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The Washington, D.C., metro area entered spring with stronger home-contract activity than a year earlier, even as the broader Mid-Atlantic market recorded its third consecutive week of annual declines.
Across the Bright MLS service area, buyers signed 5,357 new purchase contracts during the week ending March 15, 2026. That was 3.1% fewer than during the same week in 2025, signaling a slower start to spring overall. Results varied widely, however, with the D.C. metro posting gains while the Philadelphia metro experienced steep declines.
New listings increased across the wider region for the first time in six weeks. The 6,779 properties added to the market represented a 1.9% rise from a year earlier. The D.C. metro was among the exceptions where listings remained below last year’s level, along with the Philadelphia metro and Southern Maryland.
As inventory increased regionally and economic uncertainty weighed on demand, asking-price growth showed signs of stalling. The median list price was $444,900, down 1% from the corresponding week of 2025. Weekly list-price comparisons have alternated between increases and decreases over the past month.