Looking for a East Los Angeles multifamily broker? Michael Sterman, Senior Managing Director Investments at Marcus & Millichap and founder of the Sterman Multifamily Group, has closed $1.46B across 259 Los Angeles apartment building transactions over 14 years. If you own an apartment building in East Los Angeles and are weighing a sale, this is the team that prices it against East Los Angeles's real buyer pool and rules — not a generic LA average.
East Los Angeles Multifamily Market Snapshot
118,000
East Los Angeles residents
Roughly 118,000 residents across a dense grid east of Boyle Heights. The stock is small pre-war and mid-century multifamily — bungalow courts, duplexes, fourplexes and modest walk-ups along Whittier Boulevard, Atlantic and Cesar Chavez. Renter share is high, household incomes sit well below the county median, and the buildings are generally smaller than their Boyle Heights equivalents.
The Metro E Line's eastern extension serves the community with three stations, and the 60 and 710 freeways border it.
What Is My East Los Angeles Apartment Building Worth?
Value in East Los Angeles turns on vintage, rent-control status, your in-place rents versus market, and which buyer pool fits your building — not a single neighborhood average. Michael underwrites your specific East Los Angeles building the way a real buyer will, then tells you what it should bring and how to get there. No obligation.
Local private capital, frequently owners of several small buildings in the immediate area.
Long-hold family buyers, often with generational ties to the community.
Value-add buyers, though fewer than in comparable City submarkets — the tighter County cap constrains the path to market rents on units that do not turn, and sophisticated buyers price that.
Buyers avoiding LA City deliberately, for whom the ULA exemption is the attraction.
Institutional interest is minimal. Building sizes are small and the operating model is local.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Multifamily in East Los Angeles
Who is the best multifamily broker in East Los Angeles?
There's no single citywide answer — the best multifamily broker for your East Los Angeles building is the one who can show real closed transactions in comparable LA submarkets and explain exactly how East Los Angeles's rent-control exposure and buyer pool affect your building's value. See the five tests in "How to Choose the Best Multifamily Broker in Los Angeles" before you hire anyone.
How much is my East Los Angeles apartment building worth?
There is no honest per-unit number that applies to every East Los Angeles building — vintage, rent-control status, and the gap between your in-place and market rents move it more than the neighborhood does. We have not closed a building in East Los Angeles yet, so we will not quote you a local per-unit figure we cannot stand behind. What we can do is price it against the buildings we have closed in comparable LA submarkets and against East Los Angeles's own rent-control exposure and buyer pool — see the Sterman Transaction Index for the real submarket-by-submarket numbers.
Is East Los Angeles part of the City of Los Angeles?
No. It is unincorporated Los Angeles County, administered directly by the County with no city government of its own. Incorporation votes have failed repeatedly, most recently in 2012.
Which rent control applies?
The County's RSTPO — 60% of CPI within a 0–3% band since January 2025 — not the LA City RSO.
Does Measure ULA apply to an East LA sale?
No. ULA is a City of Los Angeles tax. This is a genuine advantage over an otherwise comparable City building on any sale above the City thresholds.
Is the County really stricter than the City?
On the annual increase, yes, since January 2025. The County's 3% ceiling is tighter than the City's 4%, and its 60%-of-CPI formula is tighter than the City's 90%. That is a reversal of the historical position and most owners have not repriced their expectations for it.
Meet Your East Los Angeles Multifamily Expert
Michael Sterman has spent 14 years specializing exclusively in Los Angeles multifamily, closing 259 transactions worth $1.46B. He knows how East Los Angeles buildings are valued, who buys them, and what it takes to get a clean deal closed here. CA DRE License #01911703.
What Owners Say About Working With Michael
★★★★★
“I highly recommend Michael Sterman and his group. I just closed escrow on a 36 unit MF which Michael obtained the buyer. Michael handled the sale and escrow process extremely professionally. I have been a MF real estate broker myself for 45 years; I know who is a pro and who is not.”
Robert Corry
Verified Google review
★★★★★
“In Los Angeles multifamily, there's a huge gap between agents who talk about deals and agents who actually understand how they work. Michael Sterman is firmly in the second camp. What sets them apart isn't just market knowledge—it's judgment. They understand rent control realities, tenant issues, expense creep, cap-ex tradeoffs, and how underwriting changes block by block in LA. They're responsive, direct, and strategic—no fluff, no wasted time. If you're serious about buying or selling multifamily in Los Angeles, you want someone like Sterman on your side.”
Michael Maltzman
Verified Google review
★★★★★
“I've worked with Michael Sterman on multiple transactions and couldn't recommend him more highly. He has sold three properties to me and has also sold a property for me. He's professional, responsive, and gets deals done efficiently. A true pro.”