We profile the most important market indicators every month – contract activity, interest rates, inventory, affordability, and direction of the market – in an easy-to-read and digestible summary. It's not just the numbers; it provides context to understand why the numbers are important and what they mean for the future of the market, published for Washington, DC, Montgomery County, Prince George's County, Northern Virginia, Loudoun County, and the Virginia Countryside. A quick summary of last month's contract activity is shown below. To see the complete "Market in a Minute" reports for each jurisdiction we cover, click on the corresponding links.
This is simply the measure of the percentage of homes going under contract that were on the market 30 days or less, giving a sense of how quickly buyers feel they must act to put an offer on a home. To see your market's Urgency Index click the link to view the full report.
For Washington DC, contract activity in February 2026 was up 2.2% from February 2025 and was up in two price categories. Through the first two months of the year, contract activity is down 6.1%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 87 days in February 2026, up from 85 days in February 2025.
For Montgomery County, contract activity in February 2026 was up just 0.9% from February 2025 and was up in two price categories. Through the first two months of the year, contract activity is up 1.0%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 46 days in February 2026, up significantly from 30 days last February.
For Prince George's County, contract activity in February 2026 was up 3.0% from February 2025 and was up for three out of five price categories. Through the first two months of the year, contract activity is down 1.8%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 65 days in February 2026, up significantly from 39 days in February 2025.
For Northern Virginia, contract activity in February 2026 was up 8.6% from February 2025 and was up for five price categories. Through the first two months of the year, contract activity is up 8.5%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 35 days in February 2026, up from 26 days last February.
For Loudoun County, contract activity in February 2026 was down 7.0% from last February and was down for three price categories. Through the first two months of the year, contract activity is up 2.7%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 36 days in February 2026, up significantly from 27 days last February.
For Virginia Countryside, contract activity in February 2026 was up 16.4% from last February and was up for four price categories. Through the first two months of the year, contract activity is up 16.3%. The average number of days on the market for homes receiving contracts was 63 days in February 2026, up slightly from 57 days last February.