Despite the federal-government shutdown, Arlington and much of Northern Virginia are seeing robust interest among potential home-buyers, something unusual this time of year.
The county recorded 728 home showings for the week ending Nov. 2, according to figures reported by the Bright MLS multiple-listing service.
That’s up 7.5% from the same period a year ago, part of an overall trend mirrored in neighboring jurisdictions:
- Alexandria had 625 home showings, up 6.1%
- Fairfax County had 4,252 showings, up 6.7%
Falls Church’s 38 showings for the week represented no change year-over-year, while across the D.C. region, the 23,070 showings were up 3.6% from the same period in 2024.
There could be a number of factors that could be impacting showing totals, positively or negatively. Last year’s looming presidential race might have limited home visits for the pre-election week in 2024, and the current federal-government shutdown may have scared off some prospective purchasers while giving others the time to tour homes.
How Bright MLS sees the current situation:
“Recent buyer activity in the region reflects the significant amount of pent-up demand there has been in the market. With lower mortgage rates, more inventory and more room for negotiation, some buyers who have been ready — and who are not impacted by the federal-government shutdown — have been able to act opportunistically.”
The government shutdown hasn’t derailed the market, but its impacts are being felt.
“The sky isn’t falling, but it is definitely cloudy,” said Lisa Sturtevant, Bright MLS’s chief economist.
The biggest impacts have been felt within the District of Columbia itself, she said. The 2,389 home showings for the week in D.C. represented a year-over-year decline of more than 20%.
“The D.C. region is proving resilient so far, but the city itself, where federal workers make up a higher share of the workforce, is where we’re seeing the greatest risk,” Sturtevant said. “The longer the shutdown lasts, the wider this gap could grow.”
If the shutdown ends soon and federal workers receive back pay, Sturtevant expects a “modest” winter market with a “potentially robust” spring rebound. Without resolution, however, the region’s housing market could suffer with fewer sales and softer prices in both the city and suburbs.
Across Arlington, 45 new listings came on the market in the week ending Nov. 2. That’s a decline of 6.3% from a year before, compared to a regionwide dip of 2.4% to 1,379 during the same period, but isn’t necessarily indicative of any broader trend.
Based on the new data, those in Arlington with homes on the market appear confident they will find buyers.
For the week ending Nov. 2, just 6.2% of county properties recorded a cut in listing price. Though up slightly from 6% a year ago, the new figure compares favorably to the percentage of cuts in Alexandria (10.5%), Fairfax County (9.9%) and the D.C. area as a whole (8.7%).
In the D.C. region, there have been 6,326 new pending contracts on homes during the past four weeks. That’s up 1% from the same period a year before.
Full sales figures for October are slated to be announced by Bright MLS next Monday, Nov. 10
