McLean Luxury Home Selling Guide: Pricing, Marketing, and Commission Strategy
Quick Answer: Selling a luxury home in McLean, VA in 2026 hinges on three decisions: pricing precisely against active comps in the $1.5M–$5M range, marketing with full cinematic media (4K stills, drone, 3D tours, twilight, dedicated property site), and choosing a commission structure that reflects the price band. The Jamil Brothers Realty Group offers a 1.5% full-service listing program — same marketing, same negotiation, with materially more equity kept on a McLean-sized sale.
McLean is one of the most expensive submarkets in the Washington, D.C. metro. Estate homes off Old Dominion Drive, custom builds in Salona Village, and waterfront Potomac frontage in Langley regularly trade between $2M and $7M, and the buyer pool is unusually concentrated — diplomats, executives, government leaders, and relocating C-suite families. That concentration is an opportunity for sellers who price and present correctly, and a real risk for sellers who don't. This guide walks through how the McLean luxury market actually works in 2026 — the pricing models that hold up under appraisal, the marketing standards luxury buyers expect, and how the math on commission shifts when you cross $2M, $3M, and $5M.
If you have an estate, a custom build, or a renovated mid-century in 22101, 22102, or 22066 (which straddles into Great Falls), the strategies below are written for your price band. Numbers throughout reflect 2026 BrightMLS reporting and NVAR data for Fairfax County's luxury segment.
Key Takeaways
- McLean luxury inventory above $2M typically sits 35–75 days on market; precise pricing matters far more than aspirational pricing.
- Luxury buyers expect cinematic media — drone, 3D tour, twilight stills, and a dedicated property website are now table stakes above $1.5M.
- At McLean price points, the gap between a 1.5% and 3% listing fee is real money: $22,500 on a $1.5M sale, $45,000 on a $3M sale, $75,000 on a $5M sale.
- Virginia's grantor tax and the NOVA regional congestion tax add roughly 0.4% of the sale price to seller closing costs — a meaningful number at luxury price bands.
- Choosing a McLean listing agent should weight track record in your specific price tier above all else; selling a $3M home is structurally different from selling a $900K one.
In This Guide
- The McLean Luxury Market in 2026
- Luxury Home Pricing Strategy: What Actually Works
- Marketing a McLean Luxury Home: The Real Difference
- Commission Strategy: Why 1.5% Changes the Math
- Run Your McLean Savings Numbers
- The McLean Selling Timeline — Step by Step
- Closing Costs on a McLean Luxury Sale
- Common Luxury Selling Mistakes
- How to Choose a McLean Luxury Listing Agent
- Your Next Move in McLean
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Glossary
The McLean Luxury Market in 2026
McLean has three distinct buyer profiles, and your listing has to speak to whichever one your home is built for. Understanding that segmentation is the first piece of leverage you have as a seller.
The first buyer profile is the executive relocator — usually moving in from New York, San Francisco, or overseas for a senior government, association, or contracting role. These buyers want move-in ready homes, prefer the Langley High School pyramid, and frequently transact above $2.5M. The second profile is the upgrading McLean family — already inside the zip code, trading up from a $1.2M starter to a $2M–$3M home with more land or a renovated kitchen. The third is the estate buyer — usually paying $4M+, often with no school district constraint, looking at custom homes in Langley Forest, Chesterbrook Gardens, or Country Club Hills.
McLean neighborhood pricing tiers (2026)
| Neighborhood / Area | Typical Price Range | Style / Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Langley Forest | $3.5M–$8M+ | Large estates, mature trees, Langley HS pyramid |
| Salona Village | $2.5M–$5M | Custom builds, walkable to downtown McLean |
| Chesterbrook Gardens | $1.8M–$3.5M | Established lots, mix of original and renovated |
| Country Club Hills | $2M–$5M | Quiet streets, near McLean Country Club |
| McLean Hamlet | $1.4M–$2.4M | Mid-century and 1970s ranchers, often updated |
| Franklin Park | $1.3M–$2.2M | Tight-knit pocket, popular with families |
| El Nido / Evermay | $1.6M–$3M | Renovated splits and traditionals, central location |
| Potomac riverfront (22066 edge) | $4M–$12M+ | Acreage, waterfront, ultra-luxury |
2026 market signals at a glance
Two patterns are worth pulling out. First, list-to-sale ratios at the $1M–$2M band are surprisingly tight — within 2.5–3% — because that's the active buyer pool. Second, days on market climbs steeply above $3M, where the qualified buyer count for any specific home thins out. Both patterns shape what a smart pricing strategy actually looks like.
Luxury Home Pricing Strategy: What Actually Works in McLean
At entry-level price points, sellers can sometimes test the upper bound and adjust. At McLean luxury price points, that strategy is far more punishing. Carrying costs on a $3M home are several thousand dollars per month between taxes, insurance, and maintenance. More importantly, days on market itself becomes a signal — luxury buyers actively watch DOM, and a home that sits past 60 days at the wrong price absorbs a negotiating discount that often exceeds the initial overpricing.
There are three pricing approaches that hold up in McLean today.
Approach 1: Comp-anchored pricing
This is the default for most McLean luxury homes. You're identifying three to five recent sales (closed within 90–120 days) that match yours on bedroom count, lot size, finish level, and pyramid school assignment. Then you adjust for differences — a finished basement is worth roughly $80K–$120K in McLean today, a renovated kitchen $60K–$100K, a pool $40K–$80K depending on age and quality. The right list price is usually 1–2% above the comp-adjusted midpoint, leaving room for negotiation while signaling to buyers that you're priced to sell.
Approach 2: Strategic underpricing
For move-in-ready homes between $1.4M and $2.2M, listing slightly below the comp-adjusted midpoint can drive multiple offers. The mechanic is real but narrow — you need a clean, well-presented home in a desirable pocket (Salona Village, Franklin Park, El Nido), and a coordinated launch (Thursday MLS go-live, weekend open house, offer deadline the following Monday). When it works, you sell over list. When it doesn't, you sell at list, which is still fine. This approach does not work well above $3M, where qualified buyer counts are too thin to generate competitive bidding.
Approach 3: Premium positioning with patience
Reserved for genuinely rare properties — true estate lots, signature architect work (Bowie-Gridley, Dale Hill, Bonstra Haresign), historically significant homes, or one-of-one renovations. You price 5–10% above last comp, accept a longer DOM (90–180 days is normal here), and let the right buyer find you. This requires a marketing budget that supports the longer window, and an agent who can keep the listing fresh — re-shot media, refreshed copy, an updated property site — across multiple seasons.
Pre-listing pricing checklist
- ✓ 3–5 closed comps within 120 days in the same pyramid
- ✓ 2–3 active competing listings to understand current ceiling
- ✓ Adjustments for kitchen, basement, primary suite, lot, pool
- ✓ Appraisal sanity check at the proposed list price
- ✓ Off-market private listing test — agent network whisper before public launch
- ✓ Pre-list inspection + repair credits modeled into pricing
Get a personalized valuation from The Jamil Brothers Realty Group — street-level comp analysis, adjusted for your finish level, lot, and pyramid. Not an automated estimate. Response within 24 hours.
Marketing a McLean Luxury Home: The Real Difference
At sub-million price points, photography and an MLS listing carry most of the marketing weight. At McLean luxury price points, that's the floor, not the ceiling. Buyers shopping $1.5M and up consume real estate the way they consume travel — they want a story, full visual context, and the confidence that nothing has been hidden or under-shown. A sparse or under-produced listing reads as a red flag, not a budget choice.
What luxury buyers expect to see, in 2026
| Asset | Standard Agent | The Jamil Brothers Standard |
|---|---|---|
| 4K interior photography | Sometimes | Always |
| Drone aerial / video | Add-on fee | Included |
| Matterport 3D tour | Rare | Included |
| Twilight / dusk photo set | No | For homes $1.5M+ |
| Cinematic property video | Rare | Included $1.5M+ |
| Dedicated property website | No | Yes |
| Floor plans with measurements | Sometimes | Always |
| Print brochure / collateral | Basic flyer | Designed brochure |
| Targeted paid social | No | Yes — DMV + relocation |
| Luxury network distribution | No | Yes — agent-to-agent |
Where luxury buyers actually look first
Buyer behavior research from NAR and BrightMLS shows that luxury buyers spend most of their initial decision time on photo galleries and 3D tours — usually within the first 90 seconds. If the photos are flat, dimly lit, or under-staged, qualified buyers skip to the next listing without ever requesting a showing. That's the single largest hidden cost of under-marketing a luxury home in McLean: invisible declines from buyers who never raised their hand.
The fix is straightforward but takes coordination. Professional staging where needed, a media production day that captures stills, drone, video, and 3D in one visit, and a launch sequence that pushes the media through MLS, a dedicated property website, paid social aimed at relocation feeders (Manhattan, San Francisco, London, Singapore), and the broker-to-broker luxury network.
4K photography, drone video, 3D Matterport, twilight photography, dedicated property website, expert negotiation, and full MLS marketing — all included at 1.5%. On a $3M McLean home, you keep an additional $45,000 vs. a traditional 3% agent. No hidden fees, no service reductions, no surprises.
Commission Strategy: Why 1.5% Changes the Math at McLean Prices
Real estate commission is negotiable by Virginia law and has been since the August 2024 NAR settlement reshaped how buyer agent compensation is disclosed and offered. On a $700K home in a different market, the difference between a 3% and 1.5% listing fee is roughly $10,500 — meaningful but manageable. On a McLean luxury sale, the same percentage gap becomes one of the largest line items in the entire transaction.
What 1.5% vs 3% actually means at McLean prices
| Sale Price | Traditional 3% Listing Fee | Jamil Brothers 1.5% | Extra in Your Pocket |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1,500,000 | $45,000 | $22,500 | $22,500 |
| $2,000,000 | $60,000 | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| $3,000,000 | $90,000 | $45,000 | $45,000 |
| $4,000,000 | $120,000 | $60,000 | $60,000 |
| $5,000,000 | $150,000 | $75,000 | $75,000 |
| $7,000,000 | $210,000 | $105,000 | $105,000 |
The post-NAR landscape: buyer agent compensation in 2026
Since the August 2024 NAR settlement took effect nationwide, buyer agent compensation is no longer automatically embedded in the seller's listing agreement. Buyer agents and their clients negotiate their own representation agreements upfront. As a seller in McLean, you have three options: offer concessions to the buyer that they can apply toward agent compensation, agree to a specific cooperative commission inside the contract, or decline to contribute. Most McLean luxury sales in 2026 still include some seller contribution to buyer-side agent compensation — typically 2–2.5% — because qualified buyers expect representation and the alternative friction can shrink the buyer pool. Your listing agent should walk you through the trade-offs in concrete numbers before you go live.
"Discount" vs. full-service — language matters
It's worth being precise. A 1.5% full-service listing fee is not a "discount." It's a different fee structure that delivers the same marketing, the same negotiation, and the same MLS exposure. Discount brokerages cut services to hit a price; full-service brokerages working at 1.5% absorb a smaller margin per transaction because volume and operational efficiency make it work. The deliverables — professional photography, drone, 3D tours, negotiation by an experienced licensed broker — are identical to what a 3% listing should produce. The difference is what you keep at closing.
Run Your McLean Savings Numbers
Choose your home's estimated value to see the side-by-side math. Closing costs and buyer agent assumptions are approximations — your actual net depends on county, transfer tax, mortgage payoff, and prep costs, but the listing fee gap is real.
Seller Savings Calculator
How much more do you keep with our 1.5% listing fee?
Select your home's estimated value to see your real net proceeds — side by side.
|
Traditional Agent — 3%
Net Proceeds $374,000
|
Jamil Brothers — 1.5%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Net Proceeds $380,000
|
|
Traditional Agent — 3%
Net Proceeds $467,500
|
Jamil Brothers — 1.5%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Net Proceeds $475,000
|
|
Traditional Agent — 3%
Net Proceeds $561,000
|
Jamil Brothers — 1.5%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Net Proceeds $570,000
|
|
Traditional Agent — 3%
Net Proceeds $701,250
|
Jamil Brothers — 1.5%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Net Proceeds $712,500
|
|
Traditional Agent — 3%
Net Proceeds $935,000
|
Jamil Brothers — 1.5%
Our Fee — Only 1.5%
Net Proceeds $950,000
|
Estimates only. Closing costs vary. Buyer's agent compensation is negotiable post-NAR settlement.
| 500+ Five-Star Reviews · Top 1% Nationwide · 840+ Homes Sold | TheJamilBrothers.com · (703) 782-4830 |
The McLean Selling Timeline — Step by Step
A McLean luxury sale, executed correctly, takes 75–110 days from first conversation to closing. Below is the timeline that works most reliably for homes between $1.5M and $5M.
Strategy & pricing call — Days 1–7
Listing agent walks the home, reviews comps, builds the pricing model and net sheet, agrees on positioning (comp-anchored, strategic underpricing, or premium-positioning), and presents the marketing plan.
Pre-listing prep — Days 7–21
Staging consultation, paint touch-ups, light landscaping refresh, pre-listing inspection (optional but recommended for $2M+), repair credits modeled into pricing.
Media production day — Day 21–25
4K photography, drone aerials, Matterport 3D, twilight, cinematic video — all captured in a single coordinated visit. Floor plans drawn the same week.
Off-market whisper — Day 25–30
Private agent-to-agent network preview before MLS go-live. Sometimes generates an off-market offer; always builds buzz before public launch.
Public MLS launch — Day 30
Thursday MLS go-live, dedicated property website, paid social campaigns, broker open house Friday, public open house Saturday/Sunday.
Active marketing window — Day 30–75
Showing coordination, weekly performance reports, price/strategy adjustments at the 30-day and 60-day marks if needed.
Offer negotiation — Day 45–75
Multiple-offer playbook if applicable, contingency review (inspection, appraisal, financing), buyer agent compensation negotiation.
Under contract — Day 60–110
Inspection period (typically 7–14 days), appraisal, repair negotiations, title/escrow coordination, walkthrough, closing.
Our seller net sheet calculator breaks down every cost on a McLean sale — listing fee, buyer agent compensation, grantor and regional transfer taxes, mortgage payoff, and prep costs — so you know your real bottom line before you list.
Closing Costs on a McLean Luxury Sale
Seller-side closing costs in Virginia are smaller than buyer-side costs, but they're not nothing — especially on a luxury sale where percentages translate to real dollars. The list below covers what shows up on a typical McLean settlement statement.
| Cost | Typical Amount | On a $2.5M Sale |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia grantor tax (state) | $1 per $1,000 of sale price | $2,500 |
| NOVA regional congestion tax | $0.15 per $100 of sale price | $3,750 |
| Settlement / title services | $1,500–$3,500 | ~$2,500 |
| HOA / condo transfer fees | $200–$800 (varies) | ~$500 |
| Prorated property taxes | Varies by closing date | ~$5,000–$10,000 |
| Mortgage payoff / lien release | Whatever's owed | Variable |
| Listing fee (1.5% with JB) | 1.5% of sale | $37,500 |
| Buyer agent compensation | 2–2.5% (negotiable post-NAR) | $50,000–$62,500 |
| Optional: home warranty | $600–$1,200 | ~$900 |
| Pre-listing inspection (optional) | $500–$800 | ~$650 |
One detail worth flagging: Virginia's grantor tax plus the NOVA regional congestion tax together add roughly 0.4% to the sale price. On a $1.5M McLean home that's $6,000; on a $5M home it's $20,000. Not huge in percentage terms, but worth modeling into your net sheet before you list.
Common Luxury Selling Mistakes
Across hundreds of McLean luxury sales, a few patterns repeat themselves. None of these are fatal individually, but together they can cost a six-figure number on a $2M+ home.
| ✓ What works | ✗ What backfires |
|---|---|
| Comp-anchored list price within 2% of midpoint | "Test the market" pricing 8–15% above comps |
| Full media production before MLS launch | Phone photos or amateur shots on a $2M+ listing |
| Staging consultation, fresh paint, light landscaping | Listing without a walkthrough or refresh |
| Pre-listing inspection for $2M+ homes | Discovering structural issues during buyer inspection |
| Coordinated Thursday launch + weekend opens | Mid-week launch with no buzz strategy |
| Price/strategy review at days 30 and 60 | Letting a stale listing sit without adjusting |
| Net sheet built before signing listing agreement | Discovering true costs after going under contract |
| Choosing agent by track record in your price band | Choosing the agent who quotes the highest list price |
How to Choose a McLean Luxury Listing Agent
The best filter is simple and unsentimental: ask every agent you interview for a written list of every transaction they've personally closed in McLean (22101, 22102) above $1.5M in the last 24 months. Track record in your specific price tier is the single best predictor of how the sale will go.
Objective evaluation criteria
Listing agent interview checklist
- ✓ How many McLean homes above $1.5M have you personally closed in the last 24 months?
- ✓ What's your average days on market and list-to-sale ratio at this price band?
- ✓ Show me three recent luxury listings — your media, your property sites, your launch sequence.
- ✓ What does your marketing package include — drone, 3D, twilight, video, property site, paid social? Is any of it an add-on?
- ✓ What's your listing fee, and what's your recommended buyer agent compensation strategy post-NAR settlement?
- ✓ Walk me through your pricing model — three comps, adjustments, recommended list price.
- ✓ What's your written 90-day plan if we don't have a strong offer by day 60?
- ✓ Who will I be communicating with — you personally, or a team member?
- ✓ Can I see your last three closed transactions' settlement statements with seller information redacted?
- ✓ What's your relocation and luxury-network reach beyond MLS?
About The Jamil Brothers Realty Group
Saad Jamil and Arslan Jamil are licensed associate brokers at Samson Properties, serving McLean and the broader Northern Virginia luxury market. The team has closed 840+ homes and $500M+ in total volume, holds NVAR Lifetime Top Producer status, ranks in the Top 1% nationwide, and carries 500+ five-star reviews across Google, Zillow, and Realtor.com. Both brothers are personally licensed in Virginia, Maryland, Washington D.C., and West Virginia. The 1.5% full-service listing program includes professional photography, drone aerials, Matterport 3D tours, twilight photography for $1.5M+ homes, cinematic video, dedicated property websites, broker-led negotiation, and full MLS marketing — with no service tradeoffs.
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Selling a luxury home in McLean is a multi-six-figure decision, and the difference between a strategic sale and a passive one usually comes down to three things: pricing precision against current comps, marketing that actually meets the standard luxury buyers expect, and a commission structure that fits your price band. Those decisions are easier to make with real numbers in front of you — your current home value, your projected net sheet, and a side-by-side comparison of fee structures.
The Jamil Brothers Realty Group provides a full McLean seller consultation at no cost or obligation: street-level comp analysis, projected net proceeds at multiple price scenarios, and a walk-through of the 1.5% full-service program. No pressure, no commitment, just clear numbers and clear options before you make any decisions.
Know your equity, understand your costs, and see exactly what you'll walk away with — before you make any decisions. Street-level comp analysis, McLean-specific tax modeling, and a side-by-side fee comparison.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the typical commission to sell a luxury home in McLean, VA?
Traditional listing agents in McLean typically charge 2.5–3% of the sale price. The Jamil Brothers Realty Group offers a 1.5% full-service listing program that includes professional photography, drone video, 3D tours, expert negotiation, and full MLS marketing. On a $3M McLean home, the math difference between 3% and 1.5% is $45,000 — money the seller keeps at closing. Buyer-side compensation is separate and is negotiable in every transaction since the August 2024 NAR settlement.
How long does it take to sell a luxury home in McLean?
For McLean homes between $1M and $2M, median days on market is roughly 30–45 days in 2026. For homes above $3M, that climbs to 60–90 days. Above $5M, expect 90–180 days for the right buyer to find the home. The full timeline from first conversation with a listing agent to closing typically runs 75–110 days for a well-priced, well-marketed McLean luxury sale.
What does the 1.5% full-service listing program actually include?
The Jamil Brothers Realty Group's 1.5% full-service listing fee covers 4K professional photography, drone aerial photography and video, Matterport 3D tours, twilight photography for $1.5M+ homes, cinematic property video, dedicated property website, professionally designed brochures, paid social distribution targeted at relocation feeders, agent-to-agent luxury network outreach, full MLS syndication, and broker-led negotiation by licensed associate brokers Saad and Arslan Jamil. Nothing is reduced, removed, or treated as an add-on.
How did the NAR settlement change selling in McLean?
The August 2024 National Association of Realtors settlement changed how buyer agent compensation is offered and disclosed. Buyer agent compensation is no longer automatically embedded in the listing agreement — sellers can choose whether to offer it, and at what level. In practice, most McLean luxury sales in 2026 still include a 2–2.5% seller contribution toward buyer agent compensation, because qualified buyers expect representation. Your listing agent should walk you through the trade-offs before you go live and frame it inside your full net sheet.
What are seller closing costs in McLean, VA?
Seller closing costs in McLean typically include the Virginia state grantor tax ($1 per $1,000 of sale price), the NOVA regional congestion tax ($0.15 per $100 of sale price), settlement and title services ($1,500–$3,500), HOA or condo transfer fees ($200–$800 if applicable), prorated property taxes, and any mortgage payoff or lien release. On a $2.5M sale, total Virginia transfer taxes alone come to about $6,250. Add listing fee and buyer agent compensation and you have the full picture of what gets deducted from your gross sale price.
Should I get a pre-listing inspection on my McLean home?
For homes above $2M, a pre-listing inspection is usually worth the $500–$800 cost. It lets you identify and quietly address material issues — HVAC, roof, structural — before a buyer's inspector finds them and creates negotiation leverage during the contract period. It also lets you decide whether to repair, disclose, or price-in any findings. For homes below $1.5M in McLean, it's a judgment call based on the home's age and condition.
What's the best way to price a McLean luxury home in 2026?
Comp-anchored pricing is the default in McLean — identify three to five closed sales within the last 90–120 days that match yours on bedroom count, lot size, finish level, and school pyramid, then adjust for differences. Strategic underpricing works well in the $1.4M–$2.2M range when the home is move-in ready and the pocket is desirable. Premium positioning is reserved for true estates or one-of-one architecture, where a longer 90–180 day market window is acceptable. Overpricing 8–15% above comps almost always backfires through extended DOM and absorbed price reductions.
Do HOA fees and special assessments affect a McLean luxury sale?
Most McLean luxury homes are single-family detached without HOAs, but several specific pockets — Country Club Hills, parts of Salona Village, and some newer custom build communities — do have HOA structures. If your home has an HOA, expect a Virginia Property Owners' Association Act disclosure packet to be required, transfer fees in the $200–$800 range, and a buyer inspection period (typically three to seven days) during which they can review the HOA documents and walk away if dissatisfied. Special assessments that have been voted on but not yet collected must be disclosed.
How should I choose between several McLean listing agents?
Weight track record in your specific price tier above everything else. Ask each agent for a written list of McLean transactions they've personally closed in 22101 and 22102 above $1.5M in the last 24 months. Then look at the media on three of their recent listings — if drone, 3D, twilight, and a dedicated property website aren't standard, that's a marketing gap. Don't choose based on who quotes the highest list price; the agent who's most willing to inflate the number is usually the agent most willing to talk you into a $50K–$100K price reduction sixty days later.
What's the biggest mistake McLean luxury sellers make?
Overpricing to "test the market." At McLean luxury price points, every week sitting at the wrong price absorbs negotiating leverage that's almost impossible to recover. Buyers and their agents track days on market closely above $2M; a home that sits 60+ days at an inflated price becomes a target for low offers, not a premium positioning play. Pricing within 2% of comp-adjusted midpoint, paired with strong media and a coordinated launch, almost always nets more than aggressive pricing with hopeful patience.
Is the McLean market still favorable to sellers in 2026?
Yes, McLean continues to favor sellers in 2026, especially in the $1.2M–$2.5M range where qualified buyer demand consistently outpaces inventory. List-to-sale ratios remain at roughly 97% across the market, and well-presented homes in the Langley and McLean High School pyramids see strong activity within the first two weeks. Above $3M the market thins to a smaller qualified buyer pool, but cash purchases (roughly 38% of luxury sales) and relocation demand from New York, Northern California, and overseas continue to support prices.
Can I sell my McLean home for cash if I need to close quickly?
Yes. If timing, condition, or certainty matters more than maximum price, a cash offer can close in two to three weeks with no contingencies. The trade-off is price — cash offers in McLean typically come in 5–12% below market value. The Jamil Brothers will model both options for you side by side: the projected market sale net proceeds with a 75–110 day timeline, and a cash offer net at a faster timeline. That way the decision is based on numbers, not pressure.
Glossary
Grantor tax
Virginia's state-level transfer tax paid by the seller at closing, $1 per $1,000 of sale price.
NOVA regional congestion tax
An additional Northern Virginia transfer tax of $0.15 per $100 of sale price, paid by the seller.
Comp-anchored pricing
A pricing strategy that sets list price within 1–2% of the median of three to five recently closed comparable sales.
Days on market (DOM)
The number of consecutive days a listing has been active on the MLS — a key signal that luxury buyers and agents track.
List-to-sale ratio
The percentage of the original list price that the home actually sold for; a market-strength indicator.
School pyramid
The elementary, middle, and high school combination assigned to a home; in McLean, the Langley and McLean pyramids both command price premiums.
NAR settlement
The August 2024 legal settlement that changed how buyer agent compensation is offered and disclosed; cooperative commission is now negotiable on every transaction.
Matterport 3D tour
A virtual walkthrough that lets remote buyers explore the home interactively; standard equipment for luxury listings in 2026.
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