16300 Ventura Blvd, Encino: 49 apartments and two commercial units on the Ventura corridor, sold out of a trust.
Quick answer: In 2026, the owners selling Los Angeles apartment buildings through David Saghian of The Saghian Group at Lyon Stahl tend to be trusts and families settling estates, long-time owners trading into a 1031 exchange, and owners of below-market buildings selling to value-add buyers. In 2025, David Saghian closed 15 transactions totaling $103,662,500. That figure is also The Saghian Group’s 2025 team total.
Market reports tell you how many buildings traded. They rarely tell you who was selling or why. This post looks at that question through our own work. Every example below is a real closing listed on our track record page, with a link to its closing page so you can check the details. We have not added any market-wide statistics; these are our deals, not a survey of the city.
The numbers behind this post
- 2025: In 2025, David Saghian closed 15 transactions totaling $103,662,500. That figure is also The Saghian Group’s 2025 team total.
- All listed closings: 75 sales totaling $324,768,000, including 72 in the Los Angeles area totaling $315.59M and 44 in the San Fernando Valley totaling $202.6M.
- Career totals: David Saghian has personally closed $325M+ since 2021, and the team track record is $425M+. These are reported separately and never added together. See How We Count.
Trusts and families settling an estate
Some of the largest sales we handle start with a trust or an estate rather than a decision to "time the market." The largest Valley sale on our list is 16300 Ventura Blvd in Encino, a $31,250,000 trust sale. The property combines 49 residential units with two commercial units anchored by JP Morgan, about 10,000 square feet of retail and office space and 240 feet of frontage on Ventura Boulevard. The Saghian Group represented both the buyer and the seller.
Trustees and heirs usually have different questions than other sellers: who must sign, what the trust or court requires, and how to share the proceeds. Our probate and trust sales page covers those steps.
Long-time owners moving into a 1031 exchange
Many sellers have owned their buildings for decades and want less day-to-day management without a large tax bill. 110 N Orlando Ave in Beverly Grove had been under the same ownership for 24 years. The 4-unit building sold off market in 45 days for $1,900,000, with David Saghian exclusively representing the seller. The seller completed a 1031 exchange into a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST).
If you are weighing the same move, our post on DST vs. NNN for a 1031 exchange and our 1031 exchange page explain the options.
110 N Orlando Ave, Beverly Grove: a 4-unit building held by the same owner for 24 years.
Original owners selling for the first time
Some owners built or bought their buildings long ago and are selling for the first time. 1060 Raymond Ave in Glendale was built in 1987 by the owner who sold it, and this was the first time the original owner had offered it for sale. The 20-unit building sold for $8,950,000. Most tenants were long-term, month-to-month renters, which gave the buyer room to raise rents.
Owners of buildings with below-market rents
A building with long-term tenants and deferred maintenance can be worth more to a value-add buyer than to its current owner. Two examples:
- 20301 Cohasset Ave in Winnetka: a 22-unit building under LA City rent control, with many units well below market and over 70% upside in market rents. It sold off market for $3,150,000, non-contingent on day one, with David Saghian representing the seller.
- 5745 Arroyo Dr in Highland Park: six 2-bed units with about 83% rental upside and preliminary plans for up to six ADUs. It sold for $1,175,000, with David Saghian representing the seller.
For owners in this spot, rent rules matter. See AB 1482 vs. LA rent control (RSO).
Owners of trophy and legacy properties
Larger, one-of-a-kind properties draw a different buyer. Holmby Hall at 921 Westwood Blvd sold for $32,675,000. Built in 1929, it was the first retail building developed in Westwood Village, and the team connected the seller with a legacy buyer committed to preserving its historic character. It is a retail property, not an apartment building, but the same lesson applies: the right buyer for a unique property often has to be found, not waited for.
Holmby Hall, 921 Westwood Blvd: built in 1929, the first retail building developed in Westwood Village.
What buyers were paying for
The same features come up again and again on these closing pages, and they are worth knowing before you sell:
- Rent upside. Buildings with rents below market drew value-add buyers, from Winnetka to Highland Park.
- ADU potential. The buyer of 110 N Orlando Ave plans to add two ADUs, and so does the buyer of 9312 W Olympic Blvd in Beverly Hills. At 12015 Kling St in Valley Village, there is room for ADUs above the rear garages without losing parking.
- Completed retrofit and repipe work. Kling St had its seismic retrofit and a full copper repipe done before the sale.
- Rent rules. 4180 Arch Dr in Studio City, a 36-unit building built in 1990, is governed by AB 1482 rather than the City's rent control ordinance.
If your building has one of these features, make sure the marketing shows it with documents.
Sellers planning around Measure ULA
Inside City of Los Angeles limits, Measure ULA is charged on the full sale price once a sale crosses a threshold. For sales closing after June 30, 2026, the Los Angeles Office of Finance lists the thresholds as 4% above $5,400,000 and 5.5% at $10,900,000 or more (Office of Finance FAQ). It does not apply in separate cities such as Burbank or Glendale. Owners near those numbers are planning price and timing with ULA in mind. Our Measure ULA guide for apartment sellers walks through the math.
What these sellers have in common
None of these owners sold because of a headline. Each had a reason: an estate to settle, a 1031 exchange to complete, a building that fit a different buyer better. In each case, the sale price came from finding the right buyer for that building.
If one of these sounds like you, start with a free property valuation or call David Saghian at (310) 401-1559. You can see every closing on the track record page, learn about David, or read how we work as a Los Angeles multifamily broker.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is selling Los Angeles apartment buildings in 2026?
In The Saghian Group's work, sellers are often trusts and families settling estates, long-time owners trading into a 1031 exchange, original owners selling for the first time, and owners of below-market buildings selling to value-add buyers.
How much did David Saghian close in 2025?
In 2025, David Saghian closed 15 transactions totaling $103,662,500. That figure is also The Saghian Group’s 2025 team total.
What is the largest San Fernando Valley sale on The Saghian Group's list?
16300 Ventura Blvd in Encino, a $31,250,000 trust sale of a mixed-use property with 49 apartments and two commercial units. The Saghian Group represented both the buyer and the seller.
Can I sell my apartment building and buy into a DST?
Yes. At 110 N Orlando Ave in Beverly Grove, a seller who had owned the building for 24 years sold off market and completed a 1031 exchange into a Delaware Statutory Trust (DST). Talk to your tax advisor and a qualified intermediary before you list.
Does Measure ULA affect apartment sales in 2026?
Inside City of Los Angeles limits, yes. For sales closing after June 30, 2026, ULA is 4% of the full price above $5,400,000 and 5.5% at $10,900,000 or more, per the Los Angeles Office of Finance. It does not apply in separate cities such as Burbank or Glendale.
Where can I see The Saghian Group's closed sales?
All 75 closings, totaling $324,768,000, are listed on the track record page at lamultifamilyadvisory.com, each with its own closing page.