T
he DC housing market remains steady despite federal job cuts and office returns. Experts say the numbers don't reflect a shift in the real estate market, contrary to viral social media posts spreading misinformation. According to Kris Paolini, principal real estate agent at Redfin, "I've seen some posts where people are panicking saying the D.C. market is crashing, but that's totally not the case." Bright MLS data shows February 2025 and February 2024 are nearly identical in terms of homes for sale in the DMV.

    There were 2,829 new listings between February 3 and February 16, 2025, compared to last year's 2,820. Jay Nix, an agent with Compass Real Estate, notes that buyers and some sellers want to wait it out, resulting in no fire sales or deals yet. However, the condo market is seeing more deals due to lower prices.

    Experts predict it will take time to see any real impact from federal workers who were laid off, relocated, or took buyouts. Paolini estimates it would take a couple of months for people to adjust to new employment realities and decide whether to leave the area. Meanwhile, buyers are putting their search on hold due to uncertainty.

    This time of year typically sees an increase in listings ahead of spring, but Bright MLS Chief Economist Lisa Sturtevant notes that new listings activity doesn't suggest a correlation with federal government employees. In fact, some areas saw increases while others experienced decreases. Housing prices continue to trend up due to low inventory in the DMV.