The Washington-Arlington market right now
Sales figures: Redfin Data Center, market tracker (Redfin, a national real estate brokerage), Frederick, MD metro area, May 2026, all residential property types. Redfin reports this metro in divisions. Figures shown are for the Frederick-Gaithersburg-Bethesda, MD division, the largest. 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.
With about 2.4 months of supply, this is a market that leans toward sellers by the usual rule of thumb, and homes sold at or above their list price on average.
Show the numbers
| Month | Median sale price |
|---|---|
| May 2026 | $625,000 |
| Apr 2026 | $600,000 |
| Mar 2026 | $590,000 |
| Feb 2026 | $552,500 |
| Jan 2026 | $560,000 |
| Dec 2025 | $586,000 |
| Nov 2025 | $584,000 |
| Oct 2025 | $575,000 |
| Sep 2025 | $550,000 |
| Aug 2025 | $580,000 |
| Jul 2025 | $613,750 |
| Jun 2025 | $605,000 |
| May 2025 | $600,000 |
| Apr 2025 | $610,790 |
| Mar 2025 | $565,000 |
| Feb 2025 | $541,000 |
| Jan 2025 | $527,900 |
| Dec 2024 | $575,000 |
| Nov 2024 | $571,630 |
| Oct 2024 | $565,000 |
| Sep 2024 | $553,875 |
| Aug 2024 | $579,950 |
| Jul 2024 | $600,000 |
| Jun 2024 | $595,000 |
| May 2024 | $610,000 |
Source: Redfin Data Center, Frederick, MD metro area. Monthly figures, not seasonally adjusted, so some ups and downs are just the time of year.
What the metro area covers
The Census Bureau counts about 6,436,489 people in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, across 23 counties. Property taxes, recording fees and some transfer taxes are set county by county, so check the county your home is in.
| County | Population (2024 estimate) |
|---|---|
| Fairfax County, VA, VA | 1,160,925 |
| Montgomery County, MD, MD | 1,082,273 |
| Prince George's County, MD, MD | 966,629 |
| District of Columbia, DC, DC | 702,250 |
| Prince William County, VA, VA | 497,003 |
| Loudoun County, VA, VA | 443,380 |
| Frederick County, MD, MD | 299,317 |
| Arlington County, VA, VA | 239,807 |
| Charles County, MD, MD | 174,478 |
| Stafford County, VA, VA | 168,919 |
| Alexandria city, VA, VA | 159,102 |
| Spotsylvania County, VA, VA | 152,021 |
Plus 11 smaller counties.
Towns with the most ZIP codes in the area: Washington (DC), Arlington (VA), Alexandria (VA), Silver Spring (MD), Bethesda (MD), Gaithersburg (MD), Fairfax (VA), Springfield (VA), Fredericksburg (VA), Rockville (MD), Bowie (MD), Hyattsville (MD).
Population and counties: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates and 2023 metro delineations.
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.
This metro area crosses state lines. If your home is in Virginia or Maryland or West Virginia, that state's rules apply instead.