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

Rain, Holidays, and Reality Checks

Apparently, if you combine Memorial Day timing quirks with several days of cold rain, even the DC housing market will slow down a little. A little.

Key Takeaways

Total new contract activity across the six major jurisdictions fell from 1,380 contracts last year to 1,301 this year, a decline of 5.7%.
All six jurisdictions posted year-over-year declines in weekly contract activity—the first broad pullback we’ve seen in quite some time.
The timing of Memorial Day likely played a meaningful role. Last year, the holiday landed on May 26, effectively giving the market one additional “normal” business day during this reporting window.
Several days of unusually rainy and cold weather late in the week likely compounded the slowdown by reducing showings and buyer traffic.
Despite the softer week, year-to-date activity remains positive in four of the six jurisdictions, and the overall regional trend continues to look remarkably stable.
Average days on market increased from approximately 27.6 days last year to 30.0 days this year, an increase of about 8.7%.

Why It Matters

This week looks more dramatic on paper than it probably feels on the ground.
When all six jurisdictions move lower simultaneously, it naturally grabs attention—but context matters here. The combination of holiday timing and weather disruptions created conditions that were unusually unfavorable for late-week showing activity.
And importantly, the declines were generally modest rather than severe. Northern Virginia was essentially flat (-0.7%), Montgomery County barely moved (-0.8%), and several jurisdictions saw declines that were noticeable but hardly alarming.
In fact, one of the more interesting stories in the numbers is where activity held up. The higher-end markets in Montgomery County and Northern Virginia continued to show resilience, while some of the softness was concentrated in mid-market and entry-level segments.
Another standout: Montgomery County’s average days on market jumped sharply from 22.8 to 39.1 days. That’s the largest movement in the region and worth watching, although one week does not make a trend. Washington, DC also saw a notable rise in market time, climbing to 54.5 days. Meanwhile, Loudoun moved sharply in the opposite direction, with homes selling significantly faster than last year.
So while the weekly headline was softer, the underlying market still looks more “temporarily interrupted” than fundamentally changed.

The Real Estate Details

CONTRACT ACTIVITY SUMMARY

Blue Ridge Contract Activity

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

When the Weather Gets Rough, the Outer Markets Just Keep Driving

While the metro area spent last week fighting holiday timing, rain delays, and soggy open-house signs, the Virginia Countryside and West Virginia Panhandle markets basically shrugged and kept moving. And moving fairly quickly, at that.

Key Takeaways

Combined contract activity jumped from 188 contracts last year to 221 this year, an increase of 17.6%.
Both jurisdictions posted nearly identical gains, with the Virginia Countryside rising 17.0% and the West Virginia Panhandle climbing 18.1%.
This stood in sharp contrast to the immediate metro area, where all six jurisdictions posted declines during the same reporting period.
Combined average days on market improved slightly, falling from 39.6 days last year to 38.0 days this year.
Year-to-date contract activity remains notably strong, increasing from 3,521 contracts to 3,818, a gain of 8.4%.

Why It Matters

This week reinforced something we’ve been seeing for quite a while now: these outer markets are no longer simply “overflow” from the metro core. They’ve developed their own momentum.
Even during a week when weather and holiday timing clearly disrupted activity closer in, buyers continued to move aggressively in both the Countryside and Panhandle markets. That’s especially notable because these are traditionally the kinds of markets where external disruptions tend to have an outsized impact.
Another important takeaway is how balanced the performance was. Neither jurisdiction carried the other this week—both posted very similar gains, suggesting demand remains broad and durable across the region.
There was also an interesting divergence in market pace. The Virginia Countryside saw average days on market increase, while the WV Panhandle moved sharply faster, dropping below 30 days. That suggests buyers may be responding particularly strongly to affordability and inventory opportunities farther west.
And the year-to-date numbers continue to tell a compelling story. An 8.4% increase in overall contract activity remains significantly stronger than what we’re seeing in the closer-in metro jurisdictions.
In short: these markets aren’t just participating anymore—they’re outperforming.

The Real Estate Details