In anticipation of the coming Amazon headquarters, Alexandria and Arlington, Va., have become the nation’s two most competitive housing markets, National Mortgage News reports.
It's hardest for buyers to win a home in Alexandria and Arlington, cities near Washington's Reagan National Airport and close to where Amazon is building its East Coast headquarters, according to a study by Redfin Corp. The brokerage's analysis factored in bidding wars, waived contingencies, above-list-price offers and how fast properties went under contract.
Homes that sold last month were on the market for a median 11 days in Arlington and 14 days in Alexandria, about a week less than in the previous July for both locations. That compares with 27 days in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area and 38 days nationally. About 57% of homes near Amazon's Northern Virginia site were snapped up by buyers in two weeks or less.
"The Amazon HQ2 effect has become a permanent factor in the Arlington and Alexandria housing markets," local Redfin listing agent Marcia Burgos-Stone said in the report. "Some sellers are still opting to hold on to their homes and wait until it becomes a more concrete reality in the hopes that they'll get more money. This has led to a shortage of homes for sale, which puts pressure on buyers who are concerned that they'll be left behind if they can’t find a home before things get too heated up."
