March 2026 Report
Washington D.C. Metro
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Home Demand Index
The Home Demand Index (HDI) for the Washington DC metro area stands at 75 for this report period, up from 69 last month and broadly in line with the 79 recorded during the same period one year ago. The six-point month-over-month gain reflects a meaningful spring reactivation in buyer activity, marking one of the more pronounced early-season recoveries across the three metros covered in this report. With the year-over-year gap narrowing to just four points, the DC market is tracking closer to prior-year demand levels than Baltimore or Philadelphia, suggesting underlying buyer engagement in the region remains comparatively resilient despite persistent affordability and financing headwinds.
Demand by home type in the Washington DC metro shows broad-based improvement from last month, with most segments advancing meaningfully and several posting readings competitive with or above year-ago levels. Entry-level single-family homes rose to 73 from 71 last month and above last year’s reading of 71, marking this segment as one of the few entry-level tiers in the region showing year-over-year improvement, consistent with sustained first-time buyer demand at accessible price points. Mid-range single-family homes advanced to 60 from 56 last month but remain below last year’s 66, pointing to move-up activity that is building momentum without yet reaching prior-spring levels. Luxury single-family homes posted a notable gain, rising to 76 from 63 last month, though still well below last year’s 98, suggesting high-end buyers are re-engaging selectively after a soft winter period. Entry-level condos climbed to 98 from 91 last month, slightly below last year’s 104, continuing to serve as an accessible alternative in one of the region’s higher-cost housing environments. Luxury condos rose to 110 from 96 last month but trail last year’s 128 by eighteen points, reflecting some moderation in premium attached demand from the elevated levels of early 2025. Townhouses advanced strongly to 78 from 71 last month and match last year’s reading of 78 exactly, indicating this segment has fully recovered to prior-spring demand levels and is well-positioned as a primary beneficiary of the metro’s spring buyer reactivation.
Monthly Statistics for March 2026
Home Demand
Index
Index
75
(Slow)
Home Demand Index
from prior month
from prior month
69
Home Demand Index
from prior year
from prior year
79
Index change
from prior month
from prior month
8.7%
Index change from
same time last year
same time last year
-5.1%
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Home Demand Index | Historical Year-over-Year Comparison
Over the past 12 months, the Washington DC metro’s Home Demand Index followed a trajectory closely paralleling the prior year‚ reaching into the low-to-mid 100s during the spring peak before declining sharply through the fall and bottoming at 53 in December, followed by a recovery through January and February that has accelerated into the current period. The current reading of 75 trails last March’s 79 by only four points, a notably tighter year-over-year gap than observed earlier in the cycle when the market was running ten or more points below prior-year levels. The line chart suggests the DC market’s recovery arc is steepening more convincingly than its regional peers, with the spring reactivation pointing toward potential convergence with last year’s demand trajectory if affordability and rate conditions hold.
Home Demand Index
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Home Demand Map
Regional demand across the Washington DC metro reflects the area’s structural diversity, with Virginia suburbs generally leading and the District and Maryland corridors showing more varied performance. Arlington and Alexandria in Northern Virginia are tracking well above the metro-wide index of 75, supported by strong employment fundamentals, move-up demand, and relative inventory competitiveness. Fairfax City, Washington DC, Prince George’s County, and Fairfax County are slightly above the metro-wide index, while Falls Church, Loudoun, Montgomery, and Frederick counties are tracking below the metro average, with the District’s urban core navigating ongoing affordability and inventory dynamics distinct from the surrounding suburban markets.
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Demand and Inventory by Home Type
Demand by home type in the Washington DC metro shows broad-based improvement from last month, with most segments advancing meaningfully and several posting readings competitive with or above year-ago levels. Entry-level single-family homes rose to 73 from 71 last month and above last year’s reading of 71, marking this segment as one of the few entry-level tiers in the region showing year-over-year improvement, consistent with sustained first-time buyer demand at accessible price points. Mid-range single-family homes advanced to 60 from 56 last month but remain below last year’s 66, pointing to move-up activity that is building momentum without yet reaching prior-spring levels. Luxury single-family homes posted a notable gain, rising to 76 from 63 last month, though still well below last year’s 98, suggesting high-end buyers are re-engaging selectively after a soft winter period. Entry-level condos climbed to 98 from 91 last month, slightly below last year’s 104, continuing to serve as an accessible alternative in one of the region’s higher-cost housing environments. Luxury condos rose to 110 from 96 last month but trail last year’s 128 by eighteen points, reflecting some moderation in premium attached demand from the elevated levels of early 2025. Townhouses advanced strongly to 78 from 71 last month and match last year’s reading of 78 exactly, indicating this segment has fully recovered to prior-spring demand levels and is well-positioned as a primary beneficiary of the metro’s spring buyer reactivation.
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Single Family Home Below $579k
The index for entry-level single-family homes in the Washington DC metro stands at 73 this report period, up from 71 last month and slightly above the 71 recorded one year ago. This modest year-over-year gain distinguishes the DC entry-level segment from its Baltimore and Philadelphia counterparts, both of which are tracking below prior-year benchmarks, and suggests structural first-time buyer demand in the region remains comparatively durable. The month-over-month improvement reinforces early spring reactivation in this tier, though the absolute index level indicates affordability remains a meaningful friction point in a metro where even entry-level price points carry significant financial commitment.
Monthly Statistics for Single Family Home Below $579k
Home Demand
Index
Index
73
(Slow)
Home Demand Index
from prior month
from prior month
71
Home Demand Index
from prior year
from prior year
71
Months of
inventory
inventory
3.1
Average daily inventory last month
1,011
Inventory sold
last month
last month
323
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Single Family Home $579k - $1375k
Mid-range single-family homes in the Washington DC metro registered an index of 60 this report period, up from 56 last month but below last year’s reading of 66. The four-point month-over-month gain reflects building spring momentum in the move-up segment, consistent with the broader demand recovery pattern observed across the metro. The six-point year-over-year shortfall suggests that while buyer activity in this tier is trending in the right direction, qualified move-up households remain measured in their commitment, balancing the region’s elevated price environment against financing costs and near-term economic uncertainty.
Monthly Statistics for Single Family Home $579k - $1375k
Home Demand
Index
Index
60
(Limited)
Home Demand Index
from prior month
from prior month
56
Home Demand Index
from prior year
from prior year
66
Months of
Inventory
Inventory
2.0
Average daily inventory last month
1,358
Inventory sold
last month
last month
686
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Single Family Home Above $1375k
The index for luxury single-family homes in the Washington DC metro stands at 76 this report period, up notably from 63 last month but well below last year’s reading of 98. The thirteen-point month-over-month gain signals meaningful reactivation among high-end buyers entering the spring market, reflecting the discretionary demand rebound typical of the DC luxury segment following winter dormancy. The twenty-two-point year-over-year gap is the most pronounced among all single-family tiers in the metro, however, and may reflect a more cautious posture among affluent buyers in the current economic environment, particularly given the region’s sensitivity to federal employment and policy-driven household mobility.
Monthly Statistics for Single Family Home Above $1375k
Home Demand
Index
Index
76
(Slow)
Home Demand Index
from prior month
from prior month
63
Home Demand Index
from prior year
from prior year
98
Months of
Inventory
Inventory
3.0
Average daily inventory last month
472
Inventory sold
last month
last month
155
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Condo Below $600k
Entry-level condo demand in the Washington DC metro stands at 98 this report period, up from 91 last month and slightly below last year’s level of 104. The seven-point month-over-month gain reflects strengthening buyer interest in more accessible attached housing options as spring activity accelerates across the region. At 98, this segment continues to significantly outperform the metro-wide index of 75, underscoring the persistent appeal of condos as a relative affordability outlet in one of the nation’s most expensive housing markets, where the gap between condo and detached single-family price points remains a meaningful driver of buyer composition.
Monthly Statistics for Condo Below $600k
Home Demand
Index
Index
98
(Steady)
Home Demand Index
from prior month
from prior month
91
Home Demand Index
from prior year
from prior year
104
Months of
Inventory
Inventory
5.1
Average daily inventory last month
2,249
Inventory sold
last month
last month
440
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Condo Above $600k
Luxury condo demand in the Washington DC metro registered 110 this report period, up from 96 last month but below last year’s level of 128. The fourteen-point month-over-month gain points to a meaningful rebound in high-end condo activity as the spring season opens, consistent with lifestyle-driven and downsizing demand patterns that tend to accelerate in the DC market during this period. The eighteen-point year-over-year decline suggests the luxury condo segment has moderated from the elevated activity of early 2025, though at 110 it remains one of the stronger-performing demand categories across the three-metro region and continues to benefit from premium urban inventory and proximity to employment centers.
Monthly Statistics for Condo Above $600k
Home Demand
Index
Index
110
(Moderate)
Home Demand Index
from prior month
from prior month
96
Home Demand Index
from prior year
from prior year
128
Months of
Inventory
Inventory
5.0
Average daily inventory last month
402
Inventory sold
last month
last month
81
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Townhouse/Rowhouse/Twin All prices
Townhouse/
Rowhouse/Twin
All prices
The index for townhouses and twin homes in the Washington DC metro stands at 78 this report period, up from 71 last month and matching last year’s reading of 78 exactly. This year-over-year parity distinguishes the DC townhouse segment from its Baltimore and Philadelphia counterparts, both of which are tracking below prior-spring benchmarks, and signals that attached single-family demand in the region has fully recovered to last year’s pace. The seven-point month-over-month gain reflects robust spring reactivation in this category, reinforcing townhouses and twin homes as a primary demand driver in the DC metro where their combination of space, location, and relative price efficiency resonates strongly with a broad cross-section of active buyers.
Monthly Statistics for Townhouse/Rowhouse/TwinAll prices
Home Demand
Index
Index
78
(Slow)
Home Demand Index
from prior month
from prior month
71
Home Demand Index
from prior year
from prior year
78
Months of
Inventory
Inventory
3.0
Average daily inventory last month
2,420
Inventory sold
last month
last month
819
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com
Note
1. This report is generated with data from the following counties:
- Maryland-West Virginia Panhandle – Allegany, MD; Berkeley, WV; Garrett, MD; Grant, WV; Hampshire, WV; Hardy, WV; Jefferson, WV; Mineral, WV; Morgan, WV; Pendleton, WV; Washington, MD;
- North Central Virginia – Caroline, VA; Clarke, VA; Culpeper, VA; Fauquier, VA; Frederick, VA; Fredericksburg City, VA; King George, VA; Madison, VA; Manassas City, VA; Orange, VA; Page, VA; Prince William, VA; Rappahannock, VA; Shenandoah, VA; Spotsylvania, VA; Stafford, VA; Warren, VA; Winchester City, VA;
- Southern Maryland – Calvert, MD; Charles, MD; Saint Marys, MD;
- Washington D.C. Metro – Alexandria City, VA; Arlington, VA; Fairfax, VA; Falls Church City, VA; Frederick, MD; Loudoun, VA; Montgomery, MD; Prince Georges, MD; Washington, DC;
2. This report is for the March 2026 period with data collected from the previous month.
Released: March 10, 2026
Reference ID: 2392
Washington D.C. | March 2026
Home Demand Map (Zip Codes)
Regional demand across the Washington DC metro reflects the area’s structural diversity, with Virginia suburbs generally leading and the District and Maryland corridors showing more varied performance. Arlington and Alexandria in Northern Virginia are tracking well above the metro-wide index of 75, supported by strong employment fundamentals, move-up demand, and relative inventory competitiveness. Fairfax City, Washington DC, Prince George’s County, and Fairfax County are slightly above the metro-wide index, while Falls Church, Loudoun, Montgomery, and Frederick counties are tracking below the metro average, with the District’s urban core navigating ongoing affordability and inventory dynamics distinct from the surrounding suburban markets.
Bright MLS | T3 Home Demand Index
www.homedemandindex.com