The Bigger Central Ohio Story
I think this is ultimately another example of why Central Ohio is becoming a more interesting real estate market.
We're not just seeing growth at one price point or in one suburb.
Our region contains first-time buyer markets, established neighborhoods, new-construction corridors, rural acreage, downtown condos, move-up communities, and a substantial luxury segment.
That's a much more mature housing ecosystem than people outside Columbus sometimes realize.
And when a single month produces five Franklin County sales above $2 million plus five Delaware County sales around $1.8 million or higher, it's another reminder that Central Ohio's housing market stretches far beyond the median sales price.
The Bottom Line
The biggest Central Ohio luxury sale in May reached $3.2 million in New Albany, but the more interesting story may be the geographic pattern underneath the numbers.
New Albany clearly stood out in Franklin County, while Delaware County's top sales were distributed among Delaware, Sunbury, and Powell.
For homeowners, that doesn't mean every luxury property has suddenly jumped in value.
It means buyers are actively purchasing high-end properties in Central Ohio, and understanding which homes are selling, where they're selling, and why buyers are choosing them matters far more than simply looking at the biggest number.
If you're considering selling a luxury property in Central Ohio, that's the conversation I'd want to have first: not “What's the highest sale nearby?” but “What would make your property compete successfully with the homes today's luxury buyers are actually choosing?”
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the most expensive Franklin County home sale in May 2026?
A home at 7253 Biddick Court in New Albany sold for $3.2 million on May 22, making it the highest-priced Franklin County single-family sale included in NBC4's May analysis.
Where are the most expensive homes selling in Franklin County?
New Albany dominated NBC4's May list, accounting for four of the five highest-priced single-family transactions. Upper Arlington accounted for the remaining top-five sale.
What was Delaware County's most expensive May home sale?
A property on Bridlespur Lane in Delaware sold for $1.875 million on May 26.
Which Delaware County communities had the highest-priced sales?
NBC4's five highest May sales included two homes in Delaware, two in Powell, and one in Sunbury.
Does a multimillion-dollar sale nearby mean my home is worth more?
Not necessarily. One sale can be useful evidence, but determining market value requires comparing location, condition, size, lot, amenities, improvements, timing, and other relevant characteristics.
Are luxury homes selling well throughout Central Ohio?
NBC4's data confirms significant May transactions, but these top-ten sales alone aren't enough to measure the health of the entire luxury market. Sellers should look at inventory, days on market, recent comparable sales, price reductions and buyer activity within their specific community and price range.
How should I price a luxury home in Central Ohio?
Start with comparable sales, but don't stop there. Luxury properties tend to have more unique characteristics, making condition, architecture, land, location, amenities, presentation and the current competitive inventory especially important when determining a pricing strategy.
Source
This blog is based on reporting from NBC4 (WCMH-TV), “Luxury Home Sales in Franklin, Delaware Counties: Top Deal Hits $3.2 Million,” by Stephanie Thompson. NBC4 analyzed property-sale records from the Franklin and Delaware county auditors and limited its comparison to single-family dwellings.
