RBI Year End Report Indicates Housing Prices Edge 2 Percent Higher as Properties Sell Faster

Rockville, MD –(March 2, 2011) – RBI, the primary source of real estate data, analytics, and business intelligence for real estate professionals in the Mid-Atlantic region, today released its 2010 year end statistical analysis for the Washington, DC metro housing market. The market area includes: Washington, DC; Montgomery County; Prince George’s County; Alexandria City; Arlington County; Fairfax County; Fairfax City; and Falls Church City.

“After a roller coaster ride in home sales caused by the federal homebuyers tax credit, the Washington, DC metro area housing market ended the year with about the same number of sales for 2010 as occurred in 2009,” said noted housing market expert and RBI analyst Jonathan Miller.  “Despite improved affordability from record low mortgage rates and housing prices below the peak levels of a few years ago, conservative mortgage underwriting, as evidenced by the 35 percent year-over-year increase in cash purchases, continues to keep the housing market improvement in check.”