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

Labor Day Made a Bad Week Look Worse

There's no getting around it: this was another difficult week for the Metro DC housing market. All six jurisdictions posted lower contract activity, and the combined decline was substantial.

But this week's comparison comes with a very large asterisk. Labor Day fell on September 1 in 2025 but September 7 this year. That means the September 6–12 reporting period in 2026 captured virtually the entire holiday weekend, while the comparable 2025 week came after Labor Day. Since holiday weekends aren't exactly prime house-hunting—or contract-writing—time, the year-over-year decline almost certainly exaggerates the underlying weakness.

Almost certainly. Because after a difficult August, we can't blame everything on the calendar.

Key Takeaways

Total new contract activity across the six jurisdictions fell from 1,018 contracts last year to 788 this year, a decline of 230 contracts, or 22.6%.
Every jurisdiction was down, although the magnitude varied considerably. Prince William held up best at -5.3%, while Loudoun (-30.7%), Northern Virginia (-27.0%) and Montgomery (-26.8%) experienced the largest declines.
Despite the sharp drop in contracts, the regional weighted average days on market increased from 38.1 days to 43.0 days, up 4.9 days, or 12.9%. That's a noticeable increase, although individual market results were quite mixed.
Year-to-date, the region has now slipped modestly behind last year's pace: 39,018 contracts in 2025 versus 38,784 this year, a difference of 234 contracts, or -0.6%.

Why It Matters

The Real Estate Details

Northern Virginia: 319 → 233 (-27.0%)
Loudoun County: 114 → 79 (-30.7%)
Prince William County: 113 → 107 (-5.3%)
Montgomery County: 190 → 139 (-26.8%)
Prince George's County: 163 → 137 (-16.0%)
Washington, DC: 119 → 93 (-21.8%)
Total contracts: 1,018 → 788 (-22.6%)
Weighted average days on market: 38.1 → 43.0 days (+12.9%)
Combined year-to-date contracts: 39,018 → 38,784 (-234 contracts, or -0.6%)

CONTRACT ACTIVITY SUMMARY

Blue Ridge Contract Activity

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

The Heartbeat Hit Another Rough Patch

Unfortunately, the more rural portions of our market didn't escape the weakness we saw closer to Washington. Both the Virginia Countryside and West Virginia Panhandle posted substantial declines in contract activity last week, with the Panhandle taking the bigger hit.

And just like the Metro report, this comparison deserves an important calendar asterisk. Labor Day fell on September 1 last year and September 7 this year, meaning the 2026 reporting period captured nearly the entire holiday weekend while the comparable 2025 week did not.

So the numbers are bad. They're also look worse than the underlying market really was.

Key Takeaways

Combined new contract activity fell from 211 contracts in 2025 to 140 this year, a decline of 71 contracts, or 33.6%.
Both markets were down significantly. The Virginia Countryside declined 22.5%, from 89 contracts to 69, while the West Virginia Panhandle fell 41.8%, from 122 to 71.
The combined weighted average days on market increased from 49.1 days to 53.5 days, an increase of 4.4 days, or 9.0%. But there's an important wrinkle: Countryside market times increased substantially, while the Panhandle's actually improved.
And despite the difficult late-summer stretch, the combined year-to-date picture remains positive: 6,544 contracts last year versus 6,611 this year, an increase of 67 contracts, or 1.0%.

Why It Matters