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

August's Parting Gift: Another Ouch

If we thought last week was rough, the market apparently had one more August surprise waiting for us.

Contract activity fell sharply in all six Metro DC jurisdictions, and this wasn't a collection of rounding errors. Every market posted a meaningful decline, with the region overall down more than 18% from the same week last year.

There is, however, one genuinely encouraging counterpoint: average days on market actually declined overall. Fewer buyers are writing contracts, but the buyers who are active are still getting homes under contract at a reasonably healthy pace.

Key Takeaways

Total new contract activity across the six jurisdictions fell from 1,024 contracts last year to 836 this year, a decline of 188 contracts, or 18.4%.
But here's the better news: the regional weighted average days on market actually fell from 46.6 days to 44.1 days, an improvement of 2.5 days, or 5.4%.
And perhaps the most remarkable number in the report: combined year-to-date activity is now essentially dead even with last year—37,133 contracts in 2025 versus 37,137 this year. That's a difference of just four contracts across the entire region.

Why It Matters

The Real Estate Details

Northern Virginia: 356 → 279 (-21.6%)
Loudoun County: 95 → 87 (-8.4%)
Prince William County: 121 → 97 (-19.8%)
Montgomery County: 177 → 151 (-14.7%)
Prince George's County: 177 → 154 (-13.0%)
Washington, DC: 98 → 68 (-30.6%)
Total contracts: 1,024 → 836 (-18.4%)
Weighted average days on market: 46.6 → 44.1 days (-5.4%)
Combined year-to-date contracts: 37,133 → 37,137 (+4 contracts; essentially flat at +0.01%)

CONTRACT ACTIVITY SUMMARY

Blue Ridge Contract Activity

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

Another Ouch - But the Heart is Still Beating

Apparently August wasn't quite finished with us.

Like the Metro DC market, both the Virginia Countryside and West Virginia Panhandle posted meaningful declines in contract activity last week. The difference is that these more rural markets still have a little more cushion built up from earlier in the year: both remain ahead of 2025 year-to-date, and combined activity is still up about 3%.

So, yes, another rough weekly report. But the longer-term vital signs remain better than the latest heartbeat might suggest.

Key Takeaways

Combined new contract activity fell from 191 contracts in 2025 to 143 this year, a decline of 48 contracts, or 25.1%.
This time both sides of our familiar "heartbeat" moved in the wrong direction. The Virginia Countryside declined 10.2%, from 98 contracts to 88, while the West Virginia Panhandle dropped a much steeper 40.9%, from 93 to 55.
Days on market were more mixed. The combined weighted average increased from 42.7 days to 47.7 days, or 11.7%, but that masks two very different stories: Countryside homes took longer to sell, while Panhandle homes actually sold faster.
Most importantly, combined year-to-date contract activity remains ahead of last year: 6,144 contracts in 2025 versus 6,329 this year, an increase of 185 contracts, or 3.0%.

Why It Matters