Featured guide · 4 min read
What does it really cost to buy a home?
See how the down payment, closing costs, and cash reserves fit together.
Understand the buying costs4517 Forest Hill Drive · Fairfax
Northern Virginia / Guides & resources
Buying, selling, or starting somewhere new?
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Buying your first home
Budget, financing, tours, and the steps from offer to closing.
4 min readConsidering an off-market home
Understand limited-exposure listings and the questions to ask before an offer.
3 min readThe costs of buying a home
Down payment, closing costs, and the savings to keep in reserve.
4 min read
Make a plan for what’s next
Decide what to prepare, what to spend, and when to move.
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A closer look at complex properties
Land, ownership costs, and the details of a considered sale.
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All calculators & checklistsMortgage Calculator
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Try the calculator Affordability CalculatorWhat price range fits my budget?
Try the calculator Closing Cost CalculatorWhat should I set aside for closing?
Try the calculator Rent vs Buy CalculatorHow does buying compare with renting?
Try the calculatorA little local context
Latest market report
Get to know the place, too.
Meadowlark Botanical Gardens, Vienna area · 2015
Picture your everyday life here.
Compare seven communities through their homes, local places, and commuting options.
Explore the neighborhood guidesNorthern Virginia Market Report: August 2026
August 2026 inventory gains centered on Northern Virginia condos and attached homes. Buyers had more choice there; sellers needed to show value against similar homes.
Explore the reportBrowse earlier reports
- Northern Virginia Market Report: July 2026
- Northern Virginia Market Report: June 2026
- Northern Virginia Market Report: May 2026
- Northern Virginia Market Report: April 2026
- Northern Virginia Market Report: March 2026
- Northern Virginia Market Report: February 2026
- Northern Virginia Market Report: January 2026
Photo credits & dates
Photographs document the named places at the time they were taken. They do not indicate homes for sale or current conditions.
- Meadowlark Botanical Gardens in May (18286293921).jpg — Tom Stovall / DC Gardens · CC BY 2.0. Taken: 2015-05-29 14:47. Resized and converted to WebP; responsive display crops preserve the photographed scene. The adapted image retains this license. Photographer’s attribution page.
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