District of Columbia foreclosures and housing market
How foreclosure works in the District of Columbia, which counties lean to buyers or sellers, and how many homes are for sale right now.
How's the market in the District of Columbia?
A buyer's market.
Listings spent about 49 days on the market, and 18% had a price cut in October 2026.
Market figures: Realtor.com® Economic Research, October 2026. Free weekly email. Unsubscribe anytime.
Distressed properties in District of Columbia
Pre-foreclosures, auctions, bank-owned and HUD homes from county notices, with the street area instead of the house number.
Representative photoWe are not tracking properties in District of Columbia yet
Our property list covers a handful of counties so far. Leave your email for the free weekly brief, and we will note that you want property alerts for District of Columbia.
The closest place we track is Florida, with 1 property.
The District of Columbia market in October 2026
Our score compares how many listings went under contract with how many were for sale, ranked against every US county. Low scores lean to buyers, high scores to sellers.
District of Columbia market score
- Homes for sale
- 3,046
- US: 1,179,101
- Typical days on market
- 49
- US: 66
- Listings with a price cut
- 18%
- US: 21%
- Homes for sale vs pre-pandemic
- +76%
- US: −7%
- October 2026 vs the October average for 2017 to 2019.
Source: Realtor.com® Economic Research, October 2026 county data. County days on market are medians. State and US figures weight each county by its homes for sale. Price-cut share is the share of listings with a price reduction.
How foreclosure works in District of Columbia
Most District of Columbia foreclosures are non-judicial, though lenders sometimes choose court, in part to avoid the mediation program.
- Main steps and notices
- For a home loan, the lender sends a notice of default by certified and first-class mail, with a copy to the mayor, stating the amount needed to cure.
- The borrower can opt in to foreclosure mediation within 30 days.
- If there's no agreement, the lender sends a notice of intent to foreclose, with a copy to the mayor at least 30 days before the sale.
- Catching up before the sale
- The borrower can cure up to five business days before bidding starts, but not more than once every two years.
- After the sale
- There is no right to redeem after the sale.
- Before any of this starts
- Under federal rules, a mortgage servicer generally can't make the first notice or filing for foreclosure until the borrower is more than 120 days behind.
- Governing law
- District of Columbia Code § 42-815 et seq.
Sources
- Justia, Foreclosure laws and procedures: 50-state survey (last reviewed November 2022)
- Nolo, Foreclosure redemption period rights (state chart)
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, How to avoid foreclosure
General information, not legal advice.
Laws change and each case differs. Anyone facing foreclosure should talk with a local attorney or a HUD-approved housing counselor.
Go deeper
- Check any county's marketPick a county in District of Columbia and see whether it leans to buyers or sellers.
- Read the buying guidesHow to buy pre-foreclosures, auction homes, bank-owned homes, HUD homes and short sales.
- Help if you're behind on your mortgageWhere you are in the process, your options, free counselors and scam warnings.
District of Columbia questions
Is foreclosure in the District of Columbia judicial or non-judicial?
Most District of Columbia foreclosures are non-judicial, though lenders sometimes choose court, in part to avoid the mediation program.
Can a homeowner get the home back after a foreclosure sale in the District of Columbia?
There is no right to redeem after the sale.
Can a borrower in the District of Columbia catch up on the loan before the sale?
The borrower can cure up to five business days before bidding starts, but not more than once every two years.
Is the District of Columbia a buyer's or seller's market right now?
A buyer's market. District of Columbia scores 28 out of 100 on our market scale, where low scores lean to buyers. Listings spent about 49 days on the market, and 18% had a price cut in October 2026. Source: Realtor.com® Economic Research.
How far behind does a borrower have to be before foreclosure starts?
Under federal rules, a mortgage servicer generally can't make the first notice or filing for foreclosure until the borrower is more than 120 days behind. Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.