Buy and hold is the core multifamily investment strategy — acquire a quality property and hold long-term for cash flow, appreciation, and tax efficiency. Contrasts with short-term or opportunistic strategies.
Buy-and-hold doesn't necessarily mean "hold forever" — it means owning long enough that operational cash flow and modest appreciation drive returns, rather than expecting rapid value creation. Hold periods typically 5–20+ years.
Buy-and-hold is the dominant strategy for most LA multifamily owners. Institutional, family office, and private investor capital all use variations of this approach. The specific hold period varies but the orientation — cash flow plus appreciation, not rapid value creation — is broadly shared.
From the Sterman LA Multifamily Glossary — defined the way a broker with $1.41 billion across 254 closed transactions actually uses these terms.
Michael Sterman, Senior Managing Director Investments, Marcus & Millichap.
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