Hold Period — Cities of District of Columbia
Cities of District of Columbia ranked by average flip hold-period.
Fastest-flip states (shortest avg hold)
Longest-hold states
City ranking — District of Columbia (avg hold period)
Cities in District of Columbia (sample ≥ 20 flips)
Sorted shortest to longest| # | City | Avg hold (yrs) | Avg hold (mo) | Avg gain % | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | 0.96 | 11.7 | +83.0% | 670 |
What hold period tells investors
Short average holds (under 2 years) indicate a liquid market — properties trade often, exit timing is flexible, and capital recycles quickly. Long holds (5+ years) suggest fewer buyers, slower exits, and higher carry-cost risk.
Markets where typical investors hold 3–9 months are dominated by fix-and-flip operators. Markets averaging 5–10 years are dominated by buy-and-hold landlords. Choose the strategy that matches the market — don't fight it.
This metric reflects only properties that resold. True buy-and-hold landlords who never sold during the data window are invisible here. Treat the numbers as a relative ranking across states, not an absolute hold-period truth. Source: public record.