A stock photo of a newly constructed deck area (via Junior Jacques/Unsplash)
In lieu of moving, some homeowners in Northern Virginia appear to be opting for larger home addition projects amid a challenging housing market.
Some local construction firms have reported seeing demand shift in favor of certain kinds of home additions over the past few years. While the number of home addition projects in Arlington may not actually be increasing — in fact, according to county data, it appears to have declined since 2024 — firms report a heightened demand for large-scale projects.
A drug distributor has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for providing large amounts of methamphetamine to dealers in jurisdictions including Arlington.
Darrell Carter, of Philadelphia, was sentenced last week for possessing and conspiring to distribute meth, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia announced in a press release. Authorities discovered multiple kilograms of the drug in Carter’s home, along with communications suggesting that he used to purchase up to 20 pounds of meth per month for resale.
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: It seems like listings lingered on the market longer than usual this summer. Is that reflected in the market data?
Answer: The summer real estate market is usually slower than spring, but since late June, this summer has felt unusually slow compared with past summer markets. I analyzed Arlington homes listed for sale in July and August, going back to 2016, and found that we did indeed experience a historically slow summer market.
5-Bullet Cliff Notes
Summer 2026 was slowest summer market since 2016
Showing activity is down significantly
Listing supply (homes for sale) is up significantly
It is still a seller’s market, just more balanced
Too early to accurately observe impact on prices
Slowest Summer Since 2016
Fewer homes listed in July and August went under contract within the first ten days on market (my preferred measure of market pace) than any summer since 2016.
The condo market experienced the brunt of that slowness, with the percentage of condos under contract within ten days falling 17.9 points below the trailing ten-year average. Arlington’s detached/townhouse/duplex market, one of the most robust sub-markets in the country, was not spared either; falling 6.7 points below the trailing ten-year average.
Lingering Inventory
The clearest sign of a summer slowdown is the amount of inventory that remained unresolved at the end of August. 53% of the listings entered in July and August were still active, compared with about 31% in 2025 and 27% from 2023-2025.
Even among July listings, which had at least a full month to attract a buyer, 36% remained active: more than twice the recent three-year rate. As of Aug 30, ~25% of all active summer listings had accumulated at least 30 days on market, and 9% accumulated at least 60 days.
Showings Down, Active Inventory Up
Showing data shows that we have fewer buyers in the market, not simply more indecisive/deliberate buyers. In the week ending August 23, showings in Arlington were down 7.9% from the prior week and 26.4% from the same week last year.
There are also a lot more homes for buyers to choose from, with active listings (homes listed for sale) up 2% from the week prior and 21.5% from the same week last year. Buyers will take longer to make decisions when they have more choices.
The Arlington trends are consistent with other Northern VA/DC Metro markets as well. In the DC Metro, weekly showings dropped to five-year lows in late June and remained there during most weeks of the summer. At the same time, the week ending August 23 delivered the most new listings to the market of any year since 2021, for the same week.
Total active listings in the DC Metro have been above the same week in the prior year since the second week of January 2025.
Arlington County Fire Department honorees at 2026 Public Safety Awards (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)
The Arlington Chamber of Commerce saluted those who respond in times of crisis at the annual Public Safety Awards last week.
Personnel from the Arlington County Police Department, Arlington County Fire Department, Arlington County Sheriff’s Office and Arlington Department of Public Safety Communications and Emergency Management were honored on Thursday for responses to critical incidents and overall excellence.
We love fall at Art House 7 and can’t wait for you to explore all our offerings. Painting, drawing, ceramics, and sewing/crocheting are our perennials, along with less traditional mediums. Kawaii Style Drawing and Digital Art are among our new classes for kids. We offer an excellent 6-week program for high schoolers preparing their college portfolios. Want something shorter? We have 3-week classes, including linocut notecards. Love ceramics? We have a dedicated studio that comfortably accommodates wheel and hand-building classes.
Dreaming about your next vacation? Join Cruise Planners Beth Borrego and Rod Rodriguez for an inspiring day devoted to ocean and river cruises, guided tours, luxury travel and unforgettable destinations!
Meet representatives from AmaWaterways, Collette, Oceania Cruises and Premier World Discovery. Hear informative presentations, ask questions, explore exciting vacation possibilities and discover which travel experience may be the perfect fit for you.
Double rainbow over utility work in the Waycroft-Woodlawn neighborhood (courtesy David Johnson)
Beyer Targets Trump Arch — Rep. Don Beyer (D) is cosponsoring a bill to block President Trump’s proposed 250-foot “Triumphal Arch” between Arlington National Cemetery and the Memorial Bridge. “Everyone I’ve talked to in Virginia and D.C. is horrified by it, partly because it is so tasteless,” Beyer said. “It begins with reverence for the people that are buried here.” [NBC 4]
APS Adds Bus Tracking — Arlington families will soon be able to track their kids’ school buses in real time. Arlington Public Schools is partnering with Transfinder, whose Stopfinder app uses GPS to follow buses and can alert parents when one is 10 or 15 minutes from a stop. The switch follows complaints that the district’s previous software, in place over a decade, was slow and inefficient. [WTOP]
A Hero’s Farewell — Family, officers and public safety personnel gathered Friday to honor Auxiliary Lt. Charlie Neal, who served ACPD for 40 years and died May 13 at age 80. “Whether riding with pride in the Motor Unit or greeting others with his ever-present smile, he had a remarkable gift for making people feel welcomed,” the department said. Neal was also a pioneering broadcaster in HBCU sports. [WUSA9, ACPD/X]
New False-Alarm Vendor — The Arlington County Fire Department will begin using a third-party vendor, Alarm Program Systems, to administer its false fire alarm program starting July 1, with a new website for billing and appeals. Businesses face fees for repeated false alarms caused by malfunctions or unintentional activations; single-family homes, duplexes and townhomes are exempt. [Arlington County]
Off-Ramp Mishap — Traffic-camera video shows a car turning off the I-395 ramp into Shirlington and onto the center median around 2:45 a.m. Saturday. “When your aim is just a little off,” local public safety watcher Dave Statter wrote in sharing the footage. [Dave Statter/X]
Hit the Trails — Arlington Magazine rounded up 10 scenic hikes within driving distance, from flat loops at Theodore Roosevelt Island and Scott’s Run in McLean to the overlooks at Great Falls and longer waterfall treks in Shenandoah. [Arlington Magazine]
Arlington Man Charged in Crash — An Arlington man, 23, has been charged with involuntary manslaughter and reckless driving in a fatal December crash on King Street in Alexandria. Police say surveillance footage showed his Toyota Camry was traveling at an excessive speed when it struck an Acura, killing the other driver, Craig Taylor, 78. He was arrested May 19 and is due in court June 18. [ALXnow]
House Dems Pitch Budget — House Democrats released a budget proposal Friday, with data center tax breaks the main sticking point in talks with Senate Democrats. The House plan would keep the breaks through 2035 and create a commission to study them; Senate Democrats want them ended. Gov. Abigail Spanberger (D) backs the House plan. Lawmakers have until June 30 to reach a deal or risk a state government shutdown. [Virginia Scope]
Securing Backup Water — The region’s three water utilities — WSSC Water, the Washington Aqueduct and Fairfax Water — are launching a $25 million, two-year study to find a large-scale backup supply for a D.C. area of more than 5 million people that relies almost entirely on the Potomac River. “We rely primarily on a single source, and that’s the Potomac River,” said WSSC Water’s Priscilla To. Quarries and treated wastewater are among the options being weighed. [WTOP]
New State Internship Role — Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed bipartisan legislation creating Virginia’s first State Internship Coordinator, a new role focused on expanding internship opportunities across state agencies. “One of the most powerful tools we have is making sure talented students stay and grow right here in Virginia,” she said. [Press Release]
D.C. Hits 100 Degrees — Friday’s heat pushed D.C. to 100 degrees — its first 100-degree day since August 2024, according to Capital Weather. The reading topped the date’s record of 95, while BWI Marshall Airport set a record at 97. [Capital Weather/X]
It’s Monday — Expect sunny skies today with a high near 81 and breezy northwest winds around 16 mph, gusting to 23 mph. That’s a sharp drop from the weekend’s near-100-degree heat. Overnight lows fall to around 60. [NWS]
Today’s Morning Notes are brought to you by Industrious. ARLnow has been in an Industrious office for years and we love the convenience — you get to focus on your work rather than worrying about brewing your own coffee or keeping the copy machine stocked. Industrious has several Metro-accessible coworking locations in Arlington.
Storm clouds over northern Arlington on 6/13/25 (staff photo)
Arlington, Falls Church and the entire D.C. area is under a Severe Thunderstorm Watch tonight (Sunday).
The watch is in effect from now until 11 p.m. Large hail, damaging wind gusts and frequent lightning are all possible with storms that will likely cross the region later today, following a sweltering afternoon.
Expect sunny weather with a high of 88°F and a northwest wind at 6 mph. Saturday night will be mostly clear, with temperatures dropping to around 67°F and light, variable winds. See more from Weather.gov.
💡 Quote of the Day
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.” – George Addair
We hope you have a great weekend, Arlington! 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. 👋
Looking for a fall activity that gets you moving and builds real confidence? EvolveAll Martial Arts and Training Studio is offer free classes for youth and adults during it’s upcoming Intro Week, September 14-19.
EvolveAll, Arlington’s martial arts and fitness community off Columbia Pike, is once again opening its doors for a full week of free trial classes — and youth classes are one of the highlights. Kids ages 5-15 will get to try hands-on martial arts instruction designed to build discipline, focus, and self-defense skills in a supportive, age-appropriate environment.
