Celebrity Realtors Condemn Price Gouging Amid Los Angeles Wildfires

As the Los Angeles wildfires continue to cause widespread devastation, many celebrity real estate agents are trying to find clients new places to live.

“I’ve been searching on the MLS [directory] trying to help displaced families from the fires find rental properties,” Selling Sunset star Jason Oppenheim said in an Instagram Story video in January 2025. “I’m noticing dozens of examples of people trying to do things like this, where they’re unable to get $9,500 or even $9,000 and then yesterday increase the rent over 30 percent to $12,000.”

The Oppenheim Group founder noted that while he “is all for free market capitalism,” he considers the rising costs to be the result of people “blatantly taking advantage” of the natural disaster.

California has an anti-price gouging law, meaning that it’s illegal to raise costs during an emergent situation.

“The Legislature hereby finds that during a state of emergency or local emergency, including, but not limited to, an earthquake, flood, fire, riot, storm, drought, plant or animal infestation or disease, pandemic or epidemic disease outbreak, or other natural or manmade disaster, some merchants have taken unfair advantage of consumers by greatly increasing prices for essential consumer goods and services,” part of the Penal Code Section 396 reads. “While the pricing of consumer goods and services is generally best left to the marketplace under ordinary conditions, when a declared state of emergency or local emergency results in abnormal disruptions of the market, the public interest requires that excessive and unjustified increases in the prices of essential consumer goods and services be prohibited.”

The statute further reveals that any violation is a misdemeanor crime punishable by imprisonment in a county jail for less than one year, a fine less than $10,000 or a combination of the two punishments.

Despite the state’s legal ruling, many local realtors have still found that landlords are allegedly increasing the prices of their properties amid the wildfires. Keep scrolling to see what the stars have said:

Jason Oppenheim

“There are price gouging laws in California, they’re just being ignored right now, and this isn’t the time to be taking advantage of situations,” Oppenheim told the BBC in January 2025. “Everyone has tears in their eyes all day long, literally from the smoke but also just because it’s emotional to see people struggling like this.”

Oppenheim’s brokerage has also donated its services to help displaced clients find places to stay at no additional fee.

Chrishell Stause

Taking to her Instagram Stories on January 10, 2025, Oppenheim’s colleague called the behavior “disgusting.”

“Other realtors that have a moral compass, let’s please report to the board,” she said.

In a follow-up post, Stause noted that she kept seeing examples of price gouging as she searched the MLS for properties on the market.

Josh Flagg

The Million Dollar Listing: Los Angeles star spoke out about price gouging in a January 15, interview with Fox News.

“People [who] were not marketing their homes before are just now taking advantage because you can ask whatever you want for a house,” Flagg claimed. “You just can’t do it, then a natural disaster happens, and then you triple the price. That’s the problem.”

According to Flagg, there’s “not enough inventory” to house all of the individuals who have been displaced as a result of the fires.

“Right now, this is very scary. But at the end of the day, there will be a place for everyone to go. It’s just determining that now and everyone’s scrambling,” he told the outlet. “It’s like any disaster. In the beginning, it’s a nightmare and then everything just works itself out. But it’s not fun while you’re waiting.”

Josh Altman

Flagg’s former MDLLA costar told Fox News that the situation is “way worse than you could ever imagine.”

“There’s not a lot of inventory to begin with, and now all of a sudden you have a thousand-plus new people in the market, whether they’re buying or renting, depending on their financial situation and depending on their family situation,” Altman said. “It’s going to be years till this gets fixed up, the houses get finished. I mean, it’s going to be two years to build a house. It’s going to be a year to get permits.”

Check the LAFD website for local wildfire alerts and click here for resources on how to help those affected.