What is the value in purchasing MF property on MLS right now?

[Ryan Copeland]

Hello BP,

I've been getting a lot of notifications from my Zillow saved search criteria for multifamily properties.  All of these properties have a high sales price and I definitely would not "win on the buy".  Yet these properties are still selling, investors are buying them.

My question is, what is the value that investors are finding in purchasing at market price right now?  Is it that because rates are cheap on loans? Even when I run the numbers, it doesn't make sense to buy.  I'm trying to make sure I'm not missing anything.

In addition, a lot of these properties were purchased in the last 2-5 years are are being sold at or near double the price.  Again, I'm looking for input from other investors to ensure that I'm not missing something or if I need to look at things in a different light.

Thanks!

[Cassi Justiz]

Something to keep in mind is that a lot of people are buying properties with large down payments and leveraging those large down payments with super low interest rates. I've seen people selling SFH, condos or townhouses in extremely high cost of living areas and using those funds as down payments for "expensive" MF homes in other areas. When you are putting 25-35% down on a MF property and locking in a 3% interest rate for 30 years, your cashflow numbers look a lot better. I've seen a lot of buyers taking the equity from the SF homes they sell and doing a 1031 exchanges to either exchange into multiple single family homes or MF homes.