Short North
$300–550K
Premier arts + entertainment district. Gallery Hop, indie boutiques, restaurants that punch above their weight. Renovated Victorians, modern condos, townhomes. Premium pricing the location holds.
Columbus, Ohio · the fastest-growing OH metro
Buying in
Columbus.
$280K median, 26-day market, OHFA + Homeport + City programs, and a tech sector growing on top of an OSU-anchored economy. The capital is one of the strongest millennial-buyer markets in the Midwest — and the DPA stack is real.
· The market
Six numbers
that frame the play.
- $280K
- Median home price
- +6.2%
- YoY appreciation
- 26 days
- Median time on market
- $72K
- Median household income
- ~1.8%
- Effective property tax
- 7+
- DPA programs available
· The neighborhoods
Six pockets,
six personalities.
German Village
$350–650K
Brick-street historic district just south of downtown. Strict preservation rules + walkable charm. Limited inventory, premium values. Schiller Park anchors it.
Clintonville
$280–500K
North-side neighborhood with character bungalows, top schools, and walkable High Street commercial spine. Family-friendly, dog-friendly, coffee-shop-friendly.
Franklinton
$120–280K
Emerging arts + tech district west of downtown. Warehouse conversions, new builds, public art. Earlier-cycle entry point with real upside.
Olde Towne East
$200–400K
Historic Italianate + Queen Anne architecture east of downtown. Active block clubs, walkable to King-Lincoln district. One of the strongest under-$300K plays.
Westerville / New Albany
$350–800K
Suburban communities northeast with top-rated schools and master-planned developments. New Albany has anchored major corporate campuses. Premium pricing, exceptional QoL.
· The stack
Seven programs
most buyers stack wrong.
Most Columbus buyers qualify for at least two of these — and miss out because their LO didn't bother to layer them. The right stack on a $240K Olde Towne East house can mean closing with a car payment's worth of cash.
01
Homeport — Franklin County DPA Grant
$10K
True grant (not a loan) for first-time buyers in Franklin County outside the city. AMI-based income limits. Pairs with conventional or FHA.
02
Homeport — Bloom614 Growing Homeownership Fund
$5–15K
Forgivable second mortgage for buyers in targeted Columbus neighborhoods. Forgiven after 5 years if you stay. Stacks with OHFA.
03
OHFA YourChoice! DPA
2.5–5%
State-wide. 2.5% or 5% of the loan amount as a forgivable second. Forgiven after 7 years. Pairs with FHA, VA, USDA, or conventional.
04
OHFA Grants for Grads
Rate discount + DPA
For recent college grads (within 48 months). Rate discount on top of DPA. With OSU, Capital, Otterbein in the metro, this one gets used heavily.
05
City of Columbus — ADDI
Up to $14,999
American Dream Down payment Initiative for buyers inside Columbus city limits. Requires 6+ months Ohio residency. Below 80% AMI primarily.
06
Ohio Heroes (OHFA)
Rate discount
Discounted rate for teachers, firefighters, police, EMTs, healthcare workers, and active military. Stacks with OHFA DPA.
07
NACA Best in America Mortgage
0% down · No PMI
Zero down, below-market rate, no PMI, no credit score requirement. Columbus office available. Counseling required — but free.
· The scenario
$260K Clintonville bungalow.
Stacked.
- Purchase price
- $260,000
- FHA min down (3.5%)
- $9,100
- OHFA YourChoice! 5% (forgivable)
- −$12,550
- Homeport Bloom614 grant
- −$10,000
- City ADDI (if Columbus zip)
- −$14,999
- Cash to close (est.)
- ~$2,800
Loan amount drops to ~$202,800 after stacking. Estimated PITI on a 30-year FHA: ~$1,720/mo at current rates. Beats Columbus median rent for a 2-bed + garage by a wide margin.
Columbus is buyable.
If you stack right.
Five minutes. We map your income, credit, and assets against every Columbus + OH program — including the four most LOs forget.