Rebuilding After the Malibu Fire: A Realtor's Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

If you lost your home in the Malibu fires and you don’t know where to even start, take a breath. I’ve walked families through all kinds of challenges for 26 years, and I’m going to tell you the truth about how a rebuild actually goes. The parts that are hard, and the parts nobody wants to say out loud. You don’t have to figure it all out at once. One step at a time. 

Step One: Start With Your Title Company 

Before you call a single builder, call your title company and pull your preliminary title report. You want every document in order, and you want to know exactly what you’re allowed to rebuild. Old title reports sometimes carry deed restrictions in Schedule B that limit the size of the home on your lot, so this isn’t a step you skip. If you need to prove your original square footage, the aerial photographs going back to the 1940s at the Fairchild Library in Santa Barbara are a wonderful resource. Get your paperwork right first. Everything else stands on top of it. 

Step Two: Get to Know the City of Malibu Early 

A lot of people are scared of the city. Don’t be. The planning and zoning teams at the Malibu Rebuild Center are helpful and friendly, and you can book a free appointment with a senior planner. Every project goes through two steps. Planning for zoning approval first, then Building Safety for the review of the actual project. Here’s what I tell all my clients. You get people more with honey than with vinegar. Build a real relationship with your planner, your zoning department, the fire department, and your engineers. The wheel that squeaks gets the oil, so be there, be kind, and be persistent. Demanding things doesn’t move it faster. Showing up nicely does. 

Step Three: Know Your Rebuild Options 

The fastest path back is what they call “like for like,” or “like for like plus 10 percent.” If you rebuild substantially the same footprint with up to a 10 percent increase, you can often skip the coastal and environmental reviews that slow everyone else down. If you want to build bigger or move the home on your lot, you’re likely looking at a Coastal Development Permit, which takes longer. You have time, but not forever. The current window is roughly six years to submit your planning application and eight years to pull a building permit. And if this was your primary residence, ask about the rebuilding fee waivers. They’re real, and they add up. 

Step Four: Choose a Builder Who Actually Knows Malibu

This is where I see people get hurt. I’ve watched builders come into Malibu from all over who don’t understand what it takes to build in a coastal community. They cut a corner here, save a few bucks there, and what you wind up with is a disposable home. That’s the last thing you want after everything you’ve been through. You want to be durable. You want to be sustainable. You want it done once, done right. A builder like John Johannesson, who’s been building here since 2010, does quality work with much care, and that’s the standard to hold everyone to. 

And please, don’t hire the cheapest cleanup crew you can find. I had a client who rebuilt after the Woolsey Fire, and his crew compacted the soil, then took it out, then had to compact it all over again. He paid for that job twice. Your whole house is going to stand on that ground, so the soil has to be prepared and compacted right before you pour a single foundation. Getting it cheap the first time is how you wind up paying time and a half. 

The Hard Truth Nobody Is Telling You 

I’m going to say something most agents won’t. Some of these lots are not going to be rebuilt. Between the seawall requirements, the septic, and the Coastal Commission, you can be looking at millions of dollars before you even start, and on some properties that sit right on the highway or right on the water, there simply isn’t the space. On a few of them there may even be eminent domain, where the government steps in because the lot isn’t buildable and it compromises the highway. Nobody wants to hear that, which is exactly why nobody is saying it. After 26 years here, I’d rather tell you the truth now than watch you find out the hard way. 

How Long This Really Takes 

Know going in that this is a long road, not a quick fix. A full Malibu rebuild generally runs 24 to 36 months from the fire to the day you move back in. The Coastal Commission and the permits are always slower than people expect. I’m an idealist about this. I’d rather we do it right, put the utilities underground, connect to the sewer, and build something that lasts, even if it takes longer. This is not our last fire. Let’s not patch it up with a band aid. 

You Don’t Have to Do This Alone 

I know this is hard. It’s traumatic, and some days you’ll want to give up. But we’re a resilient community, and there’s a reason the word unity is in community. It takes a village to rebuild a home, and you need good people in your corner from a lot of different areas. Stay calm, take it one day at a time, and surround yourself with the right ones. 

If you’re going through a rebuild in Malibu and you want straight answers from someone who knows every street in this town, I’m here. I’m Bianca Torrence at BiancaRealtor.com. 

Frequently Asked Questions 

Where do I start after losing my home in the Malibu fire? 

Start with your title company. Pull your preliminary title report so your documents are in order and you know what you’re allowed to rebuild. Then book a free appointment with a senior planner at the Malibu Rebuild Center before you hire anyone. 

How long does it take to rebuild after the Malibu fire? 

Plan on 24 to 36 months from the fire to move-in, sometimes it could be longer. Roughly 2 to 4 months for assessment and design, 4 to 8 months for permits and the Coastal Commission, and 12 to 18 months to build. 

Do I need a Coastal Development Permit to rebuild? 

Not always. If you rebuild like for like, or like for like plus about 10 percent in the same footprint, you can often skip the coastal review. If you build bigger or move the home on your lot, you’ll likely need a Coastal Development Permit, which takes longer. 

Are there fee waivers for rebuilding in Malibu? 

Yes, for qualifying primary residences affected by the fires. Ask the City about current waivers when you book your planning appointment. 

What’s the biggest mistake people make rebuilding in Malibu? 

Cutting corners to save money up front. Cheap cleanup crews and builders who don’t know coastal construction cost you more later, in soil problems, redone work, and stress. Do it once, do it right.