Construction equipment near the Pentagon and U.S. Air Force Memorial along S. Joyce St. and Columbia Pike, in December 2023 (staff photo by Jay Westcott)
Fundraiser for Fmr. Restaurant Owner — “The Kawasakis legally immigrated to the United States 35+ years ago, and it wasn’t long until they opened their own restaurant in Washington, D.C., Sushi Kappo Kawasaki… Following 9/11, drastic changes in international travel and business practices to and in Washington eventually led to the downfall and closure of their restaurant. Over time, they have been unable to financially survive.” [GoFundMe]
Stabbing Near Columbia Pike — “At approximately 7:18 a.m. on December 12, police were dispatched to the report of a stabbing. Upon arrival, it was determined the female victim and female suspect, who are known to each other, had a verbal dispute inside the victim’s residence during which the suspect allegedly struck the victim with a kitchen tool, resulting in injury. Medics treated the victim on scene for non-life threatening injuries.” [ACPD]
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 Arlington single-family home market performed in the first half of 2026?
Answer: Arlington’s single-family detached (SFD) market got busier and more competitive in the first half of 2026, yet prices increased at their slowest pace since 2023.
More Competition, Modest Appreciation (Resale Market)
Note: this data is for resales of single-family detached (SFD) homes; I have a separate analysis of the new construction market further down.
The average and median price increased 3.5% and 1.9%, respectively
Over the past five years, the average and median price increased 13.9% and 11.1%, respectively
The average and median price of a home increased to $1.44M and $1.299M, respectively
Demand and competition rose to the highest levels since 2022, with 66% of homes selling within the first ten days on market and 68% of homes selling at or above the original asking price
The average buyer paid 1.3% more than the original asking price, compared to 2025 when the average buyer paid 0.3% less than the original asking price
Buyers of homes that went under contract within the first week on market paid an average of 4.7% over the asking price
Dig Deeper: Performance Varied by Size, Price Point
The appreciation gap between the average price (3.5%) and median price (1.9%) matters. The average is more sensitive to expensive sales. In 2026, 15.7% of closed resales sold for $2M or more, up from 12.7% in 2025. At the other end of the market, only 21.7% sold below $1M, down from 24.4%. That shift toward higher-priced homes helped lift the average faster than the median.
Average and median prices are useful, but neither tells us whether gains were shared evenly across the market. To test that, I divided the closed resale market into four sold-price quartiles for each year. Each quartile represents one-fourth of that year’s sales, from the least expensive 25% to the most expensive 25%. (more…)
Washington Capitals team headquarters in Ballston (staff photo)
Ballston might remain the place where the Washington Capitals practice if everything goes to plan and the hockey team begins playing games in a newly announced sports arena in Potomac Yard.
The new arena for the Caps and Washington Wizards, as well as a concert venue, could open as soon as 2028 in the Alexandria neighborhood already seeing heavy investment, including a new Metro station and Virginia Tech’s forthcoming Innovation Campus.
(Updated at 4:40 p.m.) A group of about 15 protesters are waving Palestinian flags and holding signs in Rosslyn.
The late afternoon protest is taking place at the busy intersection of Wilson Blvd and N. Lynn Street, in front of the Raytheon headquarters at 1100 Wilson Blvd.
Join the Rosslyn BID and Arlington Arts at the 34th Rosslyn Jazz Fest 2026 featuring live jazz, food trucks, local vendors, and family-friendly activities in the heart of Rosslyn! This year’s lineup is bringing a diverse mix of performers and bands redefining the jazz music genre including Plena Libre, Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars, Parlor Greens, and Dogo du Togo & the Alagaa Beat Band.
The fire broke out Monday morning at a home on the 4000 block of Ridgeview Circle in McLean, near the Arlington border. While battling the blaze, firefighters found a man deceased in a second floor bedroom.
King of Koshary at 5515 Wilson Blvd in 2019 (staff photo)
Last year Charga Grill topped the Washington Post’s annual list of top casual restaurants in the region.
That sent a flood of new customers to the eatery at 5151 Langston Blvd. Now two other Arlington restaurants, including another along Langston Blvd, are bound to see a big influx of diners thanks to the latest WaPo rankings.
An Arlington doctor indicted earlier this year on charges of illicit distribution of opioid pills was found guilty by a federal jury Tuesday.
Dr. Kirsten Ball, 69, was convicted on 20 federal counts that each carry a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Ball’s office manager and co-conspirator was sentenced to seven years in prison last year.
Rendering of aerial view of Monumental Arena development (image courtesy of JBG SMITH)
The Washington Capitals and Wizards are planning to move to Alexandria’s Potomac Yard neighborhood.
The announcement was made this morning in tents set up next to the Potomac Yard Metro entrance, where a new sports arena and entertainment complex is planned — about a half mile from the Arlington border.
