On the market for less than paid for

[Anonymous]

In bubbles like the past several years, people tend to forget that you should only buy if you plan to live in the house for 10 years. Of course life sometimes gets in the way, and plans get derailed, but I think many people in the past several years just figured that prices would go up indefinitely.

In any event, the location of this house is not great. Too close to the beltway, and across the street from a school sports field. But it's a beautiful house for someone who doesn't mind those issues.

[Anonymous]

We had a townhouse in our HOA sell this month for 5% over the sale price for another townhome with the same layout that sold in 2023.

Median sale prices in September 2025 are still above sale prices in September 2023.

Market is certainly cooling down and not rising as fast, probably slower than inflation so going down on real terms.

We'll see what happens in the spring market. My guess is it won't be pretty but won't be catastrophic either though I guess that assumes the shutdown ends by then.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We had a townhouse in our HOA sell this month for 5% over the sale price for another townhome with the same layout that sold in 2023.

Median sale prices in September 2025 are still above sale prices in September 2023.

Market is certainly cooling down and not rising as fast, probably slower than inflation so going down on real terms.

We'll see what happens in the spring market. My guess is it won't be pretty but won't be catastrophic either though I guess that assumes the shutdown ends by then.

I live in a townhouse, and it's the same in my community. But I think that's because townhouses are hot again (they weren't really that hot during covid) now that people have to commute to work again (townhouses tend to be in areas that are convenient to mass transit) and aren't spending most of their time at home. I think townhouses may be doing better than SFHs right now.

[Anonymous]

There's no bubble. Housing prices have pretty much tracked inflation plus maybe 10% over the past decade.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had a townhouse in our HOA sell this month for 5% over the sale price for another townhome with the same layout that sold in 2023.

Median sale prices in September 2025 are still above sale prices in September 2023.

Market is certainly cooling down and not rising as fast, probably slower than inflation so going down on real terms.

We'll see what happens in the spring market. My guess is it won't be pretty but won't be catastrophic either though I guess that assumes the shutdown ends by then.

I live in a townhouse, and it's the same in my community. But I think that's because townhouses are hot again (they weren't really that hot during covid) now that people have to commute to work again (townhouses tend to be in areas that are convenient to mass transit) and aren't spending most of their time at home. I think townhouses may be doing better than SFHs right now.

Good point, SFH sale prices in MoCo from September 2025 seem to be right where they were in September 2023 whereas townhouses are up about $75k (eyeballing from a line chart)
https://www.redfin.com/county/1324/MD/Montgomery-County/housing-market

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If the bubble isn’t popping, it’s certainly deflating. They paid $1,110,500 in June 2023, which was $115,500 over the list price. In May 2025 it was listed for $1,275,000. Now it’s down to $1,099,000. What do we think it will end up selling for?

https://redf.in/0CXELD

The house is listed $100K above its last asking price in 2023. The fact buyer went nuts in a bidding war and paid $115,500 over asking has nothing to do with value.

[Anonymous]

In a market like this where buyers have less competition and can pick a house they really like, houses next to a loud major road or highway suffer the most.

This one is so close to 66, you would hear it constantly when out trying to enjoy your backyard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In a market like this where buyers have less competition and can pick a house they really like, houses next to a loud major road or highway suffer the most.

This one is so close to 66, you would hear it constantly when out trying to enjoy your backyard.

Whoops, meant 495. It is also directly next to a school and sports fields so you get noise from practice and games every afternoon/evening, plus lots of car nuisance because (unfortunately) many kids are driven to/from schools in individual vehicles, turning bordering streets of schools into what feels like airport pick up/drop off zones

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not sure how NIH is a draw or selling point given they fired so many.

Agents need to wake up.

Average NIH employees buying for the first time can’t afford these prices anyways.

Pretty much. Only the longer term NIH staff could afford to live closer back in the day. And now with so many fired or retired....

Surprised Realtors haven't realized this.

[Anonymous]

Way too close to 495. Closer-in will not have the same issue methinks.

[Anonymous]

Maybe strategically pricing for a bidding war or desperate to sell, these are are challenging times and so many are leaving MD due to COL.