The DMV will likely see more home sales and inventory next year — but also higher prices, per Bright MLS' 2025 housing market outlook.

The big picture: Local real estate activity is expected to continue picking up after sales and inventory decreased post-COVID, due to would-be buyers and sellers sitting on the sidelines amid climbing rates and prices.

• One catalyst: Mortgage rates are expected to drop next year, per Bright, which forecasts more homes will hit the market from sellers waiting for lower rates.
• But there's also pent-up demand from buyers who have similarly been crossing their fingers for a lower mortgage rate, meaning home prices will stay high.

The intrigue: One potential reason for increased DMV sales activity — workers moving closer to offices amid the switch from WFH to IRL, predicts the report.

• Vivek Ramaswamy, who's co-leading the Department of Government Efficiency task force alongside Elon Musk, has called for federal workers to be in offices five days a week. Same with local employers Amazon and The Post.

By the numbers: The median home sale price in the D.C. region is expected to jump from $609,700 in 2024 to $638,310 in 2025 — a 4.7% increase.

• The number of home sales is expected to jump from 49,630 to 53,550 — a 7.9% spike.
• And the number of end-of-year active listings is predicted to go from 5,710 to 6,507 — a 14% jump.

Yes, but: Don't get too jazzed — the DMV's forecasted end-of-year housing supply for 2024 and 2025 is still below pre-COVID levels. So are the number of anticipated home sales for this year and next year.

What we're watching: While mortgage rates are likely to decrease, it's also possible they'll be volatile, which could affect the market, per the report.

• Plus: "There is a possibility of economic uncertainty growing in the coming year, and some individuals and families are going to feel less financially secure," says the report.

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D.C. was a WFH hotspot in 2023, but that could change.

The big picture: More than 1 in 5 workers in some U.S. cities were still clocking in from home as of last year, per the latest census data.

Why it matters: Remote and hybrid schedules have made work versus life an easier equation for many Americans, like busy working parents — but they were never enjoyed equally nationwide.

Yes, but: The trend over the last few months has been a slow but steady return to the land of cubicles.

What's next: As we mentioned, the incoming Trump administration is likely to push the country's federal workforce back into the office — largely as a way to trim headcount.

• That could especially affect D.C.'s ranking here.

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A new United terminal will take off at Dulles International Airport in late 2026, fueled by more than a half-billion dollars.

Why it matters: The project is a first-class upgrade for the region's largest jetliner and airport, with new travelers' amenities and expanded services.

The big picture: Concourse E — a joint project between United and the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority — funded through federal and local contributions, is part of a $9 billion innovation plan for Dulles and Reagan National airports.

• United has been in growth mode: expanding and upgrading its presence at airports nationwide, including in Denver, Houston and Newark, N.J.

Zoom in: The new wing will boast 14 United gates, providing additional space for the airline's fresh, roomier fleet of planes. It will have direct access to the Aerotrain station (no people movers!) for smooth traveling.

• Other amenities include upgraded concessions and retail, and more gate seating.
• Of course, there's a luxe lounge — the airport trend du jour. The new 40,000-square-foot United Club will be the largest in its network.

Plus: More flights!

🏈 To complicate matters, Maryland's senators want D.C. to give the state one of its Air National Guard squadrons, in exchange for not opposing the RFK bill in Congress that would allow a new football stadium. (Washington Post)

🥫 Meanwhile, the Commanders hired a new team president: Mark Clouse, who has been CEO of The Campbell's Company since 2019. (ESPN)

🏆 Chef Kwame Onwuachi's new Afro-Caribbean restaurant near the Wharf, Dōgon, is among Esquire's 35 "Best New Restaurants in America." The Wharf-adjacent spot wooed critics with berbere spice chicken and hoe crab. (Esquire)

🎵 Kendrick Lamar and SZA are coming to Northwest Stadium on June 18. Tickets go on sale at 10am Friday. (Axios)

☕ Sip on these upcoming events.

"Brilliant Exile Isadora Duncan in Paris" - Word Dance Theater performance at La Maison Française on Dec 12: The performance will be followed by a discussion with Robyn Asleson, curator of the exhibition Brilliant Exiles: American Women in Paris 1900-1939 at the National Portrait Gallery. $15-$25.

Christmas Illuminations at George Washington's Mount Vernon Dec 20-22: Kick off the holiday season with sparkling fireworks overlooking the Potomac River at George Washington's estate. Meet Aladdin the camel and shop at a winter market. $58.

Planning an event? Email [email protected].

Christmas tree prices peak around Thanksgiving and mostly fall thereafter, new data shows.

Why it matters: For the live tree lovers among us, timing your annual purchase is a delicate balance between prices and how long you'll get to enjoy a majestic pine or spruce in your living room.

By the numbers: The average Christmas tree went for a high of around $131 on Thanksgiving last year, then fell to about $55 by Christmas Eve.

• That's based on data from payments firm Square, which gathered info from more than 3,000 tree merchants.

Between the lines: Actual local prices depend on several factors, including the success of nearby growers' annual yields.

• Certain varieties or crops may be more vulnerable to the drought conditions plaguing much of the country this fall, for example.

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