Inventory rises nearly 20% locally as sales and prices soften, while national market posts modest gains

FAIRFAX, Va., Aug. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Northern Virginia's housing market continued to diverge from national trends in July, with a significant increase in available homes giving buyers more choices while sales and prices edged lower, according to the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors. The contrast was particularly pronounced in inventory. Northern Virginia active listings increased 19.6% from a year ago, while national inventory declined 0.6%. Locally, the growth in inventory was driven primarily by condos and attached homes.