Question: Is housing inventory higher than usual?
Answer: The most important data point I’m tracking is inventory – total homes for sale and the number of new listings coming to market. Both provide a valuable narrative about the current housing market.
Housing Inventory Up ~65%
After years (as in 10+ years) of declining inventory levels, the number of homes for sale in Arlington and Northern VA was 67% and 64% higher, respectively, in April 2025 than it was in April 2024.
New Listing Activity Modest, No Signs of Surge
Some of this has to do with more homes being listed for sale this year than last, but new listing activity in Arlington and Northern VA was up just 13% and 7%, respectively, last month and 18% and 26%, respectively, in March. So, most of the higher inventory levels can be attributed to homes sitting on market for longer.
The modest increase in new listing activity in April suggests that we are not going to see a DOGE-related surge of homes being listed for sale. The current level of year-over-year increase in homes listed for sale was expected heading into this year, regardless of the election results.
Inventory Increases for Condo and Detached Homes
Arlington’s detached single-family inventory was up 62% year-over-year in April, after being up 42% in March. The Arlington condo market was up 78% year-over-year in April, down a bit from 86% in March. I highlight this because sometimes market trends can be attributed to one specific property type (e.g. condos in 2021/2022), but right now we’re seeing similar trends across most sub-markets.
Data Doesn’t Tell the Entire Story
Don’t let the inventory trends mislead you on the health of the entire market. While the data overall suggests a favorable market for buyers, we still see plenty of competition across Northern VA, especially in the townhouse and single-family detached market. I’ve personally run into multiple offers in the last five offers I’ve submitted for buyers. It’s important, whether you are a buyer or seller, to have a strong understanding of the microtrends in the submarket you are involved in.
If you’d like to discuss buying, selling, investing, or renting, don’t hesitate to reach out to me at [email protected].
Upcoming (pre-market) ERG Listings, Details and Additional Listings Available by Request
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Rosslyn – 3BR/2.5BA/2,400sqft – Condo (1986) – 1530 Key Blvd Arlington VA 22209
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Yorktown – 6BR/6.5BA/6,000+ sqft – Detached Single Family (2026) – N Greencastle St Arlington VA 22207
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Arlington Ridge/Aurora Hills – 3BR/2.5BA/2,450sqft – Detached Single Family (1961) – S Grove St Arlington VA 22202
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Ballston – 2BR/1BA/919sqft – Condo (2005) – 1001 N Randolph St Arlington VA 22201
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Tara Leeway Heights – 7BR/7.2BA/7,500sqft/half acre/pool – Detached Single Family (2026) - 1500 N Harrison St Arlington VA 22205
