A good plan is specific to your home and your timeline.
Buyers nationally rate listing photos as the most useful part of an online search, but no local study says what works for your home. Here is what a custom marketing plan should include and the questions to ask any agent.
When you hire an agent to sell your home, the phrase "custom marketing plan" can sound like a slogan. It should not be. A good plan is specific to your home, your price range and your timeline, and you should be able to see what it includes and how it will be measured. Here is what national data says, what Central Ohio's market looks like, and the questions worth asking.
What Does National Data Say About How Buyers Search?
According to a BAM summary of the National Association of REALTORS® 2025 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, every buyer used the internet, 70% relied on a mobile device or tablet, and 46% started their search online. Photos were rated useful by 81% of buyers, detailed property information by 77%, floor plans by 57% and virtual tours by 38%. The summary also reports that 88% of buyers purchased through an agent or broker.
That is a national survey and a secondary summary, not a local study. I am not aware of a Central Ohio study that shows which marketing tools work best here, so a plan should be built on your home and your agent's local experience, not on a promise.
What Does the Central Ohio Market Look Like Right Now?
According to The Columbus Team's August 2026 report, the Central Ohio median sale price was $345,500, up 2.2%, with 6,124 active listings, up 6.8%, 2.4 months of supply, a median of 30 days on market and sales at 96.9% of the original list price. Redfin put the city of Columbus at about $299,802 in August 2026, with 42 median days on market, a 99.5% sale-to-list ratio and 35.4% of homes selling above list price.
Those figures come from different providers and areas, so use them as context. Markets differ by community and price range, which is exactly why a plan should be custom.
What Should a Custom Marketing Plan Include?
At a minimum, a plan should cover pricing, preparation, presentation, reach and review. Pricing means a comparable-sales analysis built for your home. Preparation covers repairs, cleaning and staging. Presentation covers photos, a floor plan and perhaps video. Reach covers where and how the home will be advertised. Review sets a date to look at results and adjust.
Ask to see the plan in writing, with a timeline. A plan you can read is a plan you can hold your agent to.
How Should Pricing Work?
Pricing should rest on evidence: recently closed sales, homes under contract and active competing listings, adjusted for differences in size, age, condition, lot and location. Your agent should explain each comparable and each adjustment, and discuss your goals openly.
Beware of a price that is chosen to win your listing instead of to attract a buyer. Ask how many homes the agent has sold in your neighborhood and price range, and how they priced them.
How Should the Home Be Presented?
Presentation starts with preparation. According to NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 49% of sellers' agents said staging reduced time on the market, and buyers' agents ranked the living room, primary bedroom and kitchen as the most important rooms to stage. These are national agent opinions and not guarantees.
Then comes photography. Photos should be bright, level and honest, and advertising must be truthful. Ask which items are included, such as a floor plan, video or twilight photos, and whether they cost extra.
How Will the Home Reach Buyers?
Beyond the MLS, ask about email to local agents, online advertising, signage and how the agent uses their own network. For relocating buyers, ask whether the listing will include distances to everyday places and factual local information.
Ask what is realistic. No one can promise a specific number of showings or a sale date, and you should be wary of anyone who does.
How Will You Know Whether the Plan Is Working?
Agree on what you will review and when. Typical items include showings, online views if available, feedback and comparable activity. Set a review date after the first couple of weeks, and discuss what you would change if the numbers are low, such as price, presentation or availability.
Good communication matters as much as the plan. Ask how often your agent will update you and how.
What Should You Ask Before You Hire?
Ask for references, recent sales in your area and the plan in writing. Ask how compensation works, what is included in any fees and how the agreement can be ended. A REALTOR® follows the NAR Code of Ethics, which includes honest advertising and disclosure, and you should expect clear answers.
Compare more than one agent. The right fit is someone you trust and who explains their approach clearly.
Frequently Asked Questions
What should a custom marketing plan include? At minimum: pricing, preparation, presentation, reach and a review date. Ask to see the plan in writing with a timeline.
What do buyers find most useful in online listings? A BAM summary of NAR's 2025 Profile reports photos at 81%, detailed property information at 77%, floor plans at 57% and virtual tours at 38%. This is national data, not local.
What is the Central Ohio median sale price? The Columbus Team reported a Central Ohio median of $345,500 for August 2026, with 2.4 months of supply and a median of 30 days on market.
Does staging help a home sell? In NAR's 2025 Profile of Home Staging, 49% of sellers' agents said staging reduced time on the market. These are national agent opinions and results vary.
How will I know whether the plan is working? Agree on what to review, such as showings, feedback and comparable activity, and set a review date after the first couple of weeks.
If you are thinking about selling in Central Ohio, I would be glad to show you what a written plan looks like for your home. No pressure, just a clear plan.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. All real estate services are provided in compliance with Fair Housing laws, RESPA, TCPA, the REALTOR® Code of Ethics, and Ohio Real Estate Commission advertising regulations. Equal Housing Opportunity. Chrisi Hagan, Collins Lassiter Group, Red 1 Realty.
