What works for him may not be your market or niche'.

NA Onyido The holding period from a tax standpoint will be unique to each property and to each owner.

Every market is unique and I can’t say if commercial real estate or apartments is a better investment in your area.

You might consider Niche or Specialized Housing like student housing.

My favorite niche for rentals in the Seattle area are condos, as many are still priced below "intrinsic" value and can generate decent returns in the form of cash flow and appreciation.

It happens from SF north for sure.Its a niche but there is a reason you had Barrons in the old days,, they were steel , railroad and Timber

It's a very unique property, in that there are almost never rentals in this particular town, and it's a town that people absolutely want to live in. 

I wouldn't be so quick to say the market is dead without doing some hard analysis on a few properties yourself, find the successful investors and where the niches are at, and start making offers.

What's your niche @David S. ?

Figure out what you can do in your market that is unique to land deals and attack it 100%.