The new owner of Matthew Perry’s Pacific Palisades home, the residence where he died, is breathing a sigh of relief after the property narrowly escaped devastating wildfires that have consumed swaths of Los Angeles this week, reports Realtor.com.
Anita Verma-Lallian, a real estate developer and CEO of Camelback Productions, purchased the four-bedroom, five-bathroom home for $8.55 million in an off-market deal nearly a year after the “Friends” star’s overdose-related death in October 2023.
She had intended the property to serve as a vacation retreat for her Scottsdale, Arizona-based family. But just days after celebrating the New Year there, disaster struck. Wildfires ravaged the affluent enclave, leaving Verma-Lallian in a state of anguish as live maps showed her street engulfed in flames.
Unable to return, she turned to national news and updates from neighbors, feeling powerless.
“I just felt so helpless not knowing what was happening and not being able to do anything,” she told the outlet. “We didn’t even have access to local news; we were watching national news, but we couldn’t tell what had happened to the house.”
Miraculously, the property emerged largely unscathed, sustaining only minor damage in the backyard thanks to quick action by local residents.
“One of our friends was able to get to the house, and they’ve confirmed that our house is OK,” Verma-Lallian said. “There were a couple of small fires in the backyard that they were able to put water on and contain, and we’re just hoping that they stay contained. But as of now, our house is OK.”
Verma-Lallian praised her new community, expressing gratitude for their support.
“The community has been amazing, very welcoming; we’ve met most of them, and they’ve gone out of their way to make us feel welcome. Neighbors have checked on the property for us, and they’ve sent updates about everything that is going on, which has been so helpful.”
The fires were a sobering reality check for Verma-Lallian, who didn’t consider Pacific Palisades a high-risk area for them. “There really haven’t been many fires in Pacific Palisades that we were aware of,” she said.
“Malibu seemed like a higher risk … I never would have imagined that this would be happening. It’s been crazy, and there have been a lot of emotions.”
Security cameras showed flames creeping dangerously close to the home’s pool, with firefighters battling the blaze just steps away. When the cameras lost service, Verma-Lallian was left in the dark.
“We saw the firefighters put out some of the fires successfully — but then we lost service, and we had no idea what was going on.”
Although relieved that the house is still standing, uncertainty remains. Authorities have warned it could take up to a week before residents are allowed back into the area to fully assess the damage.
“We don’t know for sure when we can go back,” Verma-Lallian said. “As soon as we can, we will jump on a plane and get back there.”
Despite the harrowing experience, Verma-Lallian is inspired by the resilience and generosity of her neighbors.
“The amount of support we’ve received from one another has been incredible. People have been checking in on each other’s houses and sending messages updating them,” she said.
