Alexandria’s real-estate market started the year with lower year-over-year sales and mixed results on sales prices.
A total of 98 residential properties went to closing last month, down 20.3% from 123 in January 2025, according to figures reported Feb. 10 by MarketStats by ShowingTime.
The median sales price for all properties declined 23.8% to $503,250, due largely to a smaller number of single-family properties being sold. Only nine of 98 transactions were for detached homes, versus 16 of 123 a year before.
The average sales price for all sales was $684,654, up 6.3%, with the average price in the single-family detached sector standing at just over $2 million — up 67% from a year before.
With just nine single-family homes selling, though, it would be hard to draw any definitive conclusions from the whopping price increase.
Perhaps the broadest measure of market activity — average sale price per square foot — showed a generally flat result in January 2026 ($453) compared to January 2025 ($458).
Total sales volume for the month was just under $78 million, a decline of 15% from a year before.
Homes that sold in January spent a median 48 days (up from 26) and an average 58 days (up from 34) between listing and ratified sales contract. Homes garnered 95.7% of original listing price, down from 98% a year ago.
At the end of the month, there were 237 properties on the market, up 50% from 158 a year ago.
January is typically one of the slowest months of the year for local real estate, and there are some suggestions a stronger market may be on the horizon in Alexandria.
Pending sales for January were up about 18% citywide from the same time in 2025. Those will likely transfer into the “sold” column in the February or March data.
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.
“Understanding local market dynamics is going to be increasingly important for home buyers and sellers in 2026,” she said.
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, Md. (+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 the District of Columbia, Arlington and Loudoun counties and the city of Alexandria.
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, gave rise to the overall sales-price 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
One reason for the declining condominium sales prices has been the rise in monthly condo fees due to inflationary pressures. Those higher costs have pinched prospective homebuyers in the sector.
Real-estate taxes, which in Northern Virginia can run about $4,000 to $5,000 or more annually for a typical condo, also are squeezing buyers.
The typical condominium 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 do anticipate market conditions to 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 snow-ice storm, which limited in-person house-hunting opportunities for as much 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 the Virginia Realtors’ trade group.
About 54% of the commonwealth’s 133 cities and counties saw year-over-year increases, the 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%
Photo via Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash
