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surge of "For Sale" signs has sprouted up around Washington, DC, as the city's real estate market experiences a significant boost following the Trump administration's federal shakeup. According to Bright MLS data, active home listings in the nation's capital have skyrocketed by nearly 47% compared to this time last year.

    The influx of new inventory is being driven by the area's high concentration of federal employees who are being impacted by the administration's policies. The Department of Government Efficiency has led to thousands of job cuts across various agencies, including the Department of Health and Human Services and the Internal Revenue Service. Additionally, buyout offers have been accepted by nearly 75,000 employees.

    As a result, the DC area is seeing an unprecedented number of new listings and pending contracts. In March alone, Bright MLS tracked 6,000 new listings and almost 5,000 new pending contracts. This surge in inventory has been a welcome relief for the real estate market, which had previously been plagued by historically low levels.

    Despite the increase in listings, median sale prices remain high at $630,000, according to Bright MLS. However, some sellers are being forced to adjust their asking prices due to changing market conditions. One home that was on the market for just 41 days saw a price drop of $45,000.

    Developers are taking advantage of the abundance of reasonably priced homes, buying them up and renovating them into more valuable properties. "They develop them, put a third story on, and away they go," said northwest DC resident Robin Roth.

    While the housing market is still performing below pre-pandemic levels, experts remain optimistic about its future growth. DC Mayor Muriel Bowser believes the city's real estate market has room to expand, citing the district's plans for development and investment. "We continue to attract partners and make investments," she said.