Washington market pulse
Real public data for Washington's ZIP codes, updated as the agencies publish.
Metro prices
-1.1%
in 1 year · Washington metro · 2025 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2025 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 Q2 | 424.6 | — |
| 2025 Q3 | 431.8 | +1.7% |
| 2025 Q4 | 422.3 | -0.5% |
| 2026 Q1 | 405.1 | -4.6% |
| 2026 Q2 | 419.9 | -1.1% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Washington, DC-MD: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+6.7%
in 5 years · Washington metro · 2021 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2021 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 Q2 | 393.7 | — |
| 2021 Q3 | 391.7 | -0.5% |
| 2021 Q4 | 390.2 | -0.9% |
| 2022 Q1 | 410.1 | +4.2% |
| 2022 Q2 | 413.3 | +5.0% |
| 2022 Q3 | 398.7 | +1.3% |
| 2022 Q4 | 388.4 | -1.3% |
| 2023 Q1 | 405.2 | +2.9% |
| 2023 Q2 | 415.2 | +5.5% |
| 2023 Q3 | 412.9 | +4.9% |
| 2023 Q4 | 416.9 | +5.9% |
| 2024 Q1 | 400.1 | +1.6% |
| 2024 Q2 | 426.9 | +8.4% |
| 2024 Q3 | 421.7 | +7.1% |
| 2024 Q4 | 414.6 | +5.3% |
| 2025 Q1 | 427.2 | +8.5% |
| 2025 Q2 | 424.6 | +7.8% |
| 2025 Q3 | 431.8 | +9.7% |
| 2025 Q4 | 422.3 | +7.3% |
| 2026 Q1 | 405.1 | +2.9% |
| 2026 Q2 | 419.9 | +6.7% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Washington, DC-MD: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
+42%
in 10 years · Washington metro · 2016 Q2–2026 Q2
Past change, not a forecast.
Data table
| Quarter | Index | Change since 2016 Q2 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 Q2 | 294.7 | — |
| 2016 Q3 | 291.4 | -1.1% |
| 2016 Q4 | 297.5 | +1.0% |
| 2017 Q1 | 294.1 | -0.2% |
| 2017 Q2 | 304.8 | +3.4% |
| 2017 Q3 | 305.9 | +3.8% |
| 2017 Q4 | 307.4 | +4.3% |
| 2018 Q1 | 307.5 | +4.3% |
| 2018 Q2 | 319.9 | +8.6% |
| 2018 Q3 | 306.5 | +4.0% |
| 2018 Q4 | 316.9 | +7.5% |
| 2019 Q1 | 312.8 | +6.1% |
| 2019 Q2 | 327.4 | +11% |
| 2019 Q3 | 328.2 | +11% |
| 2019 Q4 | 331.1 | +12% |
| 2020 Q1 | 340.9 | +16% |
| 2020 Q2 | 345.5 | +17% |
| 2020 Q3 | 360.4 | +22% |
| 2020 Q4 | 361.6 | +23% |
| 2021 Q1 | 378.4 | +28% |
| 2021 Q2 | 393.7 | +34% |
| 2021 Q3 | 391.7 | +33% |
| 2021 Q4 | 390.2 | +32% |
| 2022 Q1 | 410.1 | +39% |
| 2022 Q2 | 413.3 | +40% |
| 2022 Q3 | 398.7 | +35% |
| 2022 Q4 | 388.4 | +32% |
| 2023 Q1 | 405.2 | +37% |
| 2023 Q2 | 415.2 | +41% |
| 2023 Q3 | 412.9 | +40% |
| 2023 Q4 | 416.9 | +41% |
| 2024 Q1 | 400.1 | +36% |
| 2024 Q2 | 426.9 | +45% |
| 2024 Q3 | 421.7 | +43% |
| 2024 Q4 | 414.6 | +41% |
| 2025 Q1 | 427.2 | +45% |
| 2025 Q2 | 424.6 | +44% |
| 2025 Q3 | 431.8 | +47% |
| 2025 Q4 | 422.3 | +43% |
| 2026 Q1 | 405.1 | +37% |
| 2026 Q2 | 419.9 | +42% |
Each index has its own base, so compare its changes, not its level.
Details
FHFA's purchase-only index for Washington, DC-MD: repeat sales of the same houses, from mortgages Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac purchased or securitized. It isn't seasonally adjusted, so each span starts in the quarter it ends.
ZIP by ZIP
+41%
The median ZIP's house price index, 2015–2025. 15 ZIPs, from +31% to +73%.
One-year ZIP changes are noisy: of last year's top-3 ZIPs in our 50 cities, 1 in 15 was top 3 again. Past change, not a forecast.
About these figures
FHFA's experimental ZIP house price index: houses with Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac loans, from sales and refinance appraisals. Condos, co-ops and multi-unit buildings aren't in it. 18 of Washington's 28 ZIPs have an index; FHFA publishes one only where enough sales exist. A ZIP whose index stops before the latest year shows the year it ends instead of changes. Each index has its own base, so compare a ZIP's changes, not its level.
Rent or buy here
EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $5,093 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$2,936
a month more to own a typical sample home than HUD's rent for its size, ZIP 20017
- Own: 3-bedroom sample house, $954,000Sample: fictional home, for the demo.
- EstimateMonthly housing payment (est.): 20% down · 30-year fixed at 7.03% (Freddie Mac average) · 360 monthly loan payments of $5,093 · APR not calculated (it depends on the lender's fees) · includes principal and interest, property tax, home insurance and any HOA dues, plus mortgage insurance below 20% down.7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.Source: Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)$5,846 a monthNot included: upkeep, utilities, flood insurance, special assessments.
- Rent: HUD fair market rent, 3 bedrooms
- $2,910 a monthHUD Small Area Fair Market Rent, FY2027: a 40th-percentile rent for a standard home, utilities included. Not an asking rent.
Lending
6.5%
Median rate, 30-year fixed conventional · 3,131 loans · 2025
2025 home-purchase loans (first liens) on owner-occupied 1–4 unit homes in Washington's census tracts: 4,713 loans. Loans that closed, not offers: a rate depends on your credit, down payment, points and the day you lock it.
- Middle half of rates
- 6.125% to 6.75%
- Loan costs at closing
- $7,167 medianMiddle half $5,671 to $9,967: origination charges (points included) and settlement services, Closing Disclosure section D · 3,998 loans
- Loan limits, 2026
- $1,249,125 conformingAbove it, a jumbo loan with its own rates and rules; FHA limit $1,249,125 (one-unit home, District of Columbia). Limits set by FHFA and HUD.
More lending figures
- Borrowed, every loan on the home combined
- 80% of the value (median)Middle half 75% to 95%. 49.7% of buyers borrowed more than 80% of the value, 32.4% more than 90%, 19.1% more than 95%. HMDA's combined loan-to-value counts every loan on the home (second loans, down-payment-assistance loans, financed FHA or VA fees) against the value the lender used, so it doesn't show the cash buyers put down · 4,572 loans
- Loan types
- Conventional 85.6% · FHA 6.3%VA 8.1% · USDA 0%
- Discount points
- 40.7% of loans paid pointsMedian paid: $3,265. Points buy a lower rate.
For comparison: 7.03% is Freddie Mac's average 30-year fixed rate for the week of Sep 24, 2026, for buyers with 20% down and excellent credit. It isn't an offer or an APR.
Flood and insurance
$1,628 a year
Median of 20 Washington ZIPs' average homeowners premiums, 2022. Premiums have risen since; get quotes for your address.
- Federal flood insurance
- 1,529 policies in force · 424 claims since 2000FEMA National Flood Insurance Program, summed over 28 ZIPs (policies in force Jun 30, 2026; claims since 2000). Private flood policies aren't counted.
- Policies insurers didn't renew
- 0.8% in the median ZIPU.S. Treasury Federal Insurance Office, 2022.
Most homeowners policies exclude flood, so flood insurance is a separate policy. Source: FEMA FloodSmart: What is my flood risk?, retrieved 2026-10-09 (opens in a new tab) Check an address on FEMA's flood map (opens in a new tab)
County hazard ratings (FEMA)
Natural hazards, compared with other U.S. counties
- District of Columbia, DC: expected yearly losses rated very high for winter weather; expected yearly losses rated relatively high for earthquake, hurricane, inland flooding, heat wave, hail.
Other ratings for District of Columbia, DC
- WildfireVery Low
- Coastal floodingRelatively Moderate
- TornadoRelatively Moderate
FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county (NRI December 2025): expected annual losses to buildings, people and agriculture; FEMA's social-vulnerability adjustments aren't included. This describes each county, not one home. Check an address on FEMA's flood map; in a high-risk flood zone, a federally backed loan requires flood insurance.
What's new in Washington
Rail openings, zoning changes and big projects from primary sources, newest first. News, not a price forecast.
- Project
Reservoir Park and recreation center open
The former McMillan site gains public park and recreation space. The public opening is distinct from the timetable for surrounding private development.
DC Mayor, Reservoir Park Recreation Center opening (opens in a new tab) - Rail opened
Potomac Yard–VT station opens in Alexandria
The regional Blue/Yellow Line infill station opens south of National Airport. The pin is its approximate Alexandria entrance, not a new station inside Washington, DC.
WMATA, Potomac Yard opening announcement (opens in a new tab)
Rules in District of Columbia
From state law, standard contract forms and local custom. Research, not legal advice.
- ClosingRule
- A title company runs the closing and holds the money.
- Seller's disclosureRule
- DC Seller's Disclosure Statement You may cancel within 5 days in some cases: Disclosure first delivered after buyer executes agreement: written termination within 5 calendar days after receipt; earlier settlement, occupancy or loan application accompanied by the lender's statutory waiver notice ends the right..
- Closing taxesRule
- DC deed recordation tax: 1.1–1.45% of the price, by bracket (the whole amount) · buyer paysDC transfer tax: 1.1–1.45% of the price, by bracket (the whole amount) · seller pays
How buying works in District of Columbia
- Who runs the closing
- A title company runs the closing and holds the money. Typical time from contract to keys: about 30 days.
- The contract
- Your signed offer becomes a binding contract once the seller accepts it.
Details
GCAAR District of Columbia sales contract and jurisdictional addenda
- Buyer agreement
- DC written buyer brokerage agreement and agency disclosure, signed before touring.
Details
Homiy's prototype requires a written agreement before a represented tour. NAR's rule binds participating MLS brokers; do not describe it as a universal state law. Compensation is negotiable and total brokerage pay cannot exceed the agreement.
Source: NAR: written buyer agreements before touring (MLS participation rule, not a universal state statute) (reviewed 2026-09-27)
- Inspection
- About 10 days for inspections.
Details
Inspection and financing clauses depend on the regional form and elected addenda. 10 calendar days is a negotiable sample planning period, not a statutory deadline.
- Earnest money
- 1–3% of the price, due within 3 days, held by: Named settlement/title escrow.
Details
Sample only: delivery within 3 calendar days and 1–3% earnest money; the signed contract controls. Buyer delivery is distinct from the holder's statutory deposit deadline.
- Seller's disclosure
- DC Seller's Disclosure Statement You may cancel within 5 days in some cases: Disclosure first delivered after buyer executes agreement: written termination within 5 calendar days after receipt; earlier settlement, occupancy or loan application accompanied by the lender's statutory waiver notice ends the right..
Details
Covered residential transfers require disclosure before or with the buyer's agreement. Statutory exemptions and separate condo/HOA documents need review.
Source: DC Code §42-1302: seller disclosure timing and termination (reviewed 2026-09-27)
- Loan and appraisal
- Loan contingency: 21 days (set in the contract).
Details
21-day financing period and the typical closing time are sample planning assumptions, not measured averages or legal rights. Financing and appraisal protection require the signed form/addenda; an appraisal shortfall is not automatically protected.
- Title insurance
- The buyer customarily pays for the owner's policy.
Details
Payer is a negotiable local custom, not a mandatory charge; obtain a title quote and follow the signed allocation. Filed insurer/rating-bureau rates are not a state-promulgated price.
- Property tax for a new owner
- Your property tax follows the county's assessed market value. About 0.85% of the price a year is our planning figure for Washington; your bill can differ.
Details
Residential Class1 rate applies to assessed value. Homestead deduction and the assessment-increase cap require qualification; do not inherit the seller's protected bill. Co-op tax allocation is in maintenance.
DC residential Class1A baseline$0.85/$100 assessment, before homestead deduction/credits. OTR also lists Class1B (≤2 dwellings):0.85% first$2.558M assessed and1% above; a single percentage cannot encode this higher-value marginal property-tax tier. Actual assessment, class and current threshold control. Co-op tax is in maintenance: suppress separate tax. HOA range and lender-title percentage are SAMPLE inputs.
- Agent credits to the buyer
- District of Columbia allows an agent to credit part of their pay to the buyer, with the lender's approval.
Details
No express consumer-rebate ban identified in the DC licensing statute; unlicensed brokerage payments and undisclosed compensation remain restricted. Low-confidence affirmative interpretation; legal/lender approval required before promising a credit.
Source: DC Code §47-2853.197: real estate license discipline (reviewed 2026-09-27)
Closing taxes
| Tax | Customarily paid by | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| DC deed recordation tax | Buyer | 1.1–1.45% of the price, by bracket (the whole amount)DC Code §42-1103: recordation tax and first-time buyer relief |
| DC transfer tax | Seller | 1.1–1.45% of the price, by bracket (the whole amount)DC Code §47-903: transfer tax |
Sources (9)
- DC Code §42-1302: seller disclosure timing and termination · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- DC Code §47-2853.197: real estate license discipline · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- DC Code §42-1103: recordation tax and first-time buyer relief · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- DC Code §47-903: transfer tax · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- DC OTR: real property tax rates · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 county conforming limits, one unit · 2026 calendar year (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC homeowners report: selected HO-3 $300k–399,999 and HO-6 facts · 2023 data; published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS: contractor-built house contract price per square foot, excluding land · 2025 annual regional averages (opens in a new tab)
- DC OTR residential tax classes and rates · reviewed 2026-09-27; Class1B threshold$2.558M (opens in a new tab)
Programs and deadlines
Official pages for Washington, the same for every buyer. Each program decides who qualifies.
- Down-payment help
- DC Open Doors (opens in a new tab) (DC Housing Finance Agency (DCHFA))Below-market first mortgages plus a deferred 0% loan for the minimum down payment, with no monthly payments.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.District of Columbia's housing finance agency runs it; the program decides who qualifies and for how much.
- Down-payment help in Washington
- Home Purchase Assistance Program (HPAP) (opens in a new tab) (DC Department of Housing and Community Development)Up to $202,000 in gap financing plus $4,000 toward closing costs for eligible buyers.Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- Homestead exemption
- Real Property Tax Reliefs, Credits, and Deductions (opens in a new tab) (DC Office of Tax and Revenue)The Homestead Deduction reduces an owner-occupied principal residence's assessed value by $91,950 for tax year 2026; it needs an application on file with the Office of Tax and Revenue.Deadline: October 1–March 31 for the full year; April 1–September 30 for halfOfficial page, checked 2026-09-28.
- If you disagree with your assessment
- Real Property Assessment Appeal Rights & Application (opens in a new tab) (DC Office of Tax and Revenue)Appeals start at the first level with the Assessment Division; new owners may, in most cases, petition for an administrative review within 45 days of the purchase date.When: 45 days after your purchase (new owners)Official page, checked 2026-09-28.
- After you buy: alerts on your deed
- We found no county alert service for documents recorded on your home. Where we looked: DC Office of Tax and Revenue Recorder of Deeds service pages and web searches.Checked 2026-09-28.
Sample homes in Washington, each with its estimated monthly cost and the things to check. Found one somewhere else? Check it here.
Sources (33)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2000–2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted, quarterly: Washington, DC-MD (MSAD) (metropolitan division 47764) · 2000 Q1–2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA), with 90% margins of error: population, median household income, median home value, median gross rent, median real estate taxes paid, median monthly owner costs with a mortgage, owner-occupied share and units, owner homes in buildings with 5+ units, median year built · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (ZCTA): population and its margin of error, for the 5-year change and its significance test · ACS 2015–2019 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, five-digit ZIP codes, annual (developmental, all-transactions) · 2025 (updated 2026-03-31) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 ZCTA to place relationship file, 2025 Gazetteer and cartographic boundaries (city ZIPs, centers, bounds) · 2020 ZCTAs; 2025 place boundaries (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates, Vintage 2025 (metropolitan and micropolitan areas) · July 2020 → July 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey: new privately-owned housing units authorized, by CBSA · Sep 2025–Aug 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA National Risk Index December 2025: Expected Annual Loss rating of each hazard, by county · NRI December 2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Small Area Fair Market Rents by ZIP code, FY2027 · FY2027 (from Oct 1, 2026) (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Policies, version 3 (policies in force). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · in force Jun 30, 2026; data refreshed 2026-07-27; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FEMA, OpenFEMA API: NFIP Redacted Claims, version 3 (claims since 2000). This product uses the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s OpenFEMA API, but is not endorsed by FEMA. The Federal Government or FEMA cannot vouch for the data or analyses derived from these data after the data have been retrieved from the Agency's website(s). · data refreshed 2026-08-04; accessed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Treasury, Federal Insurance Office: Analyses of U.S. Homeowners Insurance Markets, 2018–2022, Supporting Underlying Metrics by ZIP code (premiums per policy, nonrenewal rate) · 2018–2022 (published January 2025) (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, purchase-only, not seasonally adjusted: Washington, DC-MD (MSAD) (metropolitan division 47764) · 2026 Q2 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA House Price Index, all-transactions, not seasonally adjusted: Washington, DC-MD (MSAD) (metropolitan division 47764), calendar-year averages of the quarterly index · 2020–2025 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Employment Statistics, total nonfarm, not seasonally adjusted (series SMU11479000000000001) · Aug 2026 (preliminary) (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates for the city of Washington, DC (Census place 1150000): median home value, median household income, median gross rent, with 90% margins of error · ACS 2020–2024 (opens in a new tab)
- FFIEC Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) data: 2025 Snapshot National Loan-Level Dataset (data as of June 1, 2026), via the CFPB HMDA Data Browser; Homiy's calculations · 2025 loans; retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, FHA forward mortgage limits, one-unit limit for District of Columbia, DC · CY2026 (Mortgagee Letter 2025-23) (opens in a new tab)
- FTA National Transit Database, General Transit Feed Specification Weblinks: the public-domain GTFS feeds agencies must publish · retrieved 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority: GTFS schedule · scheduled service 2026-09-27 to 2026-10-24 (opens in a new tab)
- Maryland Transit Administration: GTFS schedule · scheduled service 2026-09-27 to 2026-10-24 (opens in a new tab)
- Virginia Railway Express: GTFS schedule · scheduled service 2026-09-27 to 2026-10-24 (opens in a new tab)
- DC Code §42-1302: seller disclosure timing and termination · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- DC Code §47-2853.197: real estate license discipline · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- DC Code §42-1103: recordation tax and first-time buyer relief · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- DC Code §47-903: transfer tax · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- DC OTR: real property tax rates · reviewed 2026-09-27 (opens in a new tab)
- FHFA 2026 county conforming limits, one unit · 2026 calendar year (opens in a new tab)
- NAIC homeowners report: selected HO-3 $300k–399,999 and HO-6 facts · 2023 data; published July 2026 (opens in a new tab)
- Census CHARS: contractor-built house contract price per square foot, excluding land · 2025 annual regional averages (opens in a new tab)
- DC OTR residential tax classes and rates · reviewed 2026-09-27; Class1B threshold$2.558M (opens in a new tab)
- Freddie Mac average (Primary Mortgage Market Survey) · Sep 24, 2026 (opens in a new tab)