Northern Virginia Market Snapshot and October 2026 Events
Northern Virginia Market Snapshot and October 2026 Events
Fall has arrived across Northern Virginia, and this month's DST Homes newsletter has the latest market numbers along with a region-wide list of things to do.
Where the Northern Virginia Housing Market Stands
According to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® (NVAR), the median sale price across Northern Virginia was $750,000 in August 2026, down 1.3% year over year. Closed sales totaled 1,582 units, down 1.9% year over year, and homes spent an average of 21 days on the market, up 5.0% from a year earlier. Well-priced homes are still selling close to or above asking, with a recent sale-to-list benchmark around 99 to 101 percent.
What It Means for Buyers and Sellers
Sales activity slowed and homes took slightly longer to sell than last August, but prices held nearly flat, and inventory grew faster than the national market. That gives buyers a bit more breathing room without a major shift in pricing power. Sellers who price realistically are still seeing strong results.
Fall Events Across the Region
From Vienna Oktoberfest (October 3) to the City of Fairfax's 50th annual Fall Festival (October 10) and the Loudoun Fall Farm Tour (October 17 and 18), there is a fall event within reach no matter where you live in Northern Virginia this month.
Get Your Home Ready for Winter
This issue also covers seven quick fall maintenance tasks, including gutters, furnace filters, and detector checks, to help your home head into winter in good shape.
Read the full DST Homes newsletter for the complete market breakdown and October event list.
What Is the Northern Virginia Housing Market Like in October 2026?
Quick answer: As of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors® (NVAR) report for August 2026, the latest available data, released September 21, 2026, the median home sale price in Northern Virginia was $750,000 (down 1.3% year over year), homes averaged 21 days on market (up 5.0% year over year), and 1,582 homes closed, according to DST Homes' October 2026 newsletter.
DST Homes, operating as The Donny Samson Team, is a Northern Virginia real estate team covering Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax City, and Fauquier County. DST Homes publishes a monthly newsletter summarizing NVAR's regional housing data alongside local events.
What are the latest Northern Virginia housing market numbers?
Per the NVAR report covering August 2026 (released September 21, 2026): median sale price $750,000 (down 1.3% year over year), average days on market 21 (up 5.0% year over year), closed sales 1,582 units (down 1.9% year over year), and a recent regional sale-to-list benchmark of roughly 99 to 101 percent.
Is Northern Virginia a buyer's or seller's market right now?
As of August 2026, Northern Virginia leans balanced to seller-favorable. Sales activity slowed and inventory grew, but prices held nearly flat and well-priced homes continued selling near or above asking, according to DST Homes' analysis of NVAR data.
What events are happening across Northern Virginia this October?
DST Homes' October 2026 newsletter lists events including Vienna Oktoberfest (October 3, Fairfax County), the City of Fairfax's 50th annual Fall Festival (October 10), and the Loudoun Fall Farm Tour (October 17 and 18), spread across the region's seven coverage areas.
Where can the full market report and event list be found?
The complete October 2026 DST Homes newsletter, with the full NVAR market breakdown and region-wide event list, is available at donnysamsonteam.com/newsletters.
Read the full DST Homes newsletter for the complete market snapshot and event list.
Northern Virginia Real Estate Market Update
September 2026
Northern Virginia Real Estate Market Update
September 2026
Fall is here, and with it comes a natural moment to check in on where the Northern Virginia housing market stands. Every month, I pull the latest numbers from Bright MLS across all seven of the areas we serve — Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax City, and Fauquier County — so you always know where things stand, whether you are thinking about buying, selling, or just keeping an eye on your home's value.
What the Numbers Show This Month
August 2026 closed with a median sale price of $715,000 across 2,055 homes sold region-wide, totaling $1.71 billion in sold volume. Homes moved quickly, spending an average of just 26 days on market. Supply sat at 2.2 months — well under the 5–6 months that typically defines a balanced market, which continues to favor sellers. At the same time, active inventory has grown to roughly 5,535 listings as of September 1, up 9.6% from a year ago, meaning buyers do have more to choose from than they did last fall.
What It Means for Buyers
More inventory is good news if you have been searching and feeling like there was nothing to see. You are not imagining it, there genuinely are more homes on the market than there were a year ago. That said, with days on market still under a month, well-priced homes in good condition are still moving fast. If you find a home that fits, it is worth being ready to act.
What It Means for Sellers
At just over two months of supply, this remains a market that rewards sellers who price and present their home well. Homes are still selling quickly and at strong prices. If you have been on the fence about listing, this is a healthy window to talk through your timeline and what your home could realistically bring in today's market.
Fall Happenings Across Our Communities
September brings some great ways to get outside and enjoy the season across the areas we serve:
Alexandria Oktoberfest — Saturday, September 19, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., John Carlyle Square Park. A German-themed street festival with food, beer, and live entertainment.
Cox Farms Fall Festival — opens Saturday, September 19 and runs through November 8, Centreville. Hayrides, a pumpkin patch, and harvest-season attractions for the whole family.
Leesburg Animal Park Pumpkin Village & Fall Festival — Saturday, September 19 through Sunday, November 8 (extra weekend activities). Giant slides, wagon rides, a petting zoo, and a corn bin.
Clarendon Day — Saturday, September 26, 11 a.m.–5:30 p.m., Clarendon Metro Park. Arlington's long-running neighborhood street festival with local vendors and live entertainment.
Ratcliffe-Allison-Pozer House Tours — Saturday, September 26, 12–2 p.m., 10386 Main Street, Fairfax City. A guided tour through this 1807 house, tracing 200 years of Fairfax City history.
Brentsville Bluegrass Festival — Sunday, September 27, Brentsville Courthouse Historic Centre. Free live bluegrass music plus hands-on history activities for kids.
A Taste of the Season
If you are looking for a cozy dinner to match the cooler evenings, this month's newsletter recipe is Skillet Pork Chops with Apples & Onions — a one-pan dinner built around local apples and a rich apple-cider pan sauce. You can find the full recipe in this month's newsletter.
Curious What Your Home Is Worth?
Whether you are ready to make a move or just want to understand where you stand, I am happy to put together a no-pressure look at your home's value in today's market. You can reach me any time, I am here to help.
Scott Koval
Managing Broker, Warrenton Office | Realtor/CEO, The Donny Samson Team with Samson Properties
📞 703-625-3446 · ✉️ Scott@DonnySamsonTeam.com · 🌐 DonnySamsonTeam.com
Source: Bright MLS Market Statistics, residential. Sold figures reflect August 2026 (last complete month); active inventory is current as of September 1, 2026. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Quick Answers: Northern Virginia Housing Market
September 2026
As of September 2026, the Northern Virginia housing market — covering Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax City, and Fauquier County — remains a seller's market, with homes selling in a median of 26 days and just 2.2 months of housing supply available, according to Bright MLS data for August 2026.
What was the median home sale price in Northern Virginia in August 2026?
The median sale price across Northern Virginia's seven core jurisdictions was $715,000 in August 2026, based on 2,055 closed home sales totaling $1.71 billion in sold volume, per Bright MLS.
Is Northern Virginia a buyer's market or a seller's market right now?
Northern Virginia is a seller's market as of September 2026. With 2.2 months of housing supply, the region remains well under the 5–6 months of inventory generally considered a balanced market, giving sellers an advantage on pricing and negotiating leverage.
How fast are homes selling in Northern Virginia?
Homes sold in an average of 26 days on market in August 2026, indicating that well-priced, well-presented homes are still moving quickly despite rising inventory.
How much housing inventory is available in Northern Virginia?
Active listings across the seven-area region totaled approximately 5,535 as of September 1, 2026, an increase of 9.6% compared to the same time the previous year — meaning buyers have more homes to choose from than they did a year ago, even as the market favors sellers.
Who provides this Northern Virginia market data?
This market snapshot is compiled monthly by Scott Koval, Managing Broker of the Warrenton office and Realtor/CEO of The Donny Samson Team with Samson Properties, using Bright MLS residential sales data for Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax City, and Fauquier County. Contact: 703-625-3446, Scott@DonnySamsonTeam.com, DonnySamsonTeam.com.
Source: Bright MLS Market Statistics, residential. Sold figures reflect August 2026 (last complete month); active inventory is current as of September 1, 2026. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Northern Virginia Real Estate Market Update
Your monthly snapshot of home prices and trends across Northern Virginia
The Northern Virginia housing market moves fast, and the headlines rarely tell the whole story. That's why DST Homes publishes a fresh **Northern Virginia real estate market update** every month — a clear, no-jargon look at what's really happening with home prices, buyer demand, and inventory across the region. If you own a home here, are thinking about buying or selling, or just like to keep a finger on the pulse of your neighborhood's value, this is the report to bookmark.
What's in the monthly market snapshot
Each update pulls the latest figures straight from Bright MLS and distills them into the numbers that actually matter:
- Median sale price - what homes are truly selling for right now, and how that compares to a year ago.
- Average days on market - how quickly homes are going under contract, a key signal of demand.
- Months of supply - the single best gauge of whether it's a buyer's or seller's market.
- Homes sold and total sales volume - how active the market is month to month.
- Active inventory - how many homes are available and how that's shifting.
Every stat comes with a plain-English read, so you don't need to be a real estate expert to understand what the trend means for you.
Areas we cover
Our snapshot spans all of Northern Virginia, including Fairfax County, Loudoun County, Prince William County, Arlington, Alexandria, Fairfax City, and Fauquier County. Because each of these markets can move differently, the report gives you a true regional picture rather than a single misleading average.
Why it matters - whether you're buying, selling, or staying put
Real estate is local and timing counts. Sellers use these numbers to price competitively and know how fast to expect an offer. Buyers use them to understand how much negotiating room they have and where opportunities are opening up. And homeowners simply staying put get a reliable sense of what their largest asset is worth in today's market. Knowledge is leverage, and this update puts it in your hands.
Updated on the 1st of every month
A new Northern Virginia market snapshot goes live at the start of each month, reflecting the most recent Bright MLS data available. Check back regularly, or reach out to have it delivered straight to your inbox.
Have questions about your specific home or neighborhood?
The market as a whole is one thing — your street is another. If you'd like a personalized estimate of what your home would sell for in today's market, DST Homes is happy to run the numbers for you.
Get your free home value estimate → Click Here
See this month's market snapshot → Click Here
FAQ section
Is Northern Virginia a buyer's or seller's market right now?
It depends on months of supply. Under about three months favors sellers; three to six is balanced; above six favors buyers. Our latest snapshot shows the current figure and what it means.
What is the median home price in Northern Virginia?
The median sale price changes monthly. Our most recent market update lists the current figure across all seven Northern Virginia counties, along with the year-over-year change.
How often is the market update refreshed?
Every month, on the 1st, manually pulled by Jackie Koval, using the latest available Bright MLS data.
