Fewer Homes for Sale in DuFief, a Few More Across North Potomac
DuFief's inventory dropped to 2.4 months as of September 30, down from 3.2 in July. Two homes closed, and the newest listings moved quickly; one went under contract in under two weeks.
North Potomac moved the other way. Inventory rose to 2.86 months in September, up from about 2.6 in August. Both are still seller's markets, but buyers across the broader area have a little more to choose from than they did a month ago.
Homes sold this period: two 4-bedroom single-family homes, ~2,000 and ~3,400 finished sq. ft.
This edition covers two months, because August was quiet: no DuFief homes closed. September brought two closings, and they tell opposite stories.
The first was a larger, well-kept colonial on a cul-de-sac. It listed at $995,000 with an offer deadline, went under contract in 5 days, and closed at $1,025,000, 103% of list, with no seller concessions.
The second, a 1970s contemporary, listed at $749,900. After a price reduction and 47 days on the market, it closed at $700,000, about 93% of its original price, with the seller also contributing toward repairs.
Same neighborhood, same month, very different results. The homes differed in size and age, but how each was prepared and priced from day one did much of the work.
Year-to-date, the neighborhood has seen 11 sales at a median of $795,000.
North Potomac's September numbers point the same direction. The median sold price was $883,500, down 7% from August, and the sold-to-list ratio slipped to 99.7%. Yet homes spent a median of just 7 days on the market. Well-priced homes are still moving fast; buyers just aren't stretching above asking the way they were in years previous.
Shut Off Outdoor Faucets Before the First Freeze
A hose left attached overnight in a hard freeze can trap water in the faucet, and that ice can crack the pipe inside your wall, where you won't see the leak until spring. Disconnect hoses now. If your outdoor faucet has a shutoff valve inside the house, close it, then open the outside faucet to let it drain. Even "frost-free" faucets need the hose removed to drain properly.
The First Few Weeks Set the Price
Of DuFief's 11 sales this year, the nine homes that went under contract within four weeks all sold at or above their original list price. The two that took longer both sold at about 93%. Buyers pay the most attention to a listing when it's new, so the prep work and pricing conversation before launch matter more than anything you can fix after.
Mortgage Rates Climb Back Above 7%
National · Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate reached 7.40% for the week of October 8, up from 7.28% the week before and 6.30% a year ago. On a $640,000 loan (roughly an $800,000 home with 20% down), that one-year change adds about $470 a month to principal and interest.
For buyers, it's worth getting a fresh pre-approval rather than relying on numbers from the spring. For sellers, it helps explain why buyers are watching list prices closely, and why a well-priced home still draws quick attention.
Real DuFief sale prices and what they mean, once a month. No sales pitch.
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