Weekly Contract Activity | DC, MD, VA, WV

D.M.V. Contract Activity

August Is Over. We'd Like to Thank It for Leaving.

After several bruising weeks, the Metro DC housing market finally gave us a little something to work with.

Overall contract activity was still down from last year, but only slightly—a dramatic improvement from the double-digit declines we've been seeing. Better yet, two jurisdictions actually posted increases, including a solid gain in Prince George's County.

So while we're not exactly breaking out the champagne, September is already looking friendlier than August.

Key Takeaways

Total new contract activity across the six jurisdictions slipped from 867 contracts last year to 859 this year—a difference of only 8 contracts, or 0.9%.
Four jurisdictions were down, but most of the declines were modest. Montgomery County increased 4.5%, while Prince George's County rose 6.5%. Northern Virginia (-1.8%), Loudoun (-1.2%), and Washington, DC (-5.2%) were relatively close to last year's pace. Prince William County was the weakest performer at -12.3%.The weighted average days on market moved in the opposite direction, increasing from 46.3 days last year to 50.5 days this year, a rise of 4.2 days, or 9.1%.
And here's a statistic that pretty much sums up 2026: year-to-date contract activity is essentially identical to last year. Through September 5, the six jurisdictions recorded 38,000 contracts in 2025 and 37,996 this year.
That's right: after nearly 38,000 transactions, we're behind last year by four contracts.

Why It Matters

After August, being down less than 1% almost feels like a victory.
The previous two weeks saw regional contract activity decline by 12% and 18%, so this week's 0.9% decrease represents a substantial improvement. Even more encouraging, the weakness wasn't nearly as widespread. Montgomery and Prince George's both moved higher, while three other jurisdictions finished within about 5% of last year.
There were also some interesting pockets of strength beneath the totals.
Northern Virginia was down only 1.8% overall, but contracts between $750,000 and $999,999 increased 16.2%. Montgomery County posted gains both below and above $750,000, with its higher-priced segment up 11.8%. And Prince George's County was the week's strongest jurisdiction overall, up 6.5%, including a particularly strong showing between $500,000 and $749,999.
Prince William was the exception. After being one of our most reliable outperformers all year, weekly activity declined 12.3%. But even there, perspective matters: Prince William remains up 6.7% year-to-date, still the strongest cumulative performance of the six jurisdictions.
Days on market are less encouraging this week. The weighted regional average rose about 9%, but—as you suspected—the results were all over the place. Northern Virginia jumped from 33.8 to 42.2 days and Prince William from 32.5 to 43.5. Washington, DC increased from 77.6 to 87.2 days. On the other hand, Loudoun was essentially unchanged, while Montgomery and Prince George's actually improved.
That inconsistency suggests we're not seeing a uniform regional slowdown in market speed. Property mix and local conditions continue to play a significant role.A
And then there's the year-to-date number. 38,000 contracts last year. 37,996 this year. For all the ups and downs we've chronicled—weather, holidays, mortgage rates, spring momentum and the August slump—the Metro DC housing market has produced virtually exactly the same number of contracts as it did through this point in 2025.
That's remarkable consistency hiding underneath a lot of noisy weekly numbers.

The Real Estate Details

Northern Virginia: 284 → 279 (-1.8%)
Loudoun County: 85 → 84 (-1.2%)
Prince William County: 106 → 93 (-12.3%)
Montgomery County: 157 → 164 (+4.5%)
Prince George's County: 139 → 148 (+6.5%)
Washington, DC: 96 → 91 (-5.2%)
Total contracts: 867 → 859 (-0.9%)
Weighted average days on market: 46.3 → 50.5 days (+9.1%)
Combined year-to-date contracts: 38,000 → 37,996 (-4 contracts, or -0.01% — essentially flat)

CONTRACT ACTIVITY SUMMARY →

Blue Ridge Contract Activity

September Apparently Didn’t Get the Memo

We were more than ready to say goodbye to August. Unfortunately, the Virginia Countryside and West Virginia Panhandle seem to have brought a little of August with them into September.

Contract activity declined substantially in both markets last week, with the combined total down more than 25% from a year ago. Still, there are reasons not to get too gloomy: both markets remain ahead year-to-date, and some of the strongest cumulative growth continues to occur at higher price points.

Key Takeaways

Combined new contract activity fell from 189 contracts last year to 142 this year, a decline of 47 contracts, or 24.9%.
Both jurisdictions participated in the slowdown:
Virginia Countryside: 86 → 68 contracts (-20.9%)
West Virginia Panhandle: 103 → 74 contracts (-28.2%)
The combined weighted average days on market increased from 43.9 days to 46.1 days, an increase of just 2.2 days, or 4.9%. Given the nearly 25% decline in contract activity, that's a relatively modest change.
And the longer-term story remains positive. Combined year-to-date contract activity increased from 6,333 contracts in 2025 to 6,471 this year, a gain of 138 contracts, or 2.2%.

Why It Matters

There's no getting around the weekly result: this was another tough one.
The Virginia Countryside was down nearly 21%, while the Panhandle declined more than 28%. And unlike many of the quirky weeks we've seen this year, where one market surged while the other retreated, there was no "heartbeat" rescue this time. Both sides moved lower.
Still, there are a few encouraging details underneath those totals.
In the Virginia Countryside, activity below $750,000 declined 20.5%, but the $1 million–$1.5 million category actually increased from one contract to five. Small numbers make that percentage fairly meaningless, but it does demonstrate that buyers haven't disappeared entirely from the upper end.
The Panhandle's decline was concentrated below $750,000, where contracts fell 29.3%. Interestingly, activity above $750,000 was exactly even with last year. Again, we're dealing with small numbers, but the distinction is worth noting.
Days on market also provide a little perspective. Despite the sharp drop in contract volume, the combined average increased by only about 5%. In the Panhandle it was virtually unchanged—46.2 days last year versus 46.6 this year. The Countryside rose more noticeably, from 41.2 to 45.5 days, but hardly enough to suggest that homes have suddenly stopped moving.
And then there's the year-to-date picture.
The Virginia Countryside remains 2.9% ahead of last year, while the West Virginia Panhandle is up 1.4%. Combined, these markets remain 2.2% ahead of 2025.
That advantage has unquestionably narrowed during this difficult late-summer stretch. But unlike the immediate Metro DC market—which entered September essentially dead even with last year—these more rural markets are still carrying a measurable year-to-date gain.
One especially interesting longer-term trend is the strength of the upper end. Countryside contracts above $750,000 are up 13.8% year-to-date, while the Panhandle's admittedly much smaller upper-end market is up 87.3%. The market may be sluggish overall, but higher-priced activity has been one of 2026's more persistent bright spots.

The Real Estate Details

Virginia Countryside: 86 → 68 (-20.9%)
West Virginia Panhandle: 103 → 74 (-28.2%)
Combined contracts: 189 → 142 (-24.9%)
Weighted average days on market: 43.9 → 46.1 days (+4.9%)
Virginia Countryside YTD: 3,162 → 3,255 (+2.9%)
West Virginia Panhandle YTD: 3,171 → 3,216 (+1.4%)
Combined YTD: 6,333 → 6,471 (+138 contracts, or +2.2%)

CONTRACT ACTIVITY SUMMARY →

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