The DC real estate market is constantly evolving. Stay ahead of trends and shifts with weekly and monthly data and summaries.
Local Data. Commentary. Market Summaries. Updated Weekly.
District of Columbia Weekly Market Data
DC City Weekly Data
| BRIGHT MLS DATASET | WEEK ENDING OCT. 11, 2026 | SAME WEEK LAST YEAR | PRIOR WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEEKLY SHOWINGS | 1,912 | 2,079 | 2,140 |
| NEW SALES CONTRACTS | 120 | 139 | 118 |
| MEDIAN DAYS TO CONTRACT | 50 days | 41 days | 50 days |
| NEW LISTINGS | 241 | 247 | 251 |
| MEDIAN LIST PRICE | $615,000 | $624,000 | $735,000 |
| ACTIVE LISTINGS | 2,986 | 2,955 | 2,920 |
| % ACTIVE WITH PRICE DROP | 8.2% | 7.1% | 8.1% |
| CANCELED LISTINGS | 39 | 29 | 40 |
For the week ending October 11, Washington DC recorded 120 new purchase contracts, up from 118 the previous week but down 13.7% from 139 during the comparable week last year. Showings fell to 1,912, down 10.7% from the previous week and 8.0% from a year earlier. The median time to contract remained at 50 days, nine days longer than last year.
Active listings increased to 2,986, up 2.3% from the previous week and 1.0% from a year earlier. New listings totaled 241, down from 251 the previous week, while 8.2% of active listings had price decreases, compared with 7.1% a year ago. The modest weekly improvement in contracts came alongside fewer showings and a larger pool of available homes.
Source: Bright MLS Weekly Market Report, week ending October 11, 2026, county tables, pages 105–112. Comparisons use the prior-week figures in this report; Bright revised the previous week’s DC showing count to 2,140.
Washington DC Metro Area Weekly Data
Bright’s Washington DC Metro report covers the District of Columbia; Alexandria City, Arlington County, Fairfax County, Fairfax City, Falls Church City and Loudoun County in Virginia; and Frederick, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties in Maryland. This weekly geography differs from the broader Greater DC Area used in the monthly section below.
| BRIGHT MLS DATASET | WEEK ENDING OCT. 11, 2026 | CHANGE FROM PRIOR YEAR | CHANGE FROM PRIOR WEEK |
|---|---|---|---|
| WEEKLY SHOWINGS | 13,636 | −15.7% | −7.8% |
| NEW SALES CONTRACTS | 912 | −15.5% | +2.1% |
| MEDIAN DAYS TO CONTRACT | 40 days | +7 days | +4 days |
| NEW LISTINGS | 1,326 | −0.5% | −6.1% |
| MEDIAN LIST PRICE | $590,000 | −0.8% | −5.6% |
| ACTIVE LISTINGS | 12,720 | +20.6% | +1.6% |
| % ACTIVE WITH PRICE DROP | 9.8% | +0.4 pp | −0.6 pp |
| CANCELED LISTINGS | 154 | +11.6% | −22.6% |
Buyer activity across the Washington DC Metro remained below last year during the week ending October 11. New purchase contracts increased 2.1% from the previous week to 912, but were 15.5% below the comparable week in 2025. Showings declined 7.8% week over week and 15.7% year over year. The median time to contract increased to 40 days, four days longer than the previous week and seven days longer than a year ago.
Active inventory totaled 12,720 listings, up 1.6% from the previous week and 20.6% from last year. New listings declined 6.1% week over week and were nearly unchanged from a year earlier. Buyers had substantially more inventory to choose from than last October, while new contracts and showings remained below last year’s pace.
Canceled listings fell 22.6% from the previous week to 154, although they remained 11.6% above last year. Price decreases affected 9.8% of active listings, down 0.6 percentage points from the previous week but up 0.4 percentage points year over year. Those weekly improvements offer some counterweight to the broader picture of slower contract times and elevated inventory.
Source: Bright MLS Weekly Market Report, week ending October 11, 2026, Washington DC Metro snapshot, page 35. Prior-year and prior-week columns show percentage changes unless stated as days or percentage points (pp).
Market DashboardDC (City) Monthly Data
SEPT 2026
Oct. 2026 data will be released Nov. 11, 2026
| BRIGHT MLS DATASET | SEPTEMBER 2026 | PRIOR YEAR | PRIOR MONTH |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL SOLD DOLLAR VOL | $351,984,861 | -3.0% | -24.3% |
| AVG SOLD PRICE | $870,012 | +3.6% | -17.2% |
| MEDIAN SOLD PRICE | $660,000 | -2.9% | -3.2% |
| UNITS SOLD | 398 | -6.8% | -9.1% |
| AVG DAYS ON MARKET | 46 | -2.1% | -9.8% |
| AVG SP TO OLP | 95.7% | +0.3 pp | 0.0 pp |
| ACTIVE LISTINGS | 3,041 | +1.1% | +21.0% |
| NEW LISTINGS | 1,067 | -6.9% | +86.9% |
| NEW PENDINGS | 499 | -9.3% | +33.8% |
| ALL PENDINGS | 603 | -9.5% | +8.3% |
Source: SmartCharts Pro / Bright MLS. September data calculated October 8, 2026. Prior Year compares with September 2025; Prior Month compares with August 2026. pp = percentage points. SP = sold price; OLP = original list price.
September 2026 DC City Summary
Washington DC entered the fall market with a seasonal rebound in listings and new contracts from August, but activity remained below last September. New listings rose 86.9% month over month to 1,067, while new pending contracts increased 33.8% to 499. Compared with September 2025, however, new listings were down 6.9% and new contracts were down 9.3%.
Closed sales totaled 398, down 6.8% from a year earlier and 9.1% from August. The median sold price fell 2.9% year over year to $660,000, while the average sold price increased 3.6% to $870,012. Those measures describe different aspects of the properties that sold; a higher average alongside a lower median doesn’t establish broad price appreciation.
Active inventory increased 21.0% from August to 3,041 listings, finishing 1.1% above September 2025. Homes that sold spent an average of 46 days on market, one day fewer than last September, and sellers received an average 95.7% of their original asking price. With new contracts below last year’s pace and more listings arriving after August, buyers had a larger selection heading into October.
DC City Year to Date Summary January Through September
Through September, Washington DC recorded 4,700 closed sales, down 3.9% from 4,892 during the same period in 2025. New pending contracts declined 2.8%, while new listings fell 7.3%. The median sold price was essentially unchanged at $670,500, compared with $670,000 a year earlier, but homes that sold spent an average of 50 days on market, up from 46.
The property-type breakdown shows a much less uniform market. Detached sales increased 10.1% to 819 and detached new contracts rose 8.6%. Townhouse sales were nearly flat, down 0.5% to 1,901, while new contracts increased 2.4%. Condo and co-op sales fell 11.6% to 1,974, and new contracts declined 11.2%.
Prices alone don’t capture those differences in demand. The year-to-date median sold price declined 1.2% for detached homes and 2.2% for townhouses, while the condo and co-op median edged up 0.2% to $490,000. That nearly unchanged condo median describes the units that successfully sold, even as substantially fewer sales and contracts were completed.
September 2026 Property Type Summary
Detached homes recorded 85 September closings, up 46.6% from 58 a year earlier, while new contracts increased 4.6% to 91. The median sold price fell 16.5% to $1,064,500. That monthly price decline accompanies a small sales sample and a changing mix of homes sold, so it shouldn’t be read as a comparable decline in the value of every detached home.
Townhouses recorded 159 closings, down 13.6% from September 2025, and a median sold price of $795,000, down 5.4%. New contracts were nearly unchanged from a year earlier at 219. September ended with 921 active townhouse listings and a contract ratio of 0.30 pending contracts per active listing.
Condos and co-ops remained the weakest segment by contract activity relative to available inventory. September closings fell 16.3% to 154 and new contracts declined 22.0% to 188, even as the median sold price rose 2.1% to $499,950. Active inventory increased 7.3% from a year earlier to 1,737 listings, accounting for 57.1% of the city’s total active inventory.
The condo and co-op contract ratio was 0.12 pending contracts per active listing, compared with 0.18 last September and a five-year September average of 0.23. Sold units averaged 51 days on market, down from 59 a year earlier, but that faster pace among completed sales didn’t translate into stronger overall contract activity. Prices and selling times for successful transactions tell only part of the story.
Greater DC Area Monthly Data
| BRIGHT MLS DATASET | SEPTEMBER 2026 | PRIOR YEAR | PRIOR MONTH |
|---|---|---|---|
| TOTAL SOLD DOLLAR VOL | $3,448,655,200 | -7.3% | -13.2% |
| AVG SOLD PRICE | $698,622 | +0.2% | -4.5% |
| MEDIAN SOLD PRICE | $569,000 | -0.2% | -4.8% |
| UNITS SOLD | 4,903 | -7.4% | -9.3% |
| AVG DAYS ON MARKET | 33 | +3.1% | +6.5% |
| AVG SP TO OLP | 97.6% | -0.2 pp | -0.6 pp |
| ACTIVE LISTINGS | 17,704 | +21.4% | +15.2% |
| NEW LISTINGS | 7,412 | +1.2% | +24.0% |
| NEW PENDINGS | 4,886 | -16.7% | -6.2% |
| ALL PENDINGS | 6,099 | -14.0% | -7.1% |
Source: SmartCharts Pro / Bright MLS. September data calculated October 8, 2026. Prior Year compares with September 2025; Prior Month compares with August 2026. pp = percentage points. SP = sold price; OLP = original list price.
September 2026 Greater DC Area Summary
The Greater DC Area market saw its listing count rise considerably in September, while new buyer commitments weakened.
New listings rose 24.0% from August to 7,412, but new pending contracts fell 6.2% to 4,886; 16.7% below September 2025 levels.
Closings totaled 4,903, down 7.4% from a year ago. Active inventory increased 15.2% from August to 17,704 listings, leaving buyers with 21.4% more available inventory than last September.
Five-year September comparisons show an imbalance that extends beyond the usual seasonal changes. New listings were just 0.9% above their September average, but new contracts were 12.9% below average and closings were down 7.8%.
Inventory was a whopping 41.9% higher than the five-year September average of 12,475.
Sold homes averaged 33 days on market compared with the September norm of 27. Median sold price remained comparatively stable at $569,000, down 0.2% from a year earlier and 4.8% from August, but 4.5% above its five-year September average of $544,300. The more pronounced weakness was in contract activity relative to available inventory.
The year-to-date picture was stronger than September’s monthly reading. Through September, regional closings increased 1.6% to 51,231, new contracts edged up 0.3% to 52,790, and the median sold price rose 1.7% to $595,000. New listings increased 3.0%, outpacing the growth in contracts and closings. The region was still ahead of 2025 on those cumulative transaction measures, while September’s smaller contract pipeline and larger inventory pointed to softer conditions heading into October.
Source: September 2026 Greater DC Area Market Statistics and Local Market Insight reports, SmartCharts Pro / MarketStats by ShowingTime, Bright MLS. Data calculated October 8, 2026. Five-year averages compare September readings; YTD compares January through September in both years.
DC CONDOS + CO-OPS
Median sold price
$499,950
September 2026
−7.4% from August · +2.1% year over year
October 2025–September 2026
Exact September price; historical bars approximate.
DC CONDOS + CO-OPS
Months of supply
8.2 months
September 2026
Approximate chart reading
October 2025–September 2026
Chart readings approximate.
DC CONDOS + CO-OPS
Median days on market
43 days
September 2026
Approximate chart reading
October 2025–September 2026
Chart readings approximate.
Source: SmartCharts Pro / Bright MLS, October 8, 2026. Approximate chart readings are marked with ≈. Median days on market is a different measure from average days on market.
DC’s Condo Market Remains Its Weakest Segment
One of the biggest stories of the past two years has been the persistent weakness of the District’s condominium market. Condominiums and co-ops remain the weakest major property segment by contract activity relative to available inventory. September ended with 1,737 active listings, accounting for 57.1% of the city’s inventory, while condos and co-ops supplied only 38.7% of the month’s closings.
That weakness isn’t always apparent in reported prices. Through September, 1,974 condos and co-ops had sold in 2026, down 11.6% from 2,232 during the same period last year. New pending contracts declined 11.2%, yet the median sold price edged up 0.2% to $490,000. The prices recorded by a relatively small percentage of successful sales don’t reflect significant inventory increases, slowing sales pace and other market indicators provide a full picture of the market.
Prices, Supply and Selling Times Tell Different Stories
These 5-year charts show how those measures can move in different directions. September’s median sold price was $499,950, up 2.1% from a year earlier but down 7.4% from August. Months of supply increased from 6.83 in August to 8.19 in September, while median days on market fell from 58 to 43.
The units that sold moved faster, even as available supply grew relative to the sales pace. A shorter selling time among completed transactions doesn’t establish that the larger pool of available condos became easier to sell. The price and selling-time figures describe successful transactions; months of supply helps put those transactions in the context of the inventory still on the market.
That is the true picture of DC’s condo market. Pricing for units sold looks healthy. But few units are selling relative to supply, so that picture is deceiving.
Condos are highly reactive to market and economic conditions and often show changes in buyer demand earlier than other housing types. The District’s condominium market was beginning to recover from the severe demand disruption of the pandemic when DC’s economic trajectory changed again in early 2025. Federal employment and spending uncertainty added another challenge to a market already contending with high mortgage rates and rising ownership costs. Since then, tighter condominium financing and insurance requirements have added further pressure to the buyer pipeline.
At the close of September 2026, the 30-year mortgage interest rate had risen to 7.58% [MND]. Key drivers are spiking 10-year Treasury yields (near 10 year highs), global bond market sell-offs, persistent inflation (at 3.4% for the 12 months ending in August 2026), increased federal government deficits, the Iran war, and the expectation of at least one more 25-basis-point rate hike by the Fed before the end of 2026.
Washington DC Metro Condo Market: September 2026
Condo weakness also extended beyond the District. In Bright’s Washington DC Metro report, September condo closings fell 16.3% from a year earlier to 851, and new pending sales declined 18.8% to 898. Active listings increased 30.3% to 4,891, even though new listings were nearly unchanged at 1,692. Available inventory grew substantially while fewer buyers signed contracts or completed purchases.
| MEASURE | SEPTEMBER 2026 | SEPTEMBER 2025 | CHANGE |
|---|---|---|---|
| Closed sales | 851 | 1,017 | −16.3% |
| New pending sales | 898 | 1,106 | −18.8% |
| Median sold price | $385,000 | $379,000 | +1.6% |
| Median days on market | 35 days | 29 days | +6 days |
| New listings | 1,692 | 1,689 | +0.2% |
| Active listings | 4,891 | 3,755 | +30.3% |
| Months of supply | 4.92 | 3.44 | +1.48 months |
The median sold price rose 1.6% to $385,000, but median days on market increased from 29 to 35 and months of supply rose from 3.44 to 4.92. That higher median describes the condos that sold; it doesn’t erase the weaker transaction activity or the larger supply of available units. The metro’s condo supply was also higher than the 2.58 months reported for detached homes and 2.85 months for attached homes and townhouses.
Source: Bright Research, September 2026 Washington DC Metro Housing Market Report and property-type reports, data as of October 6, 2026. Condo figures are from the Condos Report, pages 12–14 of the combined PDF. This metro geography differs from the Greater DC Area above; these figures describe metro condos, while the DC city section reports condos and co-ops.
Declining Values
So why haven’t condo prices fallen further? Part of the answer is in the math. Many condo sellers simply don’t have as much room to cut their prices. Condominiums tend to have thinner equity margins than more expensive property types, particularly when the owners purchased recently or financed with relatively small down payments.
Unlike detached homeowners who often:
- Bought years ago
- Accumulated significant appreciation
- Paid down principal
- Have flexibility to negotiate;
many condo owners:
- Purchased more recently
- Put 3–10% down
- Paid peak-pandemic prices (this is the part where you care more about what you paid for your condo than what you pay per month)
- Financed mortgage insurance
- Paid premiums on new construction
- Experienced little or no appreciation and in many cases loss
- Continue paying rising HOA dues, insurance and utility costs.
Their margins are erased, or even negative.
When prices soften, it doesn’t matter a great deal to those with 40% equity, but it is a sale-killer for others. And as inventory levels continue to rise, prices continue to lower, widening the gap between what’s owed and current market value. Even modest price declines can make it difficult to sell without bringing cash to closing, leaving some owners effectively trapped in their homes.
Washington’s condominium market has historically depended on two primary buyer groups:
The first is first-time homebuyers. Condominiums have long served as the entry point into homeownership for young professionals beginning careers in government, law, consulting, lobbying, nonprofits, healthcare, and related industries. These buyers traditionally purchase a condominium as their first home before moving up to a rowhouse or detached property;
The second is part-time or pied-à-terre buyers. Members of Congress, federal executives, diplomats, attorneys, corporate executives and other professionals have historically purchased condominiums because they wanted a low-maintenance residence close to Capitol Hill, downtown, or federal agencies. They weren’t necessarily looking for the least expensive housing, they were buying convenience, security and a lock-and-leave lifestyle.
Both groups have backed off.
Certainly the first-time buyer pool shrank because affordability deteriorated, mortgage interest rates rose, and cratering federal employment caused many younger households to search elsewhere. But also, the city’s overall desirability has suffered over the past two years. According to the D.C. Policy Center, domestic out-migration increased to 6.0 per 1,000 residents (up from 0.6) and international migration declined to 5.7 per 1,000 residents (down from 9.2). Overall grew slightly by 0.3% entirely by natural increase (births minus deaths), not migration.
That’s a real problem for condominiums.
Condominiums are not just another housing type in Washington. They are the foundation of the District’s homeownership ladder. When fewer buyers enter through that first rung, fewer owners move up to larger homes, reducing liquidity throughout the entire housing market.
Unfortunately, the challenges facing condominium owners are poised to become even greater.
Beginning this summer, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are implementing sweeping underwriting changes that will make financing more difficult for many condominium and cooperative buildings. Higher reserve funding requirements, stricter reserve study standards, lower deductible thresholds, and the elimination of limited reviews for most projects will leave many underfunded or poorly managed associations unable to meet agency standards. Buyers may not discover that a building is non-warrantable until late in the financing process, causing transactions to fail just before closing.
At the same time, the DC Council is considering the Condominium Insurance Amendment Act of 2025 (B26-0495), legislation that would substantially increase the financial exposure of condominium owners by raising deductible pass-through limits, expanding insurance requirements, and requiring broad waivers of subrogation. Although presented as consumer protection, the proposal could shift significantly more financial risk from condominium associations onto individual owners, particularly in situations where the origin of property damage is disputed, a common occurrence in multifamily buildings.
The Council is also considering a pied-à-terre tax similar to the program now under fire in NYC. This would disproportionally affect condominiums.
Taken together, these trends suggest the District’s condominium market is no longer facing a temporary cyclical slowdown, it’s undergoing a structural shift. A smaller pipeline of first-time and part-time buyers, rising ownership costs, tighter financing standards and additional legislative uncertainty are all reducing the buyer pool. Until that buyer pipeline begins to expand again, condominiums are likely to remain the weakest segment of Washington’s housing market, and the first place where broader economic changes become visible.
Mortgage Rates as of October 12 2026
Mortgage rates eased in early October but remained substantially above their late-August level. Mortgage News Daily’s 30-year fixed-rate index rose from 6.75% at the end of August to 7.60% on September 30. Its latest posted reading, dated October 9, was 7.48%. That retreat offered some relief, but borrowing remained considerably more expensive than before September’s increase.
The index provides a daily benchmark based on lender rate sheets for a borrower with strong credit and a substantial down payment. It isn’t a rate available to every buyer. Actual quotes vary with the borrower, property, loan program and pricing terms, including discount points.
Sources: Mortgage News Daily rate index and methodology; October 9 rate commentary. Updated October 12, 2026; latest posted rate dated October 9.
How the Fed Affects Mortgage Rates
The Federal Reserve raised its federal funds target range by 25 basis points to 3.75%–4.00% on September 16. That is a short-term policy rate, rather than the rate lenders charge for a 30-year fixed mortgage. Fixed mortgage rates are more directly influenced by mortgage-backed securities, with Treasury yields providing a related bond-market benchmark. Investors’ expectations about inflation, economic growth and future Fed policy help determine those borrowing costs.
The relationship is different for variable-rate borrowing. HELOCs usually have variable rates, and their payments can change from month to month. Adjustable-rate mortgages change according to their contractual adjustment schedules, indexes and rate caps. A Fed hike doesn’t immediately reset every adjustable mortgage, and a Fed cut doesn’t guarantee an equivalent decline in fixed mortgage rates.
Sources: Federal Reserve September statement; Mortgage News Daily on mortgage bonds and Treasury yields; CFPB on HELOCs; CFPB on adjustable-rate mortgages.
What Higher Rates Mean for Buyers and Sellers
The payment difference is substantial even when the rate change is less than a percentage point. On a $500,000 mortgage amortized over 30 years, principal and interest would be approximately $3,243 a month at 6.75%, compared with $3,489 at 7.48%. That’s about $246 more each month for the same loan amount, before taxes, insurance, mortgage insurance or association fees. Buyers working within a fixed monthly budget may need to borrow less or reconsider which properties fit.
Higher rates can also discourage existing owners from selling when a move would require giving up a much cheaper mortgage. That mortgage lock-in can restrict the supply of homes for sale even as higher borrowing costs weaken buyer demand. Higher rates therefore don’t guarantee broad price declines: the result depends on the balance of available homes and buyers within each market and property type. Fewer transactions can coexist with relatively resilient sold prices. That’s something to remember as we move through the final quarter of 2026. The Fed has signaled that there may be at least one more rate hike this year and nearly half the FOMC board hints at 2 more hikes in this cycle.
Sources: Mortgage News Daily rate comparison; FHFA research on mortgage lock-in. Payment examples calculated using a fully amortizing $500,000 loan with 360 monthly payments; figures rounded to the nearest dollar.
Rates And The Housing Market
It’s not just homebuyers who are affected by higher mortgage rates.
Homeowners are also affected because borrowing costs increase overall. Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOCs) have variable rates, as do other adjustable rate mortgages. A Fed rate hike has an immediate effect on those products.
The home building industry is also impacted. Smaller builders rely on short-term loans to build houses and higher rates means costs rise and the final project increases in price to homebuyers. An unfriendly lending environment can also deter builders altogether, slowing down the creation of new housing supply.
