We profile the most important market indicators every month – contract activity, interest rates, inventory, affordability, and direction of the market – in an easy-to-read and digestible summary. It's not just the numbers; it provides context to understand why the numbers are important and what they mean for the future of the market, published for Washington, DC, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Northern Virginia, Loudoun County, and the Virginia Countryside. A quick summary of last month's contract activity is shown below. To see the complete "Market in a Minute" reports for each jurisdiction we cover, click on the corresponding links.
This is simply the measure of the percentage of homes going under contract that were on the market 30 days or less, giving a sense of how quickly buyers feel they must act to put an offer on a home. To see your market's Urgency Index click the link to view the full report.
For Washington DC, contract activity in May 2026 was up just 0.6% from May 2025 and was up in three price categories. Through the first five months of the year, contract activity is up 2.1%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 58 days in May 2026, up from 55 days last May.
For Montgomery County, contract activity in May 2026 was down 3.9% from May 2025 and was down in three price categories. Through the first five months of the year, contract activity is up 2.8%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 33 days in May 2026, up from 24 days last May.
For Prince George's County, contract activity in May 2026 was down 2.3% from May 2025 and was up for three out of five price categories. Through the first five months of the year, contract activity is up just 0.5%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 48 days in May 2026, up significantly from 38 days in May 2025.
For Northern Virginia, contract activity in May 2026 was down just 0.1% from May 2025 but was up for four price categories. Through the first five months of the year, contract activity is up 6.4%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 24 days in May 2026, up from 23 days last May.
For Loudoun County, contract activity in May 2026 was up 4.5% from last May, with the entire increase in one price category. Through the first five months of the year, contract activity is up 2.2%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 21 days in May 2026, down from 23 days last May.
For Virginia Countryside, contract activity in May 2026 was down 5.2% from last May and was down for two price categories. Through the first five months of the year, contract activity is up 4.9%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 38 days in May 2026, down from 39 days last May.