Looking for a Malibu multifamily broker? Michael Sterman, Senior Managing Director Investments at Marcus & Millichap and founder of the Sterman Multifamily Group, has closed $1.46B across 259 Los Angeles apartment building transactions over 14 years — including 2 in Malibu alone. If you own an apartment building in Malibu and are weighing a sale, this is the team that prices it against Malibu's real buyer pool and rules — not a generic LA average.
Malibu Multifamily Market Snapshot
10,650
Malibu residents
2
Sterman closings in Malibu
29
Units sold here
2017
Most recent closing
Malibu incorporated in 1991 and has stayed that way deliberately — coastal, low-density, and structurally limited in how much multifamily stock can exist here at all. That scarcity, combined with the coastline itself, is why the two buildings I have closed in Malibu — 13 and 16 units, in 2012 and 2017 — traded at $865K and $497K per unit. Those are coastal California numbers, not Valley or central-LA numbers, and pricing a Malibu building against a citywide LA average would be a meaningful mistake in either direction.
What Is My Malibu Apartment Building Worth?
Value in Malibu turns on vintage, rent-control status, your in-place rents versus market, and which buyer pool fits your building — not a single neighborhood average. Michael underwrites your specific Malibu building the way a real buyer will, then tells you what it should bring and how to get there. No obligation.
The buyer pool here looks nothing like a Valley or central-LA submarket. Given the scarcity of multifamily stock and the coastal pricing, buyers are typically well-capitalized private investors and family offices comfortable with a thin comparable set and a long hold horizon, not institutional value-add funds running a repeatable playbook across dozens of buildings a year. That means the sale process itself looks different — fewer competing offers, more direct relationship-driven transactions, and a premium on a broker who can actually reach that buyer pool rather than run a generic marketing blast.
Recent Malibu Multifamily Sales
A sample of Malibu apartment buildings Michael Sterman has closed. Each links to the full deal record.
Frequently Asked Questions About Selling Multifamily in Malibu
Who is the best multifamily broker in Malibu?
There's no single citywide answer — the best multifamily broker for your Malibu building is the one who has closed comparable buildings in Malibu recently and can prove it. Michael Sterman has closed 2 multifamily buildings in Malibu, 29 units, as part of $1.46B across 259 LA transactions overall. Verify any broker's track record with the five tests in "How to Choose the Best Multifamily Broker in Los Angeles."
Does LA rent control (RSO) apply to Malibu apartment buildings?
No. Malibu is its own incorporated city, separate from the City of Los Angeles, and LA City RSO has no jurisdiction here. Malibu's own rent control ordinance covers mobilehome parks only. A no-fault eviction protection (2019) covers pre-2005 residential buildings, and statewide AB 1482 applies here as it does across California.
What do apartment buildings sell for in Malibu?
Across the two Sterman Multifamily Group closings in Malibu (2012 and 2017, 13 and 16 units), price per unit ran $497K and $865K — coastal pricing with little relationship to Valley or central-LA per-unit figures.
Why doesn't Malibu multifamily trade as often as other LA-area submarkets?
Coastal zoning and limited land constrain how much multifamily stock exists here at all. Fewer buildings means fewer transactions — a structural fact of the submarket, not a sign of weak demand.
Does LA City rent control (RSO) apply to Malibu apartment buildings?
No. Malibu is its own incorporated city, separate from the City of Los Angeles, and LA City's Rent Stabilization Ordinance has no jurisdiction here. Malibu's own rent control ordinance applies only to mobilehome parks, not conventional apartment buildings. Malibu does have a no-fault eviction protection (adopted 2019) for residential buildings constructed before January 1, 2005, and statewide AB 1482 (the Tenant Protection Act) applies here the same as anywhere else in California, subject to its own exemptions.
Meet Your Malibu Multifamily Expert
Michael Sterman has spent 14 years specializing exclusively in Los Angeles multifamily, closing 259 transactions worth $1.46B. He knows how Malibu buildings are valued, who buys them, and what it takes to get a clean deal closed here. CA DRE License #01911703.
What Owners Say About Working With Michael
★★★★★
“I highly recommend Michael Sterman and his group. I just closed escrow on a 36 unit MF which Michael obtained the buyer. Michael handled the sale and escrow process extremely professionally. I have been a MF real estate broker myself for 45 years; I know who is a pro and who is not.”
Robert Corry
Verified Google review
★★★★★
“In Los Angeles multifamily, there's a huge gap between agents who talk about deals and agents who actually understand how they work. Michael Sterman is firmly in the second camp. What sets them apart isn't just market knowledge—it's judgment. They understand rent control realities, tenant issues, expense creep, cap-ex tradeoffs, and how underwriting changes block by block in LA. They're responsive, direct, and strategic—no fluff, no wasted time. If you're serious about buying or selling multifamily in Los Angeles, you want someone like Sterman on your side.”
Michael Maltzman
Verified Google review
★★★★★
“I've worked with Michael Sterman on multiple transactions and couldn't recommend him more highly. He has sold three properties to me and has also sold a property for me. He's professional, responsive, and gets deals done efficiently. A true pro.”