Weekly Meter

We compare contract activity for the same seven-day period of the previous year in Loudoun County, Prince William County, Northern Virginia, Washington, DC, and Prince George's County. These statistics are updated on a weekly basis. Sign up for our newsletter on the latest market data.

D.M.V. Contract Activity

Summer Took Attendance… and Quite a Few Buyers Were Absent

After several weeks of remarkably steady activity, the Metro DC housing market finally hit a softer patch. The good news? There are some very plausible explanations—summer vacations have begun, the school year has ended in most jurisdictions, and buyers may simply have had other plans than writing contracts.

Key Takeaways

Total new contract activity across the six major jurisdictions declined from 1,201 contracts last year to 1,099 this year, a decrease of 102 contracts, or 8.5%.
Five of the six jurisdictions posted declines, with Prince William County (+16.1%) standing out as the lone bright spot and continuing its impressive run.
The largest weekly pullbacks occurred in Washington, DC (-20.9%) and Montgomery County (-19.9%), while Northern Virginia (-5.1%), Loudoun (-4.8%), and Prince George's County (-8.4%) experienced more modest declines.
The average days on market increased from 33.8 days last year to 35.3 days this year, an increase of 4.6%—a relatively modest change considering the drop in contract activity.
Year-to-date, however, the market continues to tell a much more encouraging story. Four of the six jurisdictions remain ahead of last year, and the region as a whole continues to post positive contract growth.

Why It Matters

This feels much more like a seasonal pause than a meaningful shift in the market.
Late June often marks the point where vacations, graduations, family travel, and summer schedules begin competing with home shopping. That appears to have happened this week.
One of the more interesting themes was the divergence between market segments. In Northern Virginia, overall contracts slipped only 5%, but activity above $1.5 million actually increased 21%, suggesting affluent buyers remain active. Similarly, Montgomery County's luxury market held up well, with contracts over $1.5 million increasing nearly 28%, even as activity below $750,000 fell sharply.
The biggest outlier continues to be Prince William County, which once again bucked the regional trend. Weekly contracts rose 16.1%, and year-to-date activity is now up 10.7%, making it the strongest-performing jurisdictions in the region. Affordable move-up housing continues to be a significant driver there.
Another statistic worth watching is Prince George's County's average days on market, which climbed to 48.1 days, the highest year-over-year increase among the major jurisdictions. It isn't enough to establish a trend by itself, but it's something worth monitoring over the next few weeks.
Overall, this week's numbers feel more like the beginning of the summer selling rhythm than the beginning of a market slowdown.

The Real Estate Details

CONTRACT ACTIVITY SUMMARY

Blue Ridge Contract Activity

Shenandoah, Warren, Clarke, Fauquier, Frederick Counties, Winchester City, and West Virginia.

The Scenic Route Hit a Speed Bump (But It’s Still Ahead of Schedule)

After several weeks of outperforming the metro area, the Virginia Countryside and West Virginia Panhandle finally experienced a quieter week. That’s hardly unusual in these lower-volume markets, where a handful of contracts can make percentages swing dramatically. The encouraging news? The long-term trend remains firmly intact.

Key Takeaways

Combined contract activity declined from 190 contracts last year to 155 this year, a decrease of 35 contracts, or 18.4%.
The Virginia Countryside saw the larger pullback, falling from 100 contracts to 81 (-19.0%), while the West Virginia Panhandle declined from 90 to 74 contracts (-17.8%).
Despite the slower week, the combined year-to-date picture remains very healthy, with contract activity increasing from 4,489 to 4,810 contracts, a gain of 321 contracts, or 7.2%.
Combined average days on market increased from 38.8 days last year to 46.1 days this year, an increase of 18.8%.

Why It Matters

This is one of those weeks where the headline is much less important than the trend line.
In markets of this size, a swing of 30–40 contracts can produce eye-catching percentage changes, but it doesn't necessarily signal a change in buyer demand. In fact, both markets are still running well ahead of last year's pace for the year as a whole.
One notable difference between the two jurisdictions was market speed. While both saw fewer contracts, the Virginia Countryside experienced a much larger increase in average days on market (44.9 to 57.4 days), whereas the West Virginia Panhandle remained relatively steady (32.1 to 33.8 days). That suggests the Panhandle continues to benefit from particularly efficient buyer activity.
Another interesting observation is that the luxury segment continues to punch above its weight. In the Virginia Countryside, contracts above $1 million actually increased despite the overall slowdown. Those numbers are small and naturally volatile, but they reinforce a theme we've seen throughout much of the year: higher-end buyers remain active in lifestyle markets.
Most importantly, these markets continue to outperform the immediate metro area on a year-to-date basis. Even after a slower week, 7.2% year-to-date growth remains a very healthy result and reflects sustained buyer interest in space, value, and lifestyle.

The Real Estate Details