Published October 25, 2026 in Market Update

Centreville is one market with two very different speeds

These numbers cover the three months ending August 31, 2026. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 214 homes sold across Centreville in that period. That single number hides a split that changes everything about how you price or how you negotiate.

The speed gap: 31 days versus 42 days

The Northern Virginia Association of REALTORs reported an average of 28 days on market across Northern Virginia in September. Centreville as a whole runs close to that. But the two ZIP codes inside Centreville tell opposite stories.

ZIP 20120 sold homes in a median of 31 days, according to the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is steady: the same as the year before. ZIP 20121 took 42 days, which is 10 days longer than the same period in 2025, also per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That 10-day shift in 20121 is not noise. It is a trend.

What is driving the split

In 20120, the Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 67 homes for sale, up 13.6% from a year ago. Inventory rose, but so did demand. Sales jumped 22.9%. The result: 1.4 months of supply, and 46.2% of homes sold above list price.

In 20121, inventory grew much faster. The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 48 homes for sale, up 71.4% from a year ago. Sales fell 18.8% in the same period. More supply, fewer buyers: that is why homes are sitting longer.

What this means if you are selling

In 20120, the Real Estate Data Aggregator shows 59.4% of homes went under contract within two weeks. That is nearly 6 in 10. Price to the market and you get offers fast. Copy a neighbor in 20120 if you are in 20121, and you will likely sit.

In 20121, the median sale price dropped 9.5% year over year, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. That is a real price correction, not a rounding error. Sellers in 20121 who price at last year's number are starting from the wrong place.

What this means if you are buying

In 20121, buyers have more room. Supply is up 71.4% year over year. Pending sales dropped 24.1%, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Fewer competing offers means more space to negotiate on price and terms.

In 20120, the sale-to-list ratio hit 101%, per the Real Estate Data Aggregator. Offers below list are likely to lose. Come in prepared or come in late.

The wider picture

The Northern Virginia Association of REALTORs reported 1,250 closed sales across Northern Virginia in September, down 7.5% from September 2025. The regional median sold price reached $744,950, up 4.2% year over year. Centreville's 20120 median of $665,000 sits below that regional figure. The 20121 median of $516,000 sits well below it.

Nationally, Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025. That matters for both ZIP codes. Higher rates compress what buyers can spend, which puts more pressure on sellers in the slower ZIP to price accurately from day one.

Realtor.com also reported that 20.8% of listings nationally took a price cut in September, the highest share since October 2022. Centreville's 20121 data fits that national pattern. The 20120 data does not.

One more thing. These are ZIP-code averages. One street can read very differently from the whole ZIP. A townhouse on one block may move faster or slower than the median says. I look at the street level before I tell any seller or buyer what to expect.