09/08/2026
After a tough few weeks, the Metro DC housing market finally gave us a little something to work with.
New contract activity across the region was down just 0.9% from this time last year—a significant improvement from the double-digit declines we saw in recent weeks.
Encouraging signs also showed up beneath the headline numbers. Montgomery County was up 4.5%, Prince George’s County climbed 6.5%, and Northern Virginia and Loudoun finished within 2% of last year’s pace.
Homes are taking a little longer to sell overall, with the regional average rising from 46.3 to 50.5 days on market. But conditions still vary considerably by location and price point.
And perhaps the most interesting number of the week?
Through September 5, the region recorded 38,000 new contracts in 2025.
This year: 37,996.
After nearly 38,000 contracts, we’re behind last year by just FOUR.
That might be the best way to describe the 2026 market so far: not booming, not collapsing, just remarkably steady underneath a lot of week-to-week volatility.
For sellers, pricing correctly from the start still matters. For buyers, longer market times may create more breathing room and negotiating leverage.