Scott McCaffrey | ALXnow

Home sales across Alexandria kick off 2026 on a somewhat sluggish note

Published February 17, 2026 at 10:30AM

Couple moves into new home (via Vitaly Gariev/Unsplash)

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.

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City’s median apartment rents rise in new data, while neighboring localities post declines

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 12, 2026 at 1:45PM

Mason at Van Dorn apartments at 140 S. Van Dorn Street (via Mason at Van Dorn/Facebook)

Alexandria appears to be closing the gap with neighboring Arlington for priciest apartment rentals in the region, according to one data analysis.

The median Alexandria apartment asking rent of $2,200 for one-bedroom units was up 5.3% year-over-year, while the median $2,740 for two bedrooms was up 3.8%, according to figures reported on Tuesday by Zumper.

News

Mayor Gaskins: Strong public messaging will be vital in future extreme weather events

By Scott McCaffrey

Published February 12, 2026 at 12:00PM

Snowy day in Old Town, Jan. 25. 2026 (staff photo by James Cullum)

Mayor Alyia Gaskins says one lesson to be learned from January’s snow and ice storm is the importance of timely messaging that reaches a large audience.

“It’s given us a lot of lessons learned,” Gaskins said at a roundtable yesterday (Wednesday) hosted by the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments (COG).

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Alexandria’s apartment rents decline but remain above the regional median price

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 30, 2026 at 10:30AM

Mason at Van Dorn apartments at 140 S. Van Dorn Street (via Mason at Van Dorn/Facebook)

Despite a year-over-year decline, apartment rents in Alexandria remain above the regional average, according to new data.

The overall median rental rate of $2,166 in the city was down 2.7% year-over-year in January, according to figures reported Jan. 28 by Apartment List. But it remained 2.3% above the median metro-area rate of $2,116 for the month.

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Regional airport leaders tout results of 2025 satisfaction survey at DCA, Dulles

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 23, 2026 at 3:45PM

Sunrise at Reagan National Airport (Flickr pool photo by Michael Coffman via ARLnow)

The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority is taking the recent results of an annual national airport satisfaction survey in stride, despite its airports falling below average scores.

Reagan National Airport ranked 20th and Dulles International ranked 23rd among 27 “large” airports — the middle size level among three categories — in the J.D. Power 2025 North American Airports Satisfaction Survey. The 27 airports in that cohort had an average satisfaction score of 656, and both Dulles (612) and National (623) fell short of it.

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City Council is next stop for transit boosters with regional ‘DMVMoves’ initiative

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 22, 2026 at 1:45PM

Metrobus in Old Town Alexandria near King Street metro (staff Photo by Jay Westcott)

Alexandria will be the next stop for leaders of the “DMVMoves” initiative as they work to gain unanimous support for more regional transit funding.

Proponents of DMVMoves are scheduled to make a presentation to City Council members next Wednesday during a legislative meeting. They intend to detail the proposal in hopes of winning support from city leaders.

News

Alexandria’s unemployed total grows nearly 50% year-over-year in new jobs report

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 22, 2026 at 10:30AM

The Alexandria skyline (staff photo by Jay Westcott)

The ranks of the unemployed in the city grew more than 46% year-over-year in new state jobs figures.

A total of 3,723 Alexandria residents were recorded as unemployed in November according to figures reported yesterday (Wednesday) by the Virginia Department of Workforce Development and Advancement.

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Alexandria home sales and average property prices increased last year

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 13, 2026 at 9:15AM

Homes (photo by Daria Nepriakhina/Unsplash)

Home sales in the city of Alexandria grew 2.2% year-over-year, while average sales prices also rose.

A total of 1,987 properties changed hands across the city in 2025, up from 1,945 in 2024, according to figures reported Jan. 12 by MarketStats by ShowingTime.

News

Alexandria challenger to Rep. Beyer works for visibility in other parts of 8th District

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 12, 2026 at 10:30AM

Former City Council Member Mo Seifeldein, who is running for Virginia's 8th Congressional District, at the Alexandria Democratic Committee's Labor Day Picnic at The Garden Alexandria, 5380 Eisenhower Avenue, Sept. 1, 2025 (staff photo by James Cullum)

A former Alexandria elected official is making campaign stops outside the city in his attempt to unseat Rep. Don Beyer (D-8).

Mohamed “Mo” Seifeldein made his case last Wednesday to the Arlington County Democratic Committee. If elected, Seifeldein said his agenda would be to address the cost of living, implement a universal Medicare-for-all initiative and lower housing prices.

News

Former Alexandria councilman celebrated after 20 years serving N. Va. Transportation Commission

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 9, 2026 at 3:45PM

Paul Smedberg at Jan. 8, 2026, NVTC meeting (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

A longtime leader in regional transportation and former City Council member was honored by the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission last night (Thursday) as he prepares to depart the organization.

This month, Paul Smedberg departs both the commission and the board of directors of the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority (WMATA). Before serving as the governor’s representative on NVTC, Smedberg had represented Alexandria, which has two seats on the 21-member body.

News

N. Va. Transportation Commission elects Bagley to lead as region seeks state funding approval

By Scott McCaffrey

Published January 9, 2026 at 9:15AM

Sarah Bagley, second from left, and other members of the NVTC 2026 leadership (staff photo by Scott McCaffrey)

Alexandria Vice Mayor Sarah Bagley assumed the top leadership spot of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) for 2026 last night (Thursday).

Bagley was unanimously elected chair of the regional body and will lead it during what is likely to be a pivotal year for transit funding across the area.