Weekly Meter

• Total contract activity across the six major jurisdictions was essentially flat, increasing from 1,133 contracts last year to 1,142 this year, a gain of just 0.8%.
• While the overall number was nearly unchanged, the underlying story was more encouraging. Five of the six jurisdictions posted gains or were effectively flat.
• Northern Virginia, Loudoun County, Prince William County, and Montgomery County all posted modest increases in contract activity.
• Washington, DC was the lone market with a meaningful decline, down 5.7% compared to the same week last year.
• Average days on market remained remarkably stable, rising from 33.2 days last year to 37.4 days this year across the region.
• Year-to-date activity remains positive in four of the six jurisdictions, led by Prince William County (+10.9%) and Northern Virginia (+6.6%).

This week's numbers feel a lot more like a return to normal than a new trend.

After a holiday-distorted week where every jurisdiction posted declines, activity stabilized across most of the region. The overall contract count barely moved compared to last year, but that headline understates the breadth of activity underneath. Five of six jurisdictions either improved or held essentially steady, suggesting that demand remains widely distributed throughout the market.

The pace of the market varied considerably by jurisdiction this week. Loudoun and Prince William both saw homes selling faster than they did a year ago, while Montgomery County and Prince George's County experienced noticeably longer market times. That kind of variation reinforces a broader theme we've seen throughout 2026: buyers remain active, but local market conditions increasingly matter.

Perhaps most encouraging is that the markets showing the strongest year-to-date gains continue to be the suburban jurisdictions where affordability and inventory remain relatively attractive. Prince William County remains one of the strongest performers in the region, while Northern Virginia continues to post steady gains despite higher price points.

In short, the market appears to have shaken off last week's holiday and weather disruptions and returned to a pattern that has defined much of 2026: steady, sustainable activity.

• Northern Virginia: +0.3%
• Loudoun County: +1.9%
• Prince William County: +9.4%
• Montgomery County: +0.9%
• Prince George's County: 0.0%
• Washington, DC: -5.7%

Total contracts: 1,133 → 1,142 (+0.8%)

Average days on market: 33.2 → 37.4 days

• Combined contract activity decreased slightly from 199 contracts last year to 193 contracts this year, a modest decline of 3.0%.
• The Virginia Countryside posted a 2.9% increase in contract activity.
• The West Virginia Panhandle declined 9.4%, accounting for the entire regional pullback.
• Average days on market was essentially unchanged in the Virginia Countryside while increasing 19% in the Panhandle.
• Year-to-date activity remains solidly positive in both markets:
  • Virginia Countryside: +7.3%
  • West Virginia Panhandle: +8.4%
• Combined year-to-date activity is up 7.9%, continuing to outperform much of the metro region.

This is exactly the kind of week that reminds us why trends matter more than headlines in smaller markets.

The Virginia Countryside and West Virginia Panhandle rarely move in perfect sync. In lower-volume markets like these, a handful of transactions can have an outsized impact on the weekly percentages. That's why the longer-term trend is usually more important than any single week.

And the longer-term direction remains encouraging.

Both markets continue to post healthy year-to-date gains, and the Virginia Countryside actually improved slightly this week despite a softer result in the Panhandle. That suggests demand remains present across the region, even if it isn't showing up evenly every week.

The other notable story is market pace. While the Panhandle saw homes take longer to sell this week, the Countryside remained remarkably steady. Taken together, the combined market continues to operate with a level of efficiency that many buyers and sellers might not expect from more rural markets.

In other words, this week's split result looks much more like normal week-to-week variation than any meaningful change in direction.

• Virginia Countryside: +2.9%
• West Virginia Panhandle: -9.4%
• Combined contracts: -3.0%
• Combined year-to-date activity: +7.9%
• Average days on market:
  • Virginia Countryside: 39.0 → 38.9 days
  • West Virginia Panhandle: 32.4 → 38.7 days