Washington, DC Commercial Real Estate Market Trends

Commercial Real Estate Market Report

This page provides a high-level view of commercial real estate conditions in Washington, combining current pricing, property scale, and active inventory to support early market evaluation.

Explore Commercial Properties in Washington

Browse properties currently for sale or lease to see how local market pricing and building sizes translate into real opportunities.

Commercial Property For Sale in Washington

Commercial Property For Rent in Washington

Washington's Demographic Profile

With a population of 630,884 and a median household income of $95,873, these metrics help investors gauge whether Washington's pricing reflects local demand fundamentals.

Key Demographic Metrics	Value
Population	630,884
# Households	289,896
Median age	37
Median household income	$95,873
Avg household size	2
Renter-occupied housing units	183,437
5-year population change	-9%

Commercial Real Estate Market Snapshot in Washington

These market metrics outline current pricing, typical deal size, and observed cap rate ranges, giving investors a quick read on entry costs and high-level underwriting expectations.

Key Market Metrics	Value
Avg asking sale price	$537 per SF
Avg asking lease rate	$45 per SF
Avg unit size for lease	18,549 SF
Avg building size for sale	19,702 SF
Average cap rate	6.72%

In Washington, commercial properties are currently listed at an average sale price of $537 per square foot, with average lease rates around $45 per square foot. Typical leased spaces are approximately 18,549 SF, while properties for sale average 19,702 SF in building size. Observed cap rates average 6.72%, offering a reference point for return expectations relative to pricing and deal scale.

Commercial Properties For Sale In Washington

The listings below reflect how current market pricing and building scale translate into active opportunities available today.

For Sale

Value-Add Redevelopment Opportunity | NoMa DC

Washington, DC 20002

10,953 SF Specialty
Auction Sale

For Sale

Receiver Sale- Vacant Anacostia Multifamily

Washington, DC 20020

10,560 SF Multifamily
Auction Sale

For Sale

1414-1416 Pennsylvania Ave SE

Washington, DC 20003

3,600 SF Multifamily
9.91% Cap Rate
$1,750,000

For Sale

5413 Georgia Ave NW

Washington, DC 20011

4,200 SF Retail Building
$1,395,000

For Sale

5004 1st St NW

Washington, DC 20011

13,086 SF Retail Building
$3,073,000

For Sale

A Renovated 14 Unit Apartment

Washington, DC 20032

9,344 SF Multifamily
8.87% Cap Rate
$1,750,000

For Sale

809-811 Virginia Ave & 808-819 L St SE

Washington, DC

Office Building
$1,580,000

For Sale

Renovated Four Unit - Owner or Investor

Washington, DC 20001

2,100 SF Retail Building
6.99% Cap Rate
$1,500,000

Commercial Market Metrics by Property Type

Office Building Market Metrics Near Washington

Office market metrics highlight how pricing, typical deal size, and return expectations vary across submarkets, helping investors compare entry costs and yield potential efficiently.

Nearby Office Markets	Avg Cost/SF	Typical Size	Cap Max
Washington	$459	10,506 SF	7.81%
Falls Church	$464	8,802 SF	5.94%
Bethesda	$461	8,475 SF	6.00%

Retail Property Market Metrics Near Washington

Retail pricing varies widely across nearby markets, making this comparison useful for identifying where cost per square foot and deal size diverge most.

Nearby Retail Markets	Avg Cost/SF	Typical Size
Washington	$735	7,845 SF
Arlington	$241	9,426 SF
Falls Church	$800	4,976 SF
College Park	$1,153	17,716 SF
Bethesda	$649	6,818 SF

Multifamily Property Market Metrics Near Washington

Multifamily metrics show how pricing and building size relate to observed cap rate ranges, helping investors evaluate income potential relative to entry cost.

Nearby Multifamily Markets	Avg Cost/SF	Typical Size	Cap Max
Washington	$409	43,615 SF	9.91%
Alexandria	$284	2,223 SF	5.78%

How Investors Evaluate Commercial Real Estate Markets in Washington

Use these tools to move from market-level signals to deal-level math. Each calculator helps translate Washington pricing, rents, and building size into concrete metrics like value, income, and space requirements, so you can validate assumptions before spending time on individual listings.

Commercial Property Valuation

Understand Core Valuation Methods, Prevent Mistakes, and Use Our Instant Value Estimator

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Net Operating Income (NOI) Calculator

Calculating NOI and Understanding the Significance of This Metric in Commercial Real Estate Investment

Internal Rate of Return (IRR) Calculator

Use this calculator to measure annualized returns, compare investment scenarios, and evaluate risk across commercial real estate deals.

Cash on Cash Return

Learn How Cash on Cash Return Can Optimize Your Real Estate Investments

Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) Calculator

Assess Your Investment's Health in Seconds

Gross Rent Multiplier (GRM) Calculator & Investment Guide

Simplifying Your Investment Analysis

Land Loan Calculator

Use this calculator to estimate monthly payments, interest, and total financing costs for raw, unimproved, or improved land purchases.

Balloon Payment Calculator

Use this calculator to estimate monthly payments, total interest, and the final lump-sum balloon payment for commercial real estate loans.

Office Space Calculator

Estimate How Much Space Your Team Really Needs

Nearby Commercial Markets

Comparing nearby markets helps investors see whether Washington pricing and building scale sit above, below, or in line with surrounding areas.

Commercial Markets	Avg Cost/SF	Average Size
Washington	$537	19,728 SF
Mount Rainier	$486	209,830 SF
Brentwood	$169	23,543 SF
Arlington	$251	17,209 SF
Bladensburg	$306	19,755 SF

Multifamily For Sale In Washington

Multifamily listings shown here connect market pricing and cap rate patterns with income-producing opportunities currently available.

For Sale

1901 I St NE

Washington, DC 20002

12,106 SF Multifamily
7.41% Cap Rate
$3,750,000

For Sale

1829 5th St NW

Washington, DC 20001

2,915 SF Multifamily
$2,150,000

For Sale

River Place South

Arlington, VA 22209

1,022,608 SF Multifamily
$1,498,000

For Sale

4811 Georgia Ave NW

Washington, DC 20011

10,371 SF Multifamily
$2,000,000

For Sale

Claridge House

Washington, DC 20037

81,620 SF Multifamily
$375,000

For Sale

Solea

Washington, DC 20009

42,040 SF Multifamily
$865,000

For Sale

1451 Maryland Ave NE

Washington, DC 20002

4,640 SF Multifamily
6.68% Cap Rate
$2,349,000

For Sale

Towne Terrace East

Washington, DC 20005

173,760 SF Multifamily
$275,000

Regional Demographic Comparison

This comparison places Washington alongside nearby cities to show how population size, household counts, and income levels differ across the region. Viewing these markets side by side helps investors understand whether local demand and income characteristics are concentrated in Washington or distributed across surrounding areas.

City	Population	# Households	Age	MedianHouseholdIncome	AvgHouseholdSize	RenterOccupiedHousingUnits	FiveYrPopGrowthPct
Washington	630,884	289,896	37	$95,873	2	183,437	-9%
Mount Rainier	7,952	3,309	38	$60,089	2	2,443	-3%
Brentwood	3,584	1,187	38	$71,671	3	616	-2%
Arlington	231,311	106,380	37	$130,144	2	66,461	-2%
Bladensburg	9,439	3,422	37	$54,785	3	2,693	-3%

FAQs About Commercial Investing in Washington

View All Commercial Real Estate For Sale in Washington

Is Washington a good market for a first-time commercial real estate investor?

Washington offers commercial properties across a wide range of sizes and price points. By reviewing the market data and benchmarks on this page, first-time investors can better understand what a typical commercial property looks like before committing capital and narrowing in on specific listings.

How can this market data help me decide whether to buy commercial property for my business in Washington?

The pricing and size metrics on this page help business owners compare the cost of ownership against leasing in Washington. Typical building sizes and asking prices provide a starting point for evaluating space needs, budget fit, and long term occupancy costs before engaging lenders or brokers.

What should conservative investors focus on when evaluating commercial properties in Washington?

Conservative investors often prioritize manageable deal sizes, stable pricing ranges, and cap rate benchmarks shown for Washington. These metrics help assess whether current market conditions support steady income potential without relying on aggressive assumptions.

How does Washington compare to nearby commercial real estate markets?

Nearby market comparisons highlight differences in pricing, building scale, and cap rate ranges relative to Washington. Reviewing these side by side helps experienced investors identify relative value, pricing premiums, or alternative markets that may better align with return targets.

How can this page support early-stage deal screening for Washington acquisitions?

This page provides high-level benchmarks for pricing, deal size, and observed cap rates in Washington, which are useful for initial market filtering. Institutional and data-driven investors often use these signals to prioritize listings that meet size, pricing, and return thresholds before deeper underwriting.

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