Hold Period — Pittsburgh, PA
Average flip hold-period in Pittsburgh, PA, broken out by property type.
Fastest-flip states (shortest avg hold)
Longest-hold states
Property type breakdown — Pittsburgh
Average hold period by property type (sample ≥ 3)
Sorted shortest to longest| # | Property type | Avg hold (yrs) | Avg hold (mo) | Avg gain % | Sample |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | multi_family | 0.83 | 10.1 | +58.6% | 3 |
| 2 | single_family | 0.99 | 12.0 | +147.9% | 308 |
| 3 | Unknown | 1.01 | 12.3 | +161.9% | 354 |
| 4 | condo | 1.19 | 14.4 | +103.4% | 12 |
| 5 | townhomes | 1.34 | 16.3 | +112.6% | 13 |
| 6 | condos | 1.62 | 19.7 | +40.3% | 8 |
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.