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Home-buying activity began recovering after the winter storm, but the Washington, D.C., metro market entered February with contracts, new listings and showings still trailing last year’s levels.
The Bright MLS service area recorded 4,723 new purchase contracts during the week ending Feb. 8, 2026. That was 6.5% fewer than during the same week in 2025.
The MD/WV Panhandle was the only subregion where contract activity increased from a year earlier, climbing 37.3%.
Sellers also appeared cautious ahead of the spring market. Across the Mid-Atlantic, 4,245 new listings came on the market during the week, a 12.1% year-over-year decline. Every subregion reported fewer new listings.
Buyers scheduled 69,109 showings, rebounding from the previous storm-affected week but remaining 1.2% below the comparable period in 2025. The MD/WV Panhandle and North Central Virginia were the only subregions to record year-over-year increases in showings.