Montgomery County Luxury Homes: 2026 Market Guide

Montgomery County, Maryland is home to several of the Washington region's best-known luxury neighborhoods. From July through September 2026, 219 homes sold for $1.5 million or more in the county, according to Bright MLS. The median price of those sales was $1,985,000, up 3 percent from the same months of 2025, and the average time on market was 32 days.

Three places anchor that market: Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac. Each sells a different kind of home.

Where do luxury buyers look in Montgomery County?

Luxury buyers in Montgomery County look first at Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac. Bethesda offers a walkable downtown with Metro. Chevy Chase offers established streets at the District line. Potomac offers low-density living northwest of the city.

Bethesda. Bethesda pairs a dense downtown with established residential streets. Downtown is anchored by Bethesda Row and the Bethesda Metro station on the Red Line. Edgemoor dates to 1912, when Walter Tuckerman bought 185 acres and began developing the neighborhood. One Metro stop north, the National Institutes of Health and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center make Bethesda a national center for medical research. Read the Bethesda guide.

Chevy Chase. Chevy Chase, Maryland is a group of small municipalities and neighborhoods on the District line, including Chevy Chase Village and the Town of Chevy Chase. Chevy Chase Village borders Washington directly, with Connecticut Avenue running through it. It ranks among the wealthiest communities in Maryland. Read the Chevy Chase guide.

Potomac. Potomac is Montgomery County's low-density market. The county's 2002 master plan keeps most of it a residential "green wedge" and limits the extension of public sewer, which keeps development sparse. TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm, which has hosted PGA Tour events, is here. Read the Potomac guide.

What should a buyer know before purchasing a luxury home in Montgomery County?

Three things shape a luxury purchase in Montgomery County: jurisdiction, lot and age of the house. Chevy Chase is divided among separate municipalities with their own permit rules. Some of the county's established neighborhoods date back a century or more, and older houses reward a careful inspection.

• Municipal rules. Chevy Chase Village and the Town of Chevy Chase each require their own building permit for many exterior projects, in addition to Montgomery County's. Confirm the rules with the municipality a house sits in.
• Transfer and recordation taxes. Maryland charges a 0.5 percent state transfer tax and Montgomery County a 1 percent county transfer tax. The county recordation tax is tiered, from 0.89 percent on the first $500,000 to 2.27 percent on the portion above $1 million, under rates in effect since October 1, 2023. Confirm current figures with your settlement company.
• Wells and septic. County policy limits public sewer in most of Potomac's low-density areas, so confirm whether a home is on sewer or septic before you buy.

How should a luxury home in Montgomery County be sold?

A luxury home in Montgomery County should be priced from recent closed sales in its own neighborhood, prepared before it is photographed, and marketed to buyers in Washington, DC and Northern Virginia as well as Maryland. At the end of September 2026, 303 homes priced at $1.5 million or more were for sale in the county, a 5.5 month supply, so pricing against current competition matters.

FORWARD at Corcoran McEnearney holds a 97%+ lifetime list-to-sale price ratio and sells one home every 8 days on average. Read how FORWARD sells.

Who are the best luxury real estate agents in Montgomery County?

FORWARD at Corcoran McEnearney represents luxury buyers and sellers across Montgomery County, including Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac. Marc Cashin and Cesar Rivera lead the team's Maryland work. FORWARD has completed 300+ transactions and $300M+ in lifetime managed sales. Call (202) 900-3020.

See the Montgomery County overview, or read the companion guides for Washington, DC and Northern Virginia.

Sources: Bright MLS Market Statistics, residential sales of $1.5 million and above, July to September 2026, pulled October 9, 2026. Figures cover Montgomery County, Maryland.