Victorian houses with gingerbread porches in the Takoma neighborhood of Washington, D.C.

DC market data

The DC renovation premium

What renovated houses sell for per square foot compared with houses that need some TLC, by neighborhood. Citywide the renovation premium is 66%.

Renovated
$813
1,197 sales
Needs some TLC
$489
2,015 sales
Difference
+66%
$324 more per square foot

The premium is what homebuyers pay for move-in condition, and roughly the most a renovation can add to a house’s sale price. Across DC neighborhoods the premium ranges from +17% to +83%.

Largest and smallest premiums by neighborhood

Neighborhoods where renovated houses sell for the most and the least over houses that need some TLC.

Largest premiums

  • Mayfair & Hillbrook+83%$229/sq ft
  • Deanwood & Lincoln Heights+79%$224/sq ft
  • Congress Heights & Washington Highlands+77%$173/sq ft
  • Douglass & Shipley Terrace+77%$222/sq ft
  • Marshall Heights & Capitol View+77%$232/sq ft
  • Shaw & Logan Circle+72%$394/sq ft
  • Adams Morgan & Kalorama+71%$430/sq ft
  • Dupont Circle+71%$468/sq ft

Smallest premiums

  • Shepherd Park & Colonial Village+17%$91/sq ft
  • Palisades & Spring Valley+21%$152/sq ft
  • Tenleytown & AU Park+25%$177/sq ft
  • Michigan Park & University Heights+31%$136/sq ft
  • Glover Park & Cathedral Heights+31%$233/sq ft

Upper Northwest is largely detached houses on large lots, where the land drives much of the price. Rowhouse neighborhoods and the neighborhoods east of the river have more uniform housing, so the condition of the house is a larger share of the price difference between sales.

Renovation premium questions

How much more is a renovated house worth in DC?
Citywide, houses the assessor rates as recently renovated sold for a median of $813 per square foot over the last 3 years, against $489 for houses the assessor rates Average, Fair or Poor — a difference of about $324 per square foot, or 66%. The premium varies by neighborhood, from roughly 17% to 83%.
Where is the renovation premium largest in DC?
In percentage terms it is largest where entry prices are lowest and in the dense rowhouse belt — Mayfair, Deanwood, Congress Heights, Marshall Heights, Shaw and Dupont Circle all show premiums above 70%. It is smallest in upper Northwest, where Shepherd Park, Palisades and Tenleytown sit between 17% and 25%. Detached-house markets on larger lots price more on land and less on the condition of the structure.
Does that mean I make money renovating a DC house?
No. The premium is roughly the most a renovation can add to a house's sale price. It is not a profit. Your renovation budget, including permits, carrying costs and a contingency for what you find once the walls are open, has to fit within the premium.
How is “renovated” defined here?
A house counts as renovated when DC has a remodel recorded within the last 10 years and the assessor rates the structure Excellent or Very Good. Both conditions are required: DC assessors use “Very Good” for an ordinary well-kept house, so condition alone would label about two-thirds of the city renovated. “Average or below” is the assessor’s own scale: Good is its most common rating, so an Average house already sits below the middle of the market. On this page, Average, Fair and Poor houses are labeled “needs some TLC.”
Does this cover condos?
No. DC's condominium assessment records carry no condition rating, and recorded remodel years barely move condo prices because interior renovations rarely reach the record. Showing a condo renovation premium would imply a precision the data does not support. The price-per-square-foot tool covers condos by bedroom count instead.

Ask a question

A licensed DC loan officer will answer your question by email within one business day.

Please don't include your Social Security number or account numbers.

General information only. This is not a commitment to lend, a pre-qualification, or an offer of credit. By submitting this form, you agree to our Privacy Policy. We respect your privacy and will not share your information with unaffiliated third parties without your consent.

Financing a house that needs some TLC

A renovation loan can finance the purchase and the work together. Contact us before the offer deadline about the scope, the historic district and the financing.

Contact usHow to set a renovation budget

How this was built

Figures come from the District of Columbia’s property assessment and sales records, published through Open Data DC by the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. Data current through 2026-08-12; generated 2026-08-21. Only qualified — arm’s-length — sales are counted, and all figures are medians.

A house counts as renovated when DC has a remodel recorded within the last 10 years and the assessor rates the structure Excellent or Very Good. Average or below is the assessor’s own scale — Good is its most common rating, so an Average house already sits below the middle of the market. Both a remodel and a top rating are required because condition alone would label about two-thirds of the city renovated. Nothing is published from fewer than 8 sales, and where a segment was too thin over 3 years, 5 years are used and the panel says so.

Square footage is the assessor’s gross building area, which may treat finished basements and additions differently from an appraiser. Neighborhoods are DC’s official neighborhood clusters. For the underlying price levels — including condos, and the $1,097 top of the market — see DC price per square foot.

These are recorded sales and assessment records. They are not appraisals, not listings, and not an estimate of the value of any particular property. Source: DC Office of the Chief Financial Officer, via Open Data DC (CC BY 4.0).