Washington, D.C., Cash Buyers Flood Housing Market
How Common Are Cash Buyers in D.C.? Increasingly, cash buyers account for a significant share of home sales in Washington, D.C. Recent estimates place them at about one-quarter of all transactions. That share reached roughly 26% in 2024, the city’s highest level on record. In the first ten months of 2025, about 25% of roughly 5,400 homes sold in the city were purchased without financing. Elevated mortgage rates have made financed purchases less attractive, helping sustain strong demand from cash-ready buyers. What The Numbers Suggest Washington’s cash-buyer share remains below the national level. Nationally, the share was just under one-third in 2024 and 32.8% in the first half of 2025. Even so, the city stands out among major metros because its cash activity has stayed elevated. Redfin reported that 23.1% cash purchases accounted for home sales across the Washington region last year. Investor activity helps explain part of that strength. Affluent locals and other high-liquidity buye...