Hold Period — Cities of Washington

Cities of Washington ranked by average flip hold-period.

Public Record

Currently viewing: Washington · View nationwide

National avg hold

1.04 yr

Fastest-flip state

—

Longest-hold state

—

Flip pairs analyzed

24,471

Fastest-flip states (shortest avg hold)

Longest-hold states

City ranking — Washington (avg hold period)

Cities in Washington (sample ≥ 20 flips)

Sorted shortest to longest

#	City	Avg hold (yrs)	Avg hold (mo)	Avg gain %	Sample
1	Milton	0.74	9.0	+76.7%	38
2	Federal Way	0.76	9.3	+74.4%	215
3	Sunnyside	0.82	10.0	+232.9%	29
4	Veradale	0.82	10.0	+332.1%	23
5	Sumner	0.85	10.4	+89.9%	46
6	Yacolt	0.85	10.4	+165.7%	38
7	Mead	0.87	10.6	+163.6%	43
8	Cathlamet	0.87	10.5	+250.8%	20
9	Medical Lake	0.87	10.6	+199.2%	76
10	Spanaway	0.88	10.7	+91.1%	248
11	Roy	0.89	10.8	+150.9%	85
12	Benton City	0.90	10.9	+184.8%	54
13	Kettle Falls	0.90	11.0	+150.5%	30
14	Brush Prairie	0.91	11.1	+145.0%	46
15	Marysville	0.91	11.1	+69.6%	204
16	Auburn	0.92	11.2	+77.8%	232
17	Gold Bar	0.92	11.2	+178.9%	55
18	Bothell	0.92	11.2	+84.8%	223
19	Everett	0.92	11.2	+71.8%	340
20	Otis Orchards	0.92	11.2	+251.0%	34
21	Greenacres	0.93	11.3	+252.3%	79
22	Renton	0.93	11.3	+79.1%	306
23	Covington	0.93	11.3	+80.9%	81
24	Lynnwood	0.93	11.3	+85.1%	169
25	Vancouver	0.93	11.3	+138.5%	1,025
26	Bonney Lake	0.94	11.4	+146.5%	253
27	Quincy	0.94	11.5	+194.7%	45
28	Tenino	0.94	11.5	+134.3%	40
29	Battle Ground	0.95	11.6	+144.2%	231
30	Graham	0.95	11.6	+142.7%	132
31	Tacoma	0.95	11.6	+98.3%	1,053
32	Mountlake Terrace	0.95	11.5	+67.1%	36
33	Cheney	0.96	11.6	+184.2%	113
34	Lakewood	0.96	11.7	+94.8%	174
35	Spokane	0.96	11.7	+150.1%	2,007
36	Ephrata	0.96	11.7	+174.4%	40
37	Shoreline	0.96	11.7	+97.9%	22
38	Kelso	0.97	11.8	+140.7%	147
39	Kennewick	0.97	11.8	+210.3%	251
40	Hoquiam	0.98	12.0	+91.2%	67
41	Ridgefield	0.98	11.9	+215.5%	173
42	Eatonville	0.98	11.9	+174.5%	60
43	Edmonds	0.98	11.9	+82.6%	112
44	Yakima	0.98	11.9	+144.8%	257
45	Arlington	0.98	11.9	+124.2%	194
46	West Richland	0.99	12.0	+256.6%	95
47	Longview	0.99	12.0	+103.9%	190
48	Vashon	0.99	12.1	+130.3%	24
49	Woodland	1.00	12.1	+133.2%	86
50	Pasco	1.01	12.3	+169.4%	135

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. Data through July 2024.