July Palisades Pulse
It has been 6 months since the fires, and a lot has been happening. More than 650 plan check applications for 440+ unique addresses have been submitted to the L.A. Department of Building and Safety (LADBS), with 220+ plans approved and 165+ permits issued. This represents a 43% month-over-month increase, signaling accelerating momentum in the rebuilding process. Approximately 20 properties have begun construction, with many nearing completion of their framing.
The Getty Villa
Palisades Rec Center New Playground – click here for the video tour
Gladstones Restaurant
Boca
Dr. Gary Polan, Optometrist
Pacific Palisades Veterinary Center
Palisades Pitstop Car Detailing
CVS
Post Office
Temescal Canyon Road – click here for the video tour
The LAUSD Board has approved a $604 million plan to rebuild Marquez and Palisades Elementary schools, and Palisades High School by the end of 2028.
LADWP has begun undergrounding power lines, starting with a new 34.5 kV circuit on Sunset Boulevard.
We urge every resident to sign the opposition letter to L.A. County’s Resilient Rebuilding Authority, which seeks to replace local control with appointed outsiders. Over 17,000 letters have already been received. Click here to review & sign the Letter.
Financing land is often a challenge. US Bank offers land loans with limitations (e.g., a $500,000 minimum deposit). An alternative (if the seller does not need all the funds right away) is a seller carry, where the seller acts as the lender. We recommend a 50% loan-to-value ratio, with interest-only payments for 1–2 years. Then, the buyer obtains a construction loan to repay the seller. CLICK HERE for a sample seller financing addendum (SFA) form.
New listings still outpace sales, but it is narrowing. We expect a peak of 500 active listings by mid-to-late 2026, assuming the current pace of 75+ listings per month continues.
Here are the cumulative totals since the fires.
CLICK HERE for all active and leased Palisades properties since the fires. Note that while 38 were leased, only 11 were located in the fire area. There were 152 leases during the same timeframe last year.
CLICK HERE for all active or sold Palisades condos since the fires. Just six condos have sold this year, compared to 34 during the same period last year. Four of the six were in the Highlands.
Off-market land sales now represent 17% of total activity, which is consistent with pre-fire sales. Please note that public record updates of off-market sales may lag behind by approximately two weeks.
Pre-foreclosure NOD: 3 months late on payments (Notice of Default)
Auction Sale: typically, after 6 months of missed payments
Bank-owned: When a property fails to sell at auction, the bank takes it back
Given that there are ~9,000 homes and condos in the Palisades, this total is less than 1/8 of 1%. While higher than last year, this is still a very low number. We anticipate that this could rise to 100–150 properties in foreclosure over the next year or two.
Altadena: Lots are selling at 102% of asking in an average of 13 days. Average price and lot size: $643,423 on 9,965 sq ft lots
Palisades: Selling for 91% of asking (ie, 9% under). Average price and lot size: $2,260,000 on 8,255 sq ft lots
There have been rumors that real estate syndicates are coming in and buying hundreds of properties, but currently, only one entity owns three lots, and three others own two each.
Ownership is split approximately equally between individuals (trusts) and LLCs (developers)
Price reductions are increasing, so pricing realistically is critical. Price your property based on what is selling, not what others are asking.
Permit activity could double again by August.
AI technology, such as Archistar (which reviews building plans), will streamline approvals in days instead of weeks.
Higher-density fears are misplaced since some owners are buying adjacent lots, which is reducing overall density.
In light of all these developments, I have been speaking to several Homeowners associations, business groups and companies in person and via Zoom on what is happening with Palisades real estate, so let me know if you would like me to speak to your organization. CLICK HERE for a recent Fox News interview I did last week.
If you would like to know the value of your lot or free-standing home, or if you would like to discuss Palisades real estate values, please let us know, and we will be happy to assist you.
Stay up to date on the latest real estate trends.
August 2025
Market and Rebuild Update by Anthony Marguleas
July 2025
Market and Rebuild Update by Anthony Marguleas
June 2025
Market and Rebuild Update by Anthony Marguleas
May 2025
Palisades Real Estate Updates
April 2025
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