Well, this is gross. Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles star Josh Flagg just got dragged on Instagram for bragging about his real estate transactions involving Malibu homes destroyed by the wildfires earlier this year. People died, and thousands of people were displaced from their homes, but Josh seemed giddy over how much money he’s making off of them.
MDLLA’s Josh Flagg was called “horrific” for the now-deleted Instagram post
“JUST SOLD!” Josh wrote in an Instagram caption on August 12, per People.
The accompanying photo showed properties along the Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California, completely destroyed in the January 2025 wildfires. You could still see debris and ash littered across the lots.
On Instagram, Josh went on to list the property details — he sold one for $5,000,000 and another for $4,650,000. That’s a big payday for the real estate broker, but MDLLA fans lit him up in the comments, calling the post “triggering,” “horrific,” and “in very poor taste.”
After hundreds of negative comments poured in, Josh deleted the post. Now, he’s blaming the whole thing on his marketing team.
“I’m not going to sit back while people question my character,” he told TMZ amid the backlash. “The photo used in my recent post was a mistake. My marketing team posted it without my review or approval … I was on a transatlantic flight when it went up. I’m sorry if it offended anyone.”
According to Josh, he has a “long history” of helping Malibu recover from the fires earlier this year. He told the outlet that he’s been pushing for responsible redevelopment and fighting against price gouging.
Then, despite admitting that his post was “a mistake,” he said that it should have been interpreted by his followers as a positive update in the rebuilding efforts.
“Those sales aren’t just transactions — they’re helping Malibu residents rebuild and restore neighborhoods,” Josh shared. “Showing progress is a positive sign, because it means a faster recovery and a brighter future for the community.”
Million Dollar Listing Los Angeles is streaming on Peacock and Hayu in the UK and Ireland.
TELL US – DO YOU THINK JOSH’S POST WAS INSENSITIVE? WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON HIS RESPONSE TO THE BACKLASH?
