Neighborhood Guide
Malibu
About 21 miles of coastline, from beachfront homes to canyon ranches, and the numbers behind each stretch
Free Buyer’s GuideFree Seller’s GuideMalibu runs along the Pacific Coast Highway from the edge of Pacific Palisades to the Ventura County line. Some homes sit right on the sand at Carbon Beach, the Colony and Broad Beach. Others are on the bluffs at Point Dume or on acreage up the canyons with views across the water.
It is a small city with a big range of homes and prices, and the 2024 Franklin Fire and 2025 Palisades Fire hit parts of it hard. Rebuilding has been slower than in the Palisades, which shapes both the land market and what is for sale.
Updated October 2026
City of Malibu (ZIP code 90265), last 12 months, houses and condos priced $450,000 and up. Source: TheMLS, October 21, 2026.
Malibu market snapshot
Over the last 12 months, 210 homes sold in Malibu at a median of about $3.05 million. 159 were houses, at a median of about $4.0 million in a median of 76 days, and 51 were condos and townhomes, at about $1.38 million. About 27% of listings that came off the market sold, with about 17.5 months of supply. Only about 27% of listings that came off the market sold, with about 18 months of supply. Buyers have time and choice, and pricing has to be right from the start.
What happened to every listing
560 homes came off the market without selling. 378 of them came back with a new listing, and 55 of those sold.
How fast homes sell, and for how much
Homes that sold in the first 30 days averaged 96.2% of asking. After 120 days, 91.9%.
Houses vs. condos
Malibu houses sell for about $1,290 a square foot.
City of Malibu (ZIP code 90265), houses and condos priced $450,000 and up, listed through TheMLS, October 21, 2025 to October 21, 2026. Sold counts exclude sales recorded off the MLS. Information deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
| Last 12 months | Sold | Median price | Median $/sq ft | Median days | Sale-to-list | Listings that sold | Months of supply |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houses | 159 | $4,000,000 | $1,290 | 76 | 93.7% | 27% | 18.8 |
| Condos and townhomes | 51 | $1,375,000 | $1,011 | 56 | 94.8% | 30% | 13.6 |
| All homes | 210 | $3,050,000 | $1,220 | 70 | 94.0% | 27% | 17.5 |
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Malibu values, street by street
Price depends on the stretch of coast, whether the home is on the sand, the view and the lot. These are median house prices on streets with three or more house sales in the last year.
Median house price by street
Median of house sales of $450,000 and up, last 12 months, streets with three or more sales.
Renting in Malibu
319 leases were signed in Malibu over the last 12 months at a median of about $8,000 a month, and about 40% of rentals that came on the market leased. Beach houses lease for far more than the median, and summer leases are common.
Median rent by bedrooms
Leases in the same area, last 12 months. Source: TheMLS.
Prices by area
Last 12 months, houses priced $450,000 and up.
| Area | Houses sold | Median price | Median $/sq ft | Median rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Malibu | 32 | $2.89M | $1,088 | $6,500 |
| Central Malibu | 55 | $4.45M | $1,355 | $6,900 |
| Western Malibu | 72 | $4.60M | $1,314 | $9,650 |
Eastern Malibu is east of Malibu Creek. Western Malibu is roughly Paradise Cove west. These are approximate lines drawn by location.
Land and rebuilding
97 land parcels sold in Malibu in the last 12 months at a median of about $1.30M, with most between $700K and $1.71M. Land took a median of 54 days to sell and closed at about 92% of asking, slower and with more negotiation than in the Palisades. As of August 2026 the city had issued 88 rebuilding permits, many of them in Big Rock.
Land sales of $100,000 and up, City of Malibu, TheMLS, October 21, 2025 to October 21, 2026. Permit figure: City of Malibu via Spectrum News, August 2026.
Malibu at a glance
| Malibu | |
|---|---|
| Where it is | Along PCH between Pacific Palisades and the Ventura County line |
| City | City of Malibu, incorporated in 1991, with its own permits and coastal plan |
| Homes | Beachfront homes, bluff and canyon houses, ranches and some condos |
| Beaches | Zuma, El Matador, Point Dume, Paradise Cove, Surfrider and Carbon Beach |
| Median house price | $4.00M, last 12 months |
| Median land price | $1.30M, last 12 months |
Malibu, area by area
Eastern Malibu: La Costa, Carbon Beach, Big Rock and Las Flores
Closest to Santa Monica. Carbon Beach is one of the most expensive stretches of sand in the country, and the hillsides above PCH have ocean views. This area was hit hard in the Palisades Fire. Houses sold for a median of $2.89M.
Central Malibu: the Colony, Civic Center and Malibu Road
Around the Malibu Pier, Surfrider Beach and the Malibu Country Mart, with Pepperdine on the hill. The Malibu Colony is a gated beachfront community. Houses sold for a median of $4.45M.
Western Malibu: Point Dume, Zuma and Broad Beach
Point Dume has wide streets and bluff-top homes on large lots. Farther west are Zuma, Broad Beach and Trancas, with beachfront homes and ranches in the canyons. Houses sold for a median of $4.60M.
Buying and selling: what to know
Septic and utilities. Most Malibu homes are on septic systems, so get the system inspected and check its permit. Some areas have limited water and sewer service, which affects what you can build.
Coastal permits. Malibu is in the Coastal Zone with its own Local Coastal Program. Additions, rebuilds and new homes need a coastal development permit, and beachfront homes may face seawall and setback rules. Rebuilding permits have been slower here than in the Palisades.
Insurance and access. Get insurance quotes early, since many owners rely on the California FAIR Plan plus a separate policy. Check the road access, slope and any landslide or flood history, and plan around PCH closures.
No Measure ULA. Malibu is its own city, so the City of LA's Measure ULA tax does not apply. Sellers pay the county transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000.
For sellers, the first month matters most: homes that sold in their first 30 days averaged 96.2% of asking, and of the 560 listings that came off the market without selling, only 55 sold after being relisted.
What is your Malibu home worth?
Tell me the address and I will send you a value based on recent sales on your street, not an online estimate.
Schools
Malibu public schools have long been part of Santa Monica-Malibu Unified, and Malibu has been working to form its own school district. Check the current status and the school for any address before you buy. Pepperdine University is in Malibu.
Getting around
PCH is the main road, with Malibu Canyon, Kanan Dume and Topanga Canyon roads connecting to the 101. Santa Monica is about 30 minutes from central Malibu in normal traffic, and much longer when PCH is under repair, so check conditions before you commute.
“They managed to secure a huge credit that significantly offset our costs, which was such an incredible bonus.”
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Questions buyers and sellers ask
What is the median home price in Malibu?
Malibu houses sold for a median of about $4.00M over the last 12 months, about $1,290 a square foot. Condos sold for about $1.38M.
Is it a buyer's market in Malibu?
Right now, yes. There are about 18 months of supply and only about 27% of listings that came off the market sold. Well-priced homes still sell, but buyers have room to negotiate.
How much does land cost in Malibu?
97 land parcels sold in Malibu in the last 12 months at a median of about $1.30M, from small lots to large canyon parcels.
Does Measure ULA apply in Malibu?
No. Malibu is a separate city, so the City of LA's Measure ULA does not apply. The county transfer tax of $1.10 per $1,000 does.
How much is rent in Malibu?
Leases signed at a median of about $8,000 a month over the last 12 months. Western Malibu leased for the most, at a median of about $9,650.
Nearby areas
Thinking about Malibu?
Whether you are buying on the sand, in the canyons or a lot to build on, I will walk you through the sales, the permits and the right price. Email BeRossHomes@Gmail.com or call or text (818) 424-1675.
Photo: Joseph Yates josephyates_, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons
