Source: MRIS Trends in Housing, Midyear 2008 Report

"Washington's for-sale housing market has largely outperformed the national downturn, and a strong regional economy will cushion the soft housing sector
and position it for a strong rebound."

Source: The Washington Post 9.7.08 

"If you've been watching for the fleeting, best time to buy a home, this fall may be it, especially if you're a first-timer.

That's not because all is suddenly well with the housing market. It's not. But there are signs that things are starting to stabilize. Pair that with limited-time-only offers from the government, and this fall's market looks awfully tempting for buyers.

For example, even though the Federal Housing Administration recently boosted its loan limits to $729,750 in expensive areas such as Washington, it's going to take some of that back come Jan. 1, when the loan limit will shrink to $625,500.

Because it's one of the few remaining alternatives for buyers with low down payments, the FHA is a mainstay of the mortgage market now. It accounted for 29 percent of all applications accepted by lenders in July, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The FHA allows down payments of as little as 3 percent, but that will rise to 3.5 percent as of Oct. 1. If you're scraping dollars together for a down payment, try to set your closing for the end of this month..."

Source: CNNMoney.com  6.23.08

"...a national trend of high gas prices playing a major role in where people choose to live. Factors like distance from work, access to public transportation, and proximity to shopping are gaining ground on square footage and whether or not the home has a yard and pushing people into more densely packed areas."