Fairfax County bucked a regional trend downward by recording higher year-over-year home sales in January.
A total of 568 properties went to closing for the month, according to figures reported Feb. 10 by MarketStats by Showing Time. That’s up slightly — 1.4% — from the 560 transactions in January 2025.
While sales were up, the median sales price of $675,000 was down 3.6% from $700,000 a year before.
The average sales price of $847,557 declined 1.5% from $860,520, with modest dips in all three segments of the market:
- The average price of single-family homes was down 1.1% to $1,233,492
- The average price of attached homes, including townhouses, rowhouses and condominiums, was down 2.5% to $542,858
- The average price of condominiums alone was down 2.5% to $406,465.
Add it all up, and total sales volume for January across Fairfax stood at $480.7 million, down 0.7% from a year before. The average per-square-foot cost for the month was $367, down 4.2% from $383.
Homes that went to closing in January spent more time on the market. The median time between listing and ratified sales contract was 26 days, up from 11 a year before, while the average time was 37 days, up from 28.
Prospective purchasers had 929 properties to look at as January closed, an inventory up about 15% from a year before.
January typically is one of the slowest months of the year for local real estate. Pending sales for the month across Fairfax stood at 701, up 13.1%, and should translate into completed transactions in February or March.
The local and regional real-estate market entered 2026 with different dynamics from 2025, said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist of Bright MLS, the region’s multiple-listing service.
“We are seeing a subtle shift from an extremely tight sellers’ market toward something more balanced, where both buyers and sellers need to reset expectations on pricing, time on market and negotiations,” Sturtevant said.
She added that “understanding local market dynamics is going to be increasingly important for home buyers and sellers in 2026.”
As often is the case, quality will win out, analysts predicted.
“Buyers have a bit more leverage on terms and concessions than they have had in recent years, but in many local markets, limited supply means well‑priced homes in desirable neighborhoods will still attract strong interest this spring,” Sturtevant said.
January sales down 10.3% across region
Closed sales across the Washington metro area dropped 10.3% to 2,450 in January, according to data from Bright MLS.
Of the major jurisdictions comprising the metro areas, only Montgomery County in Maryland (+3.5%) and Fairfax County (+1.4%) posted year-over-year gains. Falls Church, with a much smaller sales total, also saw an increase.
Declines of more than 20% were recorded in D.C., Arlington and Loudoun counties, and Alexandria City.
While the median sales price increased 4.8% to $585,000 across the region in January, the figure comes with an asterisk attached. Fewer sales of condominiums, which tend to be priced lower than single-family homes and townhouses, contributed to the increase.
Overall, the median number of days required between listing and ratified sales contract stood at 36, up from 23 days a year ago.
According to Bright MLS, the increase in overall median sales price for the month was concentrated in just one of three housing types:
- The median sales price for the 1,084 single-family homes selling in January was up 2.1% to $750,000
- The median sales price for the 711 townhouses sold during the month was $575,000, unchanged
- The median sale price of the 654 condominiums that sold was down 1.3% to $375,000
The decline in condominium sales prices stems in part from the rise in monthly condo fees due to inflationary pressures. Those higher costs have pinched prospective homebuyers in the sector.
Real estate taxes, which typically can run about $4,000 to $5,000 or more annually for a typical condo in Northern Virginia, are also squeezing buyers.
The typical condo listing that sold in January had been on the market for 43 days, compared to 31 days for single-family homes and 36 days for townhouses.
Bright MLS analysts anticipate market conditions will improve — up to a point — as winter gives way to spring.
“The spring 2026 housing market across the Mid-Atlantic is expected to be more active as mortgage rates come down and seasonal listings rise. Price growth is likely to remain slower and conditions more balanced than in recent years. However, some local markets will continue to be competitive as inventory remains constrained.”
However, February and perhaps March figures are likely to be impacted by the regional struggle to rebound from the late January winter storm, which limited in-person house-hunting opportunities for as long as a week.
Figures represent most, but not all, homes on the market. All January 2026 figures are preliminary and are subject to revision.
Va. home sales end 2025 in positive territory
Home sales across Virginia stood at 103,772 in 2025, up 1.2% from 2024, according to figures reported by Virginia Realtors.
About 54% of the commonwealth’s 133 cities and counties saw year-over-year increases, the trade group reported.
For the year, the median sales price of $425,000 for all types of property was up 3.2% over 2024, and the total sales volume of $55.7 billion was up 5.4%
