The District of Columbia market right now
Typical value: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, August 2026, mid-tier homes, seasonally adjusted. These are area-wide figures, not a value for any one home.
Show the numbers
| Month | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | $570,119 |
| Jul 2026 | $568,668 |
| Jun 2026 | $568,033 |
| May 2026 | $569,493 |
| Apr 2026 | $572,143 |
| Mar 2026 | $575,333 |
| Feb 2026 | $577,322 |
| Jan 2026 | $578,258 |
| Dec 2025 | $578,092 |
| Nov 2025 | $576,725 |
| Oct 2025 | $575,618 |
| Sep 2025 | $575,317 |
| Aug 2025 | $576,136 |
| Jul 2025 | $578,407 |
| Jun 2025 | $581,629 |
| May 2025 | $585,814 |
| Apr 2025 | $589,902 |
| Mar 2025 | $592,804 |
| Feb 2025 | $595,353 |
| Jan 2025 | $596,106 |
| Dec 2024 | $597,255 |
| Nov 2024 | $597,889 |
| Oct 2024 | $598,327 |
| Sep 2024 | $598,421 |
| Aug 2024 | $598,584 |
Source: Zillow Home Value Index. Monthly figures, not seasonally adjusted, so some ups and downs are just the time of year.
District of Columbia rules that affect sellers
Transfer tax
DC charges a real property transfer tax of 1.1% of the price, plus an extra 0.35% (1.45% in total) unless the property is residential and sells for less than $400,000. By law the seller is responsible for paying it, and the buyer becomes jointly liable only if the seller fails to pay.
Local add-ons: None beyond the District's own tax. DC is a single taxing jurisdiction.
Seller disclosure
Yes. DC law requires the seller to give the buyer a real property disclosure statement on a form approved by the Mayor, before or when the buyer signs the purchase contract. If it is delivered late, the buyer can cancel within 5 calendar days in most cases.
Source: D.C. Code 42-1302
Who handles the closing
DC closings (called settlements) are commonly handled by title and settlement companies, and an attorney is not legally required, though either side may hire one.
Source: HomeLight, states that require a real estate attorney at closing (secondary source)
Also worth knowing
If a tenant lives in the home, DC's tenant opportunity to purchase rules apply. For a single-family home, every tenant must get written notice within 3 days of the owner receiving or soliciting an offer, and certain elderly or disabled tenants who were in place by early 2018 have a right to buy it first.
Also worth knowing
Crossing the $400,000 line matters: a residential sale below $400,000 is taxed at 1.1%, while one at $400,000 or more is taxed at 1.45% on the full price.
Source: D.C. Code 47-903
Checking an agent's license
Real estate agents in District of Columbia are licensed by the District of Columbia Real Estate Commission (Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection). You can look up any agent before you work with them.
Rules checked 2026-09-30. They change, and local practice varies: confirm with your title company, closing attorney or agent before relying on them. This is general information, not legal or tax advice.
Metro areas in District of Columbia
Prices and pace can be very different from one metro to the next, so the local page is a better guide than the statewide figure.
Market figures: Redfin Data Center and Zillow Research, updated monthly. All states.