The gap widened slightly in August, and in the battle for real-estate supremacy in the Mid-Atlantic, Fairfax County looks destined again to play bridesmaid to Philadelphia’s bride.
In January-through-August sales data reported by Bright MLS, Philadelphia had recorded 9,432 home sales to Fairfax’s 8,104. The two traditionally are the top performers among the roughly 70 counties and cities across the Mid-Atlantic tracked by Bright MLS.
In August, Philadelphia’s home-sales total of 1,179 was up slightly while Fairfax’s total of 1,024 was down nearly 7 percent. Both, however, were well behind the nation’s most populous local jurisdiction – 2,977 properties changed hands in Los Angeles County, Calif., according to Greater Los Angeles Realtors, using data from Vesta Plus.
But back to the Mid-Atlantic: Including August’s totals, for the year Fairfax is down 3 percent year-to-date while Fairfax is up 0.4 percent.
Over the years, Fairfax typically has been in the No. 2 position, sales-wise, in year-end tallies. With one exception: 2020.
That year, Fairfax outpaced Philadelphia in overall sales, perhaps because Virginia had fewer COVID restrictions than Pennsylvania and its economy rebounded more quickly.
In 2020, Fairfax posted 16,739 sales, Philadelphia 16,317.
But it was merely a one-off. Philadelphia retook the top spot in 2021, if not by much (19,904 to 19,407) and held it again by wider margins in 2022 and 2023.
Figures represent most, but not all, homes on the market. The latest figures are preliminary and subject to revision.
