A recent conversation with an expert on parking policy delved into the complexities of attempting to improve transportation infrastructure in Arlington.
Efforts now underway in Arlington are helping to break a century-old national focus on the automobile as primary, and sometimes lone, transportation option, said Henry Grabar, author of “Paved Paradise: How Parking Explains the World.”
The family behind a longtime Ethiopian restaurant on Columbia Pike is starting a takeout pizzeria.
Father Dama Pizza is preparing to open at 1499 Columbia Pike, next door to Dama Restaurant and Cafe, co-founder Hailu Dama told ARLnow. The Dama family has led Ethiopian restaurants in the D.C. area since the 1980s.
This regularly scheduled column is written by Eli Tucker, Arlington-based Realtor and Arlington resident. If you would like to work with Eli and his team in Northern Virginia and the greater D.C. Metro area, you can reach him directly at [email protected].
Question: How has the local real estate market performed so far this year?
Answer: After a year where market conditions softened in favor of buyers, the Northern VA real estate market became more favorable for sellers in the first quarter of 2026, while the Washington DC condo market continued to reel.
What is in this article:
Northern VA & Arlington Inventory is Being Absorbed Faster
After four straight quarters of double-digit decreases in year-over-year absorption, the Northern VA and Arlington markets saw a ~8% increase in absorption rate.
What this means: Demand increased in Q1
Northern VA & Arlington New Listing Volume is Declining
After a promising trend of six straight quarters of year-over-year increases in the number of homes listed for sale in Northern VA, new listing activity fell by ~1% each of the previous two quarters.
What this means: Sellers have less competition, buyers have fewer choices
Washington DC Condo Absorption is Plummeting
The absorption rate for DC condos has declined year-over-year for 16 quarters straight and 23 out of the past 26 quarters.
What this means: It is difficult to find buyers for DC condos
Washington DC Condo Inventory Declined Slightly
Total inventory declined by 3.4% year-over-year, the first quarterly drop since Q4 2023. Still, there were great than 2x more condos for sale in DC in Q1 2026 than Q1 2020
What this means: Motivated sellers must compete aggressively with each other for buyers
Washington DC Condos Keep Getting Cheaper
The average price of a DC condo listed for sale is 9.4% less than it was in Q1 2025 and ~9% less than it was ten years ago.
What this means: Even lowering the price won’t guarantee a buyer
If you’d like to discuss buying, selling, investing, or renting, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].
We have access to the most pre and off-market listings across the DMV of any brokerage and are happy to share what’s available with anybody who asks.
Below are some of our team’s pre/off-market listings, details and additional listings available by request:
Eli and his team believe that your real estate needs should be managed by advisors, not salespeople. Their mission is to guide, educate, and advocate for their clients through real advice, hands-on support, and personalized service.
Arlington homes are selling a lot more slowly than they were last summer.
The average Arlington home that sold in August had spent 41 days on the market — almost double the 23-day average in August 2024.
At some point a lot of guys realize they don’t really have a friend group anymore.
Not in a dramatic way. Friends move away, people get busy, and actually seeing the same guys regularly almost never happens.
It wasn’t a matter of if, but when, Alberto Starace — a highly accomplished girls high-school soccer coach — eventually would be inducted into the Arlington Sports Hall of Fame.
That time has come, with induction ceremonies slated for Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the Knights of Columbus main hall.
The Women’s Crawl is coming to Falls Church on May 9, 2026!
Hosted by the team behind the Shrinks on Tap Podcast and presented by Expand Psychology, this one-of-a-kind event is more than a night out—it’s a movement.
A former explosive detection canine is looking for a new home, and he may be a retired but he’s still the bomb.
Rex is an eight-year-old German Shepherd looking for a forever home, ideally one where he would be the only dog. His foster said he’s house-trained and well-mannered.
NEW YORK (AP) — Americans are marking 24 years since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks with solemn ceremonies, volunteer work and other tributes honoring the victims.
Many loved ones of the nearly 3,000 people killed were joining dignitaries and politicians at commemorations Thursday in New York, at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pennsylvania.
All six candidates for Falls Church City Council seats have agreed to abide by a “candidate integrity pledge.”
The six contenders for the three Council seats on the Nov. 4 ballot formally signed their support for the pledge during a candidate meet-and-greet social event held Sept. 5 at the Falls Church Arts Gallery.
Memorial Event This Morning — “The County’s wreath-laying ceremony will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, at the Ellen M. Bozman County Government Center. A moment of silence will be held at 9:37 a.m., when the plane struck the Pentagon and 184 lives were lost. The event will also be livestreamed on the County’s YouTube channel.” [Arlington County, YouTube]
Pilot Aborts DCA Landing — “An airliner aborted a landing attempt at Reagan National Airport on Monday morning after pilots spotted a maintenance vehicle on the runway, according to the Federal Aviation Administration and air traffic control communications. Republic Airways Flight 4528 was arriving from Detroit around 7 a.m. An air traffic controller initially cleared the plane to land on the airport’s main runway before asking pilots to circle to the shorter Runway 33.” [Washington Post]
Statements on Kirk Assassination — “Political violence has no place in a just society. This horrible violence at Utah Valley University is incredibly tragic, unacceptable, and should be universally condemned – my thoughts are with the Kirk family.” [Sen. Mark Warner/X, Gov. Glenn Youngkin/X, Diocese of Arlington]
Robbery in Ballston — “Wilson Boulevard at N. Randolph Street. At approximately 5:35 p.m. on September 9, police were dispatched to the report of an armed robbery. Upon arrival, it was determined the female victim was walking in the area when the male suspect, who is known to her, approached and began yelling at her. The suspect then allegedly forcefully stole her backpack, displayed a knife and made verbal threats towards the victim.” [ACPD]
Car Flips on I-395 — “A slow-motion rollover on I-395N this morning. Watch the red car. Somehow, it turned over in slow, stop-and-go traffic just before Exit 8A to Washington Blvd.” [Dave Statter/X]
North Weds Fmr. Secretary — “In what can only be described as a uniquely Washington love connection, Oliver North and Fawn Hall — two public faces of the Iran-contra scandal in the late 1980s — were married last month. North, 81, was widowed in November when his wife of 56 years, Betsy, died. Hall, 66, was widowed 20 years ago. The couple wed Aug. 27 in Arlington County, Virginia, according to the marriage license.” [Washington Post]
Financial Woes for Compass — “A lawyer for Compass Coffee is warning that the popular local chain could be forced to declare bankruptcy if a D.C. court rules against it in a dispute with its landlord over allegations of unpaid rent at its Ivy City roasting facility… Compass’ revenue has fallen by more than 50% from pre-pandemic levels” [WBJ]
Va. Grows Lots of Pumpkins — “By the numbers: The Old Dominion produced 54.1 million pounds of pumpkins in 2024, according to USDA data,” making Virginia the No. 8 pumpkin growing state in the nation. [Axios]
It’s Thursday — Expect a mostly sunny day with a high around 80 degrees and a gentle north wind at 6 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear with lows near 60 degrees. [NWS]
Good Wednesday evening, Arlington. Let’s take a look back at today’s stories and a look forward to tomorrow’s event calendar.
The following articles were published earlier today — Sep 10, 2025.
Here is what’s going on Thursday in Arlington, from our event calendar.
Expect a mostly sunny day with a high around 80 degrees and a gentle north wind at 6 mph. Thursday night will be mostly clear with lows near 60 degrees, as the northeast wind around 5 mph becomes calm in the evening. See more from Weather.gov.
“Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.”
– Mother Teresa
The MonumentCam screenshot above is used with permission of the Trust for the National Mall and courtesy of EarthCam.
Thanks for reading! If you have something to say about an issue of local note not covered today, feel free to post it as a letter to the editor on our new forum.
Experience the difference between tap and bottled water with our free water testing service. Say goodbye to plastic bottles and hello to peace of mind with our tankless in-home filters. Contact us today for your complimentary in-home test and ensure clean drinking water!
