The Week In Review: March 17, 2026

GLOBAL UNCERTAINTY. DC STABILITY.

Periods of global uncertainty tend to reveal which markets are built on momentum - and which are built on foundations. With geopolitical tensions rising, energy prices fluctuating, and global capital moving more cautiously across borders, it would be reasonable to expect the housing market to be slowing.

Instead, it continues to show surprising resilience. Pending home sales are up 4.2% year over year, the strongest increase in more than fifteen months. Mortgage purchase applications are running roughly 10% higher than last year, an early signal that buyer activity is quietly strengthening.

At the same time, inventory remains constrained compared with normal pre-2020 levels. New listings are still coming to market at a slower pace than what was typical from 2013–2019.

Even with mortgage rates hovering around 6%, buyers appear to be adjusting to the new normal. The result is a market that feels more balanced than the frenzy of the past few years - but still very much active.

Meanwhile, the global backdrop continues to shift. Conflict in the Middle East, political uncertainty in parts of Europe, and increasing tax pressure on wealth in places like London are prompting investors around the world to reassess where they want to place their capital. Against that backdrop, the US - and the Capital region in particular - stand to benefit.

Unlike the dramatic cycles seen in many global markets, Washington real estate has long moved at a slower, steadier pace. The region is anchored by the federal government, diplomatic installations, defense and policy infrastructure, major data and tech centers, and a deep base of highly educated professionals.

In other words, our market rests on structural stability rather than speculative momentum. Unlike cities dependent on a single industry, the Capital Region draws strength from multiple sectors, creating one of the most durable economic foundations in the country.

In periods of global uncertainty, capital tends to gravitate toward predictable environments. Washington has quietly been one of those places for decades.

While DC is rarely the hottest market in the country, over time it has often been one of the most stable.