Displaced Families Are Reshaping Los Angeles’ Housing Market on the Westside
Home sales and prices across Los Angeles surged in the first quarter of 2025 as thousands of residents displaced by January’s devastating wildfires scrambled to find new housing, according to a report released Thursday by Douglas Elliman.
Fueled by the Pacific Palisades and Eaton fires, which destroyed homes and forced roughly 13,000 families to relocate, real estate activity soared in many neighborhoods, especially those bordering the fire zones. Total home sales across the city’s Westside climbed 25.2% year-over-year, while sales in the luxury segment, representing the top 10% of the market, jumped 28.9%.
Some of the most dramatic spikes were seen in areas adjacent to the burn zones. Santa Monica and Venice saw single-family home sales more than double, while West Hollywood and Century City reported gains exceeding 80%.
Despite the intense demand, the supply of homes rose as well. Inventory increased 47.7% citywide as more homeowners and developers rushed to take advantage of rising prices.
Those prices didn’t disappoint: The median sales price in the Westside region climbed 7.7% to nearly $2 million. Condominiums saw the steepest increase, up 12.4% to a record-high median of $1.18 million. Luxury condos rose 26% to a median of $3.9 million, bolstered by the delivery of high-end new developments selling for as much as $4.7 million.
Brentwood led the city in price acceleration, with the median price of a single-family home reaching $5.1 million, an increase of nearly 47%.
Although some of the market’s momentum is expected to taper as the wildfire crisis stabilizes, experts say L.A.’s Westside remains highly competitive, especially in areas with newer construction and walkable amenities.
