Northern Virginia contract trends, updated weekly
Northern Virginia Housing Market: Weekly Contract Trends
A contract-stage view of Northern Virginia real estate before closing. We review Cardinal Title Group's Northern Virginia contract trends to explain pricing, contingencies, concessions, and transaction timing. These agreements offer an earlier look at the transactions in this sample than waiting for their completed-sale results.
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Northern Virginia Contract Trends: September 15–21, 2026
Contracts received to .
Contracts received
Sept 15–21, 2026
Not necessarily signed, ratified, or closed in this period
Northern Virginia contract count
Not provided by Cardinal
Percentages only; sample size unknown
These figures cover Cardinal's reported Northern Virginia contracts only, not all Northern Virginia transactions. Cardinal did not provide a Northern Virginia contract count for this period.
Disclosure. Data: Cardinal Title Group, used with permission. Commentary: The Jamil Brothers Realty Group. The Jamil Brothers Realty Group has a business affiliation and paid business arrangement with Cardinal Title Group.
This week's quick answer
Contract-price outcomes were mixed in Cardinal's reported Northern Virginia contracts: 48% were below list price, 19% at list, and 33% above. Buyer protections were common, with 80% including a financing contingency, 67% an appraisal contingency, and 61% a home inspection contingency.
A single-week snapshot of one title company's sample, not a measure of the full market or evidence of a market shift.
48%
Below list price
Contract price, not final sale price.
33%
Above list price
19% were at list price.
80%
Financing contingency
Of reported contracts included one.
22%
Seller subsidy
Present. Amounts not reported.
This week in charts
Every bar uses the same 0–100% scale, and every value is written out, so no chart depends on color alone.
Contract price vs. list price
Where each reported contract price landed compared with the list price.
Does not show the size of any discount or premium, or the final sale price.
- Lower than list 48%
- At list price 19%
- Higher than list 33%
Days on market
How long homes in this contract sample were on the market before going under contract.
Bands as reported. No average or median, and nothing about homes still for sale.
- 0–7 days 37%
- 8–21 days 9%
- 22+ days 54%
Contingencies included
The share of reported contracts that included each buyer protection.
Each bar is separate; they are not parts of one total. "No contingency" does not mean no appraisal or inspection happened.
Financing vs. cash
86% financing, 14% cash. Separate from contingency status; does not show loan type or down payment.
Seller subsidy present
22% of reported contracts. Only the yes share is reported; it shows presence, not the amount or what the subsidy paid for.
Every reported figure at a glance
| Measure | Reported share | What it does and does not tell you |
|---|---|---|
| Contract price vs. list price | 48% lower than list; 19% at list; 33% higher than list | Contract prices, not final sale prices. Does not show the size of any discount or premium. |
| Days on market | 37% at 0–7 days; 9% at 8–21 days; 54% at 22+ days | Describes homes in this contract sample, not unsold inventory or every listing. |
| Financing contingency | 80% yes; 20% no | No financing contingency does not necessarily mean a cash purchase. |
| Appraisal contingency | 67% yes; 33% no | No appraisal contingency does not mean no appraisal took place. |
| Home inspection contingency | 61% yes; 39% no | No inspection contingency does not mean no inspection took place. |
| Financing vs. cash | 86% financing; 14% cash | Separate from contingency status. Does not show loan type or down payment. |
| Seller subsidy | 22% yes | Shows presence only, not the amount or what it paid for. |
| Contract to close | 8% at 10–15 days; 36% at 16–30 days; 46% at 31–60 days; 10% at 60+ days | Bands shown exactly as reported. Whether these are scheduled or completed timelines is still being confirmed with Cardinal, so they should not be used to predict a closing date. |
What changed
This report is our starting snapshot; no verified prior-period comparison is included.
What buyers can take from this
Pricing your offer
48% of reported contracts were below list price and 33% were above. In this sample, the list price alone did not show where a contract would land. Before deciding where to start, ask how the home compares with recent nearby sales.
Reading time on market
37% of homes went under contract within 7 days, while 54% took 22 days or longer. The report does not say why. Ask how long the specific home has been listed; it is useful context, not a verdict on the home.
Keeping your protections
80% of contracts included a financing contingency, 67% an appraisal contingency, and 61% a home inspection contingency. Decide on each one based on your financing, your cash cushion, and your comfort with risk, not on what other buyers did.
Asking for seller help
Seller subsidies appeared in 22% of reported contracts. Whether to ask depends on the home and your offer. The report shows no amounts, so it can't tell you what a typical request is.
Discuss My Offer StrategyWhat sellers can take from this
Pricing against your competition
One-third of reported contracts were above list price and nearly half were below. That spread suggests pricing relative to your home's real competition matters more than any single regional figure. A regional sample can't establish your home's value.
Preparing from day one
37% of homes in this sample went under contract within 7 days, and 54% took 22 days or longer. The report does not explain the difference, so plan your pricing, preparation, and launch before your home goes live.
Comparing offers beyond price
86% of reported contracts used financing, and most included contingencies. Compare offers on their terms, deadlines, and conditions, not only the headline price.
Planning for credit requests
Seller subsidies were present in 22% of contracts. Decide ahead of time how you would weigh a credit request against price and other terms.
Request a Local Pricing ReviewComparing your selling costs
Market conditions are only one part of a sale; your listing fee is another cost you can compare. The Jamil Brothers Realty Group offers full-service listing fees starting at 1.5%.
For qualifying properties with an agreed list price of $500,000 or more at the time of listing. Rates and terms may vary based on the property and services selected. Final listing fee and terms are established in the executed listing agreement. Commissions are negotiable and not set by law. The advertised fee is listing-side only and excludes other selling costs and any separately negotiated buyer-broker compensation.
Limitations: These figures describe Cardinal Title Group's reported Northern Virginia contracts received September 15–21, 2026, as printed in its Contract Trends report. They are contract-stage figures, not completed sale prices, and may differ from conditions in a specific neighborhood, price range, or property type. The number of Northern Virginia contracts was not provided.
How to read this report
Each measure answers one narrow question about the contracts in Cardinal's sample. Here is what each one covers, and what it can't tell you.
Contract price vs. list price
Whether the agreed contract price was lower than, at, or higher than the list price. It is not the final sale price, and it does not show how far above or below list a contract landed.
Days on market
How long homes in the sample were listed before going under contract, grouped into bands. It describes homes that went under contract, not homes still for sale.
Contingencies
Conditions that let a buyer exit or renegotiate if financing, the appraisal, or the inspection falls short. Having no contingency does not mean no appraisal or inspection took place.
Financing vs. cash
Whether the purchase used financing or cash. It is reported separately from contingencies and says nothing about loan type or down payment.
Seller subsidy
Whether the contract included a seller subsidy. The report shows only whether one was present, not how much it was or what it paid for.
Contract to close
Time bands between contract and closing as printed by Cardinal. We are confirming whether these are scheduled or completed timelines, so we show them without interpretation.
Northern Virginia · Market FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Straight answers about what Cardinal Title Group's contract data can and can't tell Northern Virginia buyers and sellers.
What is this page based on?
Cardinal Title Group's weekly Contract Trends report, using only the panels labeled Northern Virginia. The commentary is written by The Jamil Brothers Realty Group.
Does this show the whole Northern Virginia market?
No. It covers the Northern Virginia contracts in Cardinal's report, which is one title company's sample. Cardinal does not publish a Northern Virginia contract count.
Why look at contracts instead of closed sales?
Contracts come before closing, so they give an earlier look at the transactions in this sample than waiting for their completed-sale results.
If many contracts are below list, are home values falling?
Not necessarily. The share below list does not measure the size of any discount, a sale-to-list ratio, or a change in values. One week of data can't establish a trend.
What does "contracts received" mean?
The contracts Cardinal received during the reporting period. They were not necessarily signed, ratified, or closed during that period.
Is this MLS data?
No. These figures come from Cardinal Title Group's Contract Trends report, not the MLS, so they may not match MLS-based market reports.
How often is this page updated?
We update the weekly section when Cardinal Title Group publishes a new Contract Trends report. Each update shows the exact dates of the contracts it covers.
Can this tell me what my home is worth?
No. A regional sample can't establish the value of a particular home. For that, request a home value review based on your property and nearby sales.
About this sample
This is a snapshot of Cardinal Title Group's reported Northern Virginia contracts, not the entire Northern Virginia housing market. Sample size, property mix, and neighborhood conditions can vary. A title-company sample cannot establish the value of a particular home. Unless Cardinal provides a regional count, the number of Northern Virginia contracts is not available.
Source and relationship
Data: Cardinal Title Group, used with permission. Commentary: The Jamil Brothers Realty Group. The Jamil Brothers Realty Group has a business affiliation and paid business arrangement with Cardinal Title Group.
*Listing fees start at 1.5% for qualifying properties with an agreed list price of $500,000 or more at the time of listing. Rates and terms may vary based on the property and services selected. Final listing fee and terms are established in the executed listing agreement. Commissions are negotiable and not set by law.
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