Hold Period — Cities of North Dakota
Cities of North Dakota ranked by average flip hold-period.
Fastest-flip states (shortest avg hold)
Longest-hold states
City ranking — North Dakota (avg hold period)
Cities in North Dakota (sample ≥ 20 flips)
Sorted shortest to longest| # | City | Avg hold (yrs) | Avg hold (mo) | Avg gain % | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Horace | 0.92 | 11.2 | +383.8% | 163 |
| 2 | Mapleton | 0.94 | 11.5 | +522.7% | 22 |
| 3 | West Fargo | 0.97 | 11.8 | +308.1% | 207 |
| 4 | Fargo | 1.03 | 12.5 | +245.5% | 212 |
| 5 | Mandan | 1.04 | 12.7 | +359.1% | 111 |
| 6 | Bismarck | 1.05 | 12.8 | +299.4% | 222 |
| 7 | Minot | 1.07 | 13.0 | +160.3% | 151 |
| 8 | Williston | 1.09 | 13.3 | +216.7% | 102 |
| 9 | Dickinson | 1.13 | 13.7 | +166.0% | 79 |
| 10 | Grand Forks | 1.14 | 13.9 | +192.3% | 105 |
| 11 | Watford City | 1.21 | 14.7 | +189.9% | 36 |
| 12 | Jamestown | 1.27 | 15.4 | +150.4% | 37 |
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. Data through July 2024.