(Data Captured from MLS Featuring Single-Family Residences; Comparing Jan–Aug of 2025, to Jan-Aug of 2024)
Every market has its ups and downs, whether it’s the stock market or the real estate market. This year so far for the Malibu real estate market with the exception of some recent high-end sales over $20 million, in high value neighborhoods along the Malibu coast, the rest of the market has suffered the challenges of a natural disaster being the January Palisades, fire and road closures for nearly 5 months along the Pch. The data points to a difficult time for most sellers but a great time for buyers, and like all great markets they will eventually recover and often with more vibrant and increased value than ever. For sellers our message is clear - price, your home competitively and you will succeed in selling your home, and for Buyers, this is your chance to own a slice of heaven in Malibu, California at a great value. Malibu will recover its home sales as it always does, and as Warren Buffett once said, “In the 20th century, the United States endured two world wars and other traumatic and expensive military conflicts;the Depression; a dozen or so recessions and financial panics; oil shocks; a flu epidemic; and the resignation of a disgraced president. Yet the Dow rose from 66 to 11,497.” In time, with new infrastructure, new homes, and perhaps lower interest rates, Malibu home sales will come back strong again because everyone wants to live where the sun sets in Los Angeles and the cool ocean breezes make us feel happy and alive.
TLDR
- Sales activity dropped by about half. Malibu had 53 closings so far this year, down from 111 during the same period in 2024. That’s a 52% decline in the number of homes that actually sold, which means fewer buyers are transacting and more listings are sitting. Total dollars changing hands fell in tandem, from $668.8 million to $329.7 million (about 51% lower).
- Prices are steady to higher at the headline level. The median sold price rose to $4.475 million (from $4.095 million last year) and the average sold price nudged up to $6.22 million (from $6.03 million). In simple terms, the typical sale price moved up but...
- Buyers are pushing on price per foot. The average closed price per square foot fell to $1,417.75 (from $1,599.47). That tells us buyers are negotiating harder on valuation even when the final sale price looks strong.
- More homes are for sale, fewer are in escrow. Active listings climbed to 456 (from 395), while pendings fell to 31 (from 76). More choice for buyers, and a thinner pipeline of future closings—both point to longer marketing times UNLESS a home is priced to today’s reality.
- When a property is priced right, it still sells near asking. On average, sellers received about 96% of their list price, better than last year’s 93.4%. That means competitively priced homes are still commanding strong offers. However, by the median numbers, sellers gave back more this year: the median list price of sold homes was $4.85 million and the median sold price was $4.475 million—about 92% of asking, versus ~97.5% in 2024. This split tells us luxury homes that are dialed-in can sell close to ask, while mid-market homes that overshoot tend to negotiate down.
Malibu Real Estate Listings today: how the supply side looks
- Active for sale: 456 homes (vs 395 a year ago).
- Typical time on market for active listings: 112 days (vs 96 from last year). More inventory and longer marketing times mean buyers can take their time—unless something is perfectly priced.
- How sellers are pricing: Median list price is $5.635 million and average list price is $8.569 million. Active price per square foot (Homes currentley for sale) is $1,824.48, which is higher than what buyers recently paid ($1,417.75). That gap is your early warning: buyers are discounting ambitious list prices back toward recent closed comps.
What this means: Sellers have more competition, and buyers have more options. Homes pegged to real 2025 comps move; aspirational pricing tends to sit.
What actually sold in Malibu? (Jan–Aug comparison)
Closings: 53 this year vs. 111 last year
Total sold volume: $329,667,380 vs. $668,784,540
Average sold price: $6,220,139 vs. $6,025,086
Median sold price: $4,475,000 vs. $4,095,000
Average days to sell: 87 days vs. 79
Closed price per square foot: $1,417.75 vs. $1,599.47
Median list price of what sold: $4,850,000 (vs. $4,200,000)
What that mix tells us: In short, fewer deals overall, but the ones that do close skew a bit more upscale.
Price bands for Single-family Homes)
- Under $2 million: 7 sales (vs 15 last year)
- $3–$5 million: 15 sales (vs 41 last year)
- $5–$10 million: 18 sales (vs 23 last year)
- $10 million and up: 4 sales (vs 12 last year)
Takeaway: The upper tiers are still clearing, provided they’re aligned with recent closed price-per-foot. If you price a $5–$10 million home to last year’s list numbers rather than this year’s sold $/sf, expect longer days on market or a later price cut.
How fast are homes selling?
Distribution of days on market for 2025 sales:
- Average DOM: 87 days (vs 79 last year)
- 1–30 days: 7 sales (vs 22 last year)
- 31–60 days: 12 sales (vs 15 last year)
- 61–90 days: 8 sales (vs 13 last year)
- 91–120 days: 4 sales (vs 12 last year)
- 120+ days: 13 sales (vs 32 last year)
Compared with 2024 (which had 22 quick sales in the first 30 days), we saw fewer “lightning-fast” closings this year.
What it means: correct pricing still produces a fast sale, but missing the mark often pushes a property into 90–120+ days.
What this means for you
If you’re buying:
You have more homes to choose from and more leverage on price per square foot than last year. Focus on recent sold comparables, not just what’s currently listed (active $/sf is running hotter than closed). When a new listing is priced to 2025 reality, be ready to move; those are still achieving about 96% of asking and often sell faster.
If you’re selling:
This is a precision market. If you set your price to recent sold $/sf and present the home superbly (prep, photography, launch timing), you can keep discounts light and sell within a normal window. If you price well above the closed line, expect longer days on market or to adjust later.
Thinking of buying or selling Malibu Real Estate?
We help clients price precisely, negotiate confidently, and navigate lenders, insurance, and inspections with minimal friction while making the real estate process as easy and seamless as possible. Reach out to Shen Realty with over 20+ years of experience within the Malibu Real Estate Market where we provide the services only the best real estate agent in Malibu can offer.