Published October 25, 2026 in Market Update

Malibu buyers are negotiating more, even as some homes move fast

By ARTUR ISRAYELYAN - REALTOR®

Real estate, Malibu

The biggest thing to know right now: buyers have more room to negotiate than they did a year ago. That changes how you price and how long you plan to wait. These numbers cover the three months ending August 31, 2026, for ZIP code 90265 in Malibu.

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted homes in 90265 selling for 93.2% of list price on average. That is down 1.6 points from the same period in 2025. So most sellers gave up something to close the deal. Nationally, Realtor.com reported that price cuts hit 20.8% of listings in September, the highest share since October 2022. Malibu is not alone in feeling that shift.

Some homes still move quickly

The Real Estate Data Aggregator found that 13.9% of Malibu homes went under contract within two weeks of listing. That share is up 5.3 points from a year ago. Not every home sold fast, but the well-priced ones found buyers quickly. Only 4.7% sold above list price, up 2.6 points from 2025, so over-list sales are still rare.

More homes, more time on market

The Real Estate Data Aggregator recorded a median sale price of $2,861,000 in 90265, down 7% from the same period last year. Prices dipped, and that is worth saying plainly. At the same time, 64 homes sold, up 36.2% from 2025. More buyers showed up, even if they paid a little less. The median home sat on the market for 95 days, which is 7 days longer than a year ago. With 291 homes for sale and 13.9 months of supply, buyers have choices. Supply did fall 3.7 months from last year, so the inventory picture is slowly tightening.

Pending sales are climbing

The Real Estate Data Aggregator counted 72 pending sales in 90265, up 24.1% from a year ago. New listings also rose 18.1% to 163. More sellers are coming to market, and more buyers are signing contracts. That is a sign of real activity, not just listings sitting still. Realtor.com reported that mortgage rates climbed above 7% for the first time since January 2025. That is a real cost for buyers, and it shapes what they are willing to offer.

One more thing to keep in mind: these are ZIP-code-wide numbers. One street can read very differently from the whole 90265 picture. A home on Point Dume Road does not always follow the same pattern as one near the Civic Center. If you want to know how your block is behaving, that is a different conversation.