D.C. Buyers Rush Back, Deals Feel Like 1993

Is the D.C. Housing Market in 2026 Heating Up Again?

How quickly the D.C. housing market is shifting in early 2026 is showing up in contract activity rather than in prices. That momentum lines up with the region’s broader story of market stability even as inflation and interest-rate shifts temper enthusiasm nationally.

Contracts jumped 14% from the previous week and 3% year over year, signaling buyers reentering amid listings.

Across the metro, inventory rising is giving buyers more choices and slightly less pressure than the peak bidding-war years.

Contracts Surge

Forecasts call for 8% to 9.6% higher 2026 sales, reaching 55,650 transactions.

Homes are moving faster than 2025, while cash buyers were 21.5% of deals in 2025.

Inventory and Prices Under Strain

Inventory is expected to rise 14%, with active listings up 44% from 2024-2025 and still climbing.

Median prices are projected down 1% to $617,000.

Zillow puts DC values at $572,028, down 3.2% through December 2025.

Federal uncertainty tempers confidence, yet rental rebound and job growth may steady demand by neighborhood.

What Will Mortgage Rates Do in the D.C. Market in 2026?

Although contract activity is rising across the District, the 2026 market still hinges on where mortgage rates settle.

National forecasts cluster near 6.1% in 2026, with swings from 5.7% to 6.5%.

Bankrate’s 2026 forecast puts the average rate at 6.1%.

Volatility Risk in a Changing Year

Fed cuts and a recession scare could pull rates toward 5.5% to 5.75% by mid 2026.

Inflation surprises and policy uncertainty could push borrowing costs back above 6% later.

Treasury yields near 3.75% by midyear would support lower quotes, yet lenders may reprice quickly with labor or inflation data.

Fixed-rate mortgage pricing often tracks long-term bond yields more than the Fed’s immediate moves.

D.C. Financing Consequences

Even small drops reduce payments, improving qualification without loosening Credit Standards.

Brief sub 6% Refi Windows may reopen, but 4% mortgages remain out of reach.

Budgeting improves when rates hold around a 6.3% range.

Are D.C. Home Prices Falling in 2026: or Just Flattening?

While some D.C. pricing metrics still show double digit gains, other widely cited indexes point to a mild pullback.

It looks more like flattening than a broad crash.

Redfin put December 2025 median sale price near $710K, up about 13% year over year.

Yet price per square foot fell 1.5%.

D.C. also saw a roughly 40% rise in active listings, giving buyers more leverage even as headline prices stay firm.

Conflicting Index Signals

Zillow’s home value index shows typical values down 3.2% to $572,028.

Another reading shows values down 4.2% to $618,651.

Methodology and property mix differences can widen appraisal discrepancies.

That’s especially true between list, contract, and index values.

2026 Outlook Shows Soft Landing

Forecasts cluster around a 0.7% to 1% decline.

That’s a rare Mid Atlantic softening versus a projected 1.2% national rise.

Neighborhood divergence is likely in 2026.

Some segments may hold near-flat pricing while others concede via concessions.

How Much Inventory Is in the D.C. Housing Market in 2026?

Where inventory is headed in 2026 has become the central pressure point in the D.C. housing market.

Active listings are at their highest since 2019, reaching 2,941 in late 2025.

Nationally, NAR expects mortgage rates to average 6.25% by the end of 2026, which could further shift demand as inventory builds.

Inventory Growth Signals Disruption

Listings rose a projected 44.2% from 2024 to 2025.

Regional inventory is expected to rise another 14% from 2025 to 2026.

Days on market are stretching.

Washington, D.C. hit 95 median days in December 2025, up from 87 in December 2024.

Inventory Breakdown and Submarket Comparison

The inventory breakdown is increasingly condo-weighted.

There are more listings and longer holding periods than single-family homes.

Condo-heavy submarkets are being described as having lots of inventory.

In submarket comparisons, turnover is slower outside the District.

Prince George’s County reached 71 days in December 2025.

What Should D.C. Buyers and Sellers Do Next in 2026?

Inventory swelling to the highest level since 2019 and days on market stretching to 95 in Washington, D.C. are resetting leverage in early 2026. A year-over-year 22.7% inventory jump is also nudging buyers toward greater selectivity and stronger negotiation power.

Buyer moves amid disruption

Buyers are targeting condo conversions and Capitol Hill townhomes as inventory rises 44.2 percent.

Negotiation tactics lean on the 0.7 to 1 percent median dip near $616,700 and rising condo fees.

Rates ease late 2026.

Arlington single family listings are up 27.8 percent, with median prices up 3.8 percent.

Seller defenses as demand turns uneven

Sellers are pricing competitively amid federal workforce uncertainty and a 1 percent metro softening.

Staging strategies tighten curb appeal and highlight property type advantages by micro neighborhood.

Sales are up 8 to 9.6 percent to 55,650 units, but contracts remain volatile.

Assessment

Momentum has returned to the District’s resale market, with faster listings-to-contract cycles and tighter negotiating windows.

Rate volatility remains the primary risk, shaping affordability more than seasonal demand.

Prices are largely holding, but appreciation is uneven by neighborhood and property type.

Inventory remains constrained, limiting selection and keeping competition elevated for well priced homes.

Buyers and sellers now face a 2026 environment defined by speed, scrutiny, and thin margins.

Contingencies shrink and appraisal gaps persist.

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