Something Backwards Just Happened in the DC Metro Housing Market
Condos in the DC Metro area are now costing more per square foot than detached homes. Not more overall, a condo is still the cheaper buy on paper, but per square foot, which is really the number that tells you what you're paying for space. Two years ago that would have sounded backwards.
There's a neighborhood story here too. One close-in DC neighborhood just saw its housing supply jump to nearly triple the regional average. A neighborhood less than two miles away is doing something else entirely.
Edward Slavis gets into both of these, plus mortgage rates, sales activity, and pricing trends across the region, in his September 2026 DC Metro Area Real Estate Market Report.
👉 Watch the full September 2026 market report here.
Why would condos cost more per square foot than houses?
It comes down to what's actually being compared. Detached homes carry a higher total price tag, but they also come with more square footage, more land, and more of the costs baked into that all-in number. Strip that out and price per square foot tells a different story than the median price headlines do. Edward pinpoints exactly where that gap opened up in the video.
Is DC Metro home inventory still rising?
Yes, but not evenly. Some categories are climbing a lot faster than others right now, and the gap between the fastest and slowest movers is wider than it's been in years. The full breakdown by home type is in the report.
What's going on in Mount Pleasant?
The townhome market there has been unusually volatile lately. Supply has swung sharply within just the past year, which is worth seeing on the chart if you're watching that pocket of the city.
What's going on in Columbia Heights?
This one's the headline neighborhood story this month. Supply in Columbia Heights has climbed to a level well above what the broader DC Metro market is seeing, and it's concentrated in one particular housing type. Edward covers exactly how far it's climbed, useful whether you're buying, selling, or just curious what's happening a few blocks from home.
So is this a buyer's market or a seller's market?
Edward's answer isn't a simple yes or no, and it hinges on a distinction most national headlines skip over entirely. He lays it out at the end of the report, along with what it actually means depending on which side of the deal you're on.
Have a specific street, building, or neighborhood you want the real numbers on? Reach out to Edward directly at [email protected] or 202-883-6884, or visit slavisgroup.com/contact to get started.
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