Washington-area real estate saw a bump in activity last month, per a new BrightMLS report — a ray of sunshine after a gloomy stretch.

Why it matters: The local market has been sluggish in the wake of federal government cuts and economic worries.

State of play: The DMV's April market saw more sales, listings and showings compared to a year ago, per Bright.

What they're saying: Sure, the bump is partly due to the typical busy spring market, Bright MLS chief economist Lisa Sturtevant tells Axios. But many people who've been waiting on the sidelines are now jumping in to take advantage of recent stable rates and slower price growth.

• "I think we're going to see the tailwinds of pent-up demand beat the headwinds of economic uncertainty and volatility," says Sturtevant.

By the numbers: Pending DMV sales were up 9.3% last month compared to April 2025.

• New listings were up 7.1% year-over-year — a potential sign of more activity to come, says Sturtevant: "Sellers usually lead buyers."

🔍 Zoom in: D.C. and Prince George's County are performing weaker than other local jurisdictions.

• Median sale price was down 1% year-over-year in Prince George's, and almost 12% in D.C.
• And they both had the area's highest median days on market in April: 21 for Prince George's, and 18 for D.C.
• Why? Likely because D.C. has a lot of condos — difficult to sell right now — and because both places have a high number of federal workers affected by layoffs, says Sturtevant.

Meanwhile, the Northern Virginia 'burbs and Montgomery County are still looking strong, she says.

🔮 What we're watching: "It's kind of a wait-and-see," says Sturtevant. "Which wins out? The pent-up demand or the economic uncertainty and fragility in people's economic situations?"

• "For those who are feeling economically in a good place, there's going to be opportunities to be a buyer in this market, for sure."

The bottom line: "There is a surprising resiliency in the D.C.-area housing market that we weren't sure we would see after the concerns in last year's market," says Sturtevant.

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D.C. schools are leading the country in post-pandemic academic recovery, according to a new report.

The big picture: Despite the top national ranking, D.C. students are still performing below pre-pandemic levels, and chronic absenteeism remains a serious problem.

👩‍🏫 Driving the news: A new district-level Education Scorecard report from Stanford's Educational Opportunity Project offers a national snapshot of how school systems have recovered — or struggled — from 2022 through 2025.

• The report combines state test data from roughly 35 million students in grades 3–8 across more than 35 states and D.C.
• D.C. public and charter schools ranked No. 1 nationally in both math and reading growth between 2022 and 2025.
• Still, students remain below pre-pandemic performance in both subjects.

What they're saying: "We made some really big bets coming out of the pandemic," D.C.'s State Superintendent Antoinette Mitchell told Axios.

• D.C. invested heavily in high-impact tutoring, literacy reforms and teacher support using federal recovery dollars — programs and initiatives Mitchell said the city has continued to fund after federal aid expired.

💰 Follow the money: D.C. received roughly $600 million in federal pandemic relief for K–12 schools, per the report — about $6,800 per student, among the highest per-pupil investments in the country.

• The report found many gains in high-poverty schools driven by that support.

Yes, but: Recovery remains uneven.

• Chronic absenteeism peaked above 46% in 2022 and remains just under 40%, well above pre-pandemic levels.
• DCPS ranks in the 27th percentile nationally in math achievement and the 45th percentile in reading achievement, despite leading the nation in growth.

The bottom line: "Our job is not done," Mitchell said. "We know that when kids are in school, they learn, and when they're not in school, they don't."

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🪫 Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed a sweeping energy bill aimed at lowering electric costs through utility reforms, reducing energy-efficiency surcharges and expanding renewable energy development. The law also increases oversight of utility spending and requires large data centers to help cover costs. (Maryland Matters)

💲 D.C.'s attorney general secured a $1.25 million judgment against a former H Street Community Development Corporation executive director for improperly diverting nonprofit funds to pay himself. The recovered funds will be returned to affordable housing and economic development efforts in the H Street corridor. (City Paper)

🧷 Today in stinky diaper news: Virginia might soon require all public bathrooms to have baby-changing tables, should a state proposal pass. But first — a public weigh-in, then a final vote. (Virginia Mercury)

The Smithsonian Castle is temporarily reopening on the National Mall next week after a years-long closure, complete with historic treasures and New England eats.

Why it matters: If Amelia Earhart's flight suit doesn't lure you in, maybe lobster rolls inside the Smithsonian's oldest building will.

The big picture: The Smithsonian is going big for America's 250th anniversary, reopening some of its most beloved landmarks on the south side of the Mall amid major renovations.

• The Castle will be open to the public from May 22 to Sept. 7.
• The Smithsonian carousel returned in late April after a major restoration.
• The Arts and Industries Building — the Smithsonian's second-oldest building — reopens June 16 for public programming until Sept. 7.

Zoom in: The Castle first opened in 1855 and was designed by James Renwick Jr., a Gothic Revival mastermind you can thank for the Renwick Gallery and St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York. It housed the first Smithsonian museum.

• Visitors can explore the restored Great Hall and "American Aspirations" (June 2–July 26), a new exhibition co-curated by Smithsonian secretary Lonnie Bunch.
• The exhibit features iconic artifacts tied to the nation's founding and evolution, including Thomas Jefferson's writing desk, Amelia Earhart's flight suit and a model of the Statue of Liberty.

The intrigue: Mall food is getting upgraded, including the Castle's new Summer Shack.

• The café will serve New England-style eats daily (9am-4:30pm) like lobster or spiced shrimp rolls, chowder, chili dogs and whoopie pies.

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