Hold Period — Cities of Maine
Cities of Maine ranked by average flip hold-period.
Public Record
National avg hold
1.11 yr
Fastest-flip state
—
Longest-hold state
—
Flip pairs analyzed
739
Fastest-flip states (shortest avg hold)
Longest-hold states
City ranking — Maine (avg hold period)
Cities in Maine (sample ≥ 20 flips)
Sorted shortest to longest| # | City | Avg hold (yrs) | Avg hold (mo) | Avg gain % | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sanford | 0.91 | 11.1 | +107.1% | 26 |
| 2 | Lewiston | 1.17 | 14.3 | +124.6% | 39 |
| 3 | Portland | 1.18 | 14.4 | +86.8% | 32 |
| 4 | Auburn | 1.19 | 14.5 | +68.4% | 27 |
| 5 | Old Orchard Beach | 1.22 | 14.8 | +105.5% | 27 |
What hold period tells investors
Liquidity signal
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.
Flipper vs. landlord markets
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.
Caveats
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.