Condominium availability is consistently down throughout the Washington region, signaling a march toward a healthier overall housing market, according to new data from Metropolitan Regional Information Systems.

The new report, which analyzed housing trends primarily for D.C. and Baltimore, indicates that the number of open condos has dropped by 20 percent regionally since June 2006.

The biggest decrease during that time frame was in Northern Virginia, where condo availability was 28 percent less.

In suburban Maryland, there were 14 percent fewer condos available and in D.C. itself 6 percent less than a year ago.

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Accordingly, new condo sales have been solid for the most part, and, in the case of the District and Prince William and Loudoun counties, on a steady upswing.

According to real estate experts, sales at smaller condo buildings have been particularly important in turning around what could have been a dire situation where an excessive number of units were built but unfilled.

“That’s the high end of a strong market,” said Donna Evers, a Realtor with Evers and Company Real Estate, of the competitive situation at small condos. “Condos go right in with housing. Young people coming to town have really boosted the condo market.”

Jill Landsman, of the Northern Virginia Association of Realtors, said in the past condo sales were brisk, largely because speculators purchased with the intention to flip. When speculators wanted to unload their units, the condo market became flooded.

“I kind of view a condo as the last vestige of affordable housing,” Landsman said. “With the pent-up interest of the speculators to unload their condo, there was dilution of value.”

dfrancis@dcexaminer.com

dlevitz@dcexaminer.com