Welcome back to the DMV Market Brief. The latest full month published so far is September 2026, released in October, and it tells a split story: more homes to choose from, fewer buyers closing, and prices that have not moved in one direction. That split is where the opportunity lives, if you read your neighborhood, not just the headline.

1. $744,950

The Northern Virginia median sold price in September, up 4.2% from a year ago (NVAR). Closed sales fell 7.5% to 1,250, so this is not a runaway market. It is a market where well priced homes still closed at strong prices, while the rest waited.

2. 3,477

Active listings in Northern Virginia in September, up 30.7% year over year (NVAR). Condo and townhome inventory jumped 49.7%, while detached home inventory rose just 5.7%. If you want a condo or townhome in Northern Virginia, your choice set changed more than anyone else's.

3. 3.22 months

DC metro months of supply in September (Bright MLS). Active listings reached 13,203, up 20.1% from a year ago, and the median sold price was $610,000, up 1.6%. Crossing above 3 months moves this market out of a clear seller's market and into balanced territory. Balanced does not mean cheap. It means pricing and presentation decide again.

4. $405,000

The Baltimore metro median sold price in September, unchanged from a year ago (Bright MLS). New pending sales fell 14.9%, and homes took a median of 19 days, three days longer than last year. Flat prices with slower pendings is a negotiator's market, not a falling market. Ask for the terms that matter, not just a lower number.

5. $432,000

The Maryland statewide median sales price in September, up 0.5% from a year ago (Maryland REALTORS, Bright MLS data). Closed sales fell 7.8% and pending sales fell 16.5%, while active inventory climbed 21.3%. Statewide, the story is the same: more room to choose, less pressure to rush, and no reason to overpay for the wrong house.

Buyer Takeaway

With the 30-year fixed rate averaging 7.40% in Freddie Mac's October 15 survey, run the monthly payment first, then shop. With more inventory on the market, you can be picky about condition and location, and you can negotiate credits, repairs, or a rate buydown where the seller has room. Do not chase a house that needs you to ignore the numbers.

Seller Takeaway

Price it like buyers have options, because they do. The homes that moved were priced for today's buyer and presented well. If your home has sat, the market is not telling you to wait it out. It is telling you to reprice or re-present.

Sources: NVAR Market Statistics, September 2026 (published October 16, 2026); Bright MLS September 2026 Housing Market Report (October 12, 2026); Maryland REALTORS September 2026 Housing Statistics, Bright MLS data current as of October 12, 2026; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, October 15, 2026.