By Christine Almarines | Published September 2026 | Updated October 19, 2026
Veterans Day 2026 falls on Wednesday, November 11. Here are the Veterans Day Orange County ceremonies and observances, plus the ones just over the line in Los Angeles County, starting closest to Cerritos and Buena Park. Each one is marked confirmed (the city or organizer has posted 2026 details), listed (an event listing shows it but the city page has no details yet), or not posted yet. Details are current as of October 19.
Cerritos holds its Veterans Day commemoration on Wednesday, November 11 at 10am at the Civic Center, and the city has posted it. Several other observances fall on a different day: Buena Park’s honor lunch is Wednesday, November 4, and Artesia and La Palma are on Saturday, November 7. Long Beach and the OC Fairgrounds’ Heroes Hall are on Saturdays too (November 7 and November 14).
Before you plan around any ceremony, confirm the time with the city. Phone numbers are listed below. A few times, such as Mission Viejo and Santa Fe Springs, still haven’t been posted.
| Ceremony | City | 2026 date & time | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Buena Park Veterans Honor Lunch | Buena Park | Wed, Nov 4, 12pm | Confirmed. Registration required |
| Artesia Veteran’s Day Celebration | Artesia | Sat, Nov 7, 10am-1pm | Confirmed |
| La Palma Veterans Day Ceremony | La Palma | Sat, Nov 7 (time to confirm) | Date listed. Call about RSVP |
| Long Beach Veterans Day Celebration | Long Beach | Sat, Nov 7, 12-4pm | Listed. Free |
| Hawaiian Gardens Veterans Day Ceremony | Hawaiian Gardens | Fri, Nov 6 (time to confirm) | On the city calendar. Call first |
| Norwalk Veterans Recognition Ceremony | Norwalk | Tue, Nov 10 (time to confirm) | Confirmed date |
| Cerritos Veterans Day Commemoration | Cerritos | Wed, Nov 11, 10am | Confirmed |
| Placentia Veterans Day Ceremony | Placentia | Wed, Nov 11, 10-11am | Listed |
| Paramount Veterans Celebration | Paramount | Wed, Nov 11, 10-11:30am | Confirmed. Lunch after |
| VA Long Beach Healthcare System | Long Beach | Wed, Nov 11, 10am-2pm | Listed by the VA |
| Norwalk Veterans Day Ceremony | Norwalk | Wed, Nov 11 (time to confirm) | Confirmed date |
| Irvine Veterans Day Ceremony | Irvine | Wed, Nov 11, 11am-12:30pm | Listed. Free |
| 37th Annual Veterans Day Program | Lake Forest | Wed, Nov 11, 11am | Confirmed. Rain or shine |
| SFV Veterans Day Parade | Pacoima | Wed, Nov 11, 11:11am | Confirmed |
| Mission Viejo Ceremony and Resource Fair | Mission Viejo | Wed, Nov 11 (time not posted) | Date listed |
| Yorba Linda Veterans Day Ceremony | Yorba Linda | Wed, Nov 11, 2pm | Listed. Details to come |
| Santa Fe Springs Veterans Day Program | Santa Fe Springs | Wed, Nov 11 (time not posted) | On the city events page |
| Heroes Hall Veterans Day Celebration | Costa Mesa | Sat, Nov 14, 12-3pm | Listed by the OC Fair. Call to confirm |
Cerritos Civic Center near the Veterans Memorial, 18125 Bloomfield Avenue, Wednesday, November 11 at 10am. The city’s program includes patriotic music, remarks from City Council members and dignitaries, a wreath laying and a moment of silence. It is held rain or shine, and free parking is available at the Civic Center. The city posted this on October 9. Questions: City Hall at 562-860-0311. cerritos.gov
Veterans Memorial at the Ehlers Event Center, 8150 Knott Avenue, Wednesday, November 4 at noon. Lunch and a resource fair for local veterans. Register by phone at 714-236-3870, by email at seniors@buenapark.com, or in person at the Buena Park Senior Center. The city’s page does not state a cost, and one event guide says registration closes October 23, so call soon. This is Buena Park’s main observance; no separate November 11 ceremony is posted. buenapark.com
Artesia Park, 18750 Clarkdale Avenue, Saturday, November 7, 10am to 1pm. A community celebration with veteran services booths. The city’s page does not state an admission price. Parks & Recreation: 562-860-3361. cityofartesia.us
The City of La Palma lists a Veterans Day ceremony on Saturday, November 7. Earlier city information placed it at the La Palma Community Center at Central Park, 7821 Walker Street, at 11am, with an RSVP required and veterans given priority. I could not re-confirm the time or whether RSVPs are still open, so call City Hall at 714-690-3300 (open Monday through Thursday) before you go. lapalmaca.gov
The City of Norwalk confirms two 2026 events: a Veterans Recognition ceremony on Tuesday, November 10 and a Veterans Day ceremony on Wednesday, November 11. The city page does not post times or venues. Earlier information pointed to the Norwalk Cultural Arts Center, 13200 Clarkdale Avenue, from 11am to 1pm on November 11 (arrive by 10:45am), and the Norwalk Senior Center, 14040 San Antonio Drive, from 3:30 to 5pm on November 10. Treat those as last known details and confirm with Recreation at 562-929-5566. The Arts & Sports Complex closes at 4pm on November 11. norwalk.org
Paramount Armed Forces Memorial, 16400 Colorado Avenue, Wednesday, November 11, 10 to 11:30am. Challenge coins are distributed, and lunch follows at the American Legion, 7550 Somerset Boulevard. Questions: 562-220-2121. Paramount has had an older event page with a 2025 date, so use this one: paramountcity.gov
Civic Center Veterans Monument, 401 E. Chapman Avenue, Wednesday, November 11, 10 to 11am, from a 2026 Orange County event listing. The city’s own page has no details yet, so call City Hall at 714-993-8117 to confirm. Event listing
Colonel Bill Barber Marine Corps Memorial Park, 4 Civic Center Plaza, Wednesday, November 11, 11am to 12:30pm, free, from a 2026 event listing. Check the city’s page for a weather plan. A separate Veterans of the Year Celebration is listed for Thursday, November 12 at 6pm at the Los Olivos Community Center, 101 Alfonso, with an RSVP required. Event listing
25751 Trabuco Road, Lake Forest, Wednesday, November 11 at 11am. Hosted with VFW Post 6024, with a color guard, wreath presentations and a rifle salute. Held rain or shine. occemeterydistrict.specialdistrict.org
Norman P. Murray Community & Senior Center, 24932 Veterans Way, Wednesday, November 11. The city lists a ceremony and veteran resources fair, but the start time has not been posted. Call 949-470-3061. Earlier information said the ceremony includes sign language interpretation; ask the city to confirm. missionviejo.gov
Yorba Linda Veterans Memorial, 4766 Valley View Avenue, Wednesday, November 11 at 2pm, with more details to come. The time comes from an event listing rather than the city, so confirm before you go. yorbalindaveteransmemorial.com
Town Center Plaza, 11740 Telegraph Road, Wednesday, November 11. It is on the city’s events page, but no start time has been posted. Call 562-868-0511. santafesprings.gov
Lot F2, 5901 E. Seventh Street, Wednesday, November 11, 10am to 2pm, on the VA’s events listing. va.gov
The parade steps off at 11:11am on Wednesday, November 11 from Laurel Canyon and San Fernando Mission Boulevards and ends at the Ritchie Valens Recreation Center, 10736 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, Pacoima. sfvveteransdayparade.com
Heroes Hall Museum & Education Center, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa. The OC Fair lists a Veterans Day Celebration on Saturday, November 14, 12 to 3pm, with an opening aircraft flyover, live music, family activities and free hot dogs and chips. Note that this is the Saturday after Veterans Day. The listing shows no year and no admission price, so call 714-708-1500 to confirm. ocfair.com
Houghton Park, 6301 Myrtle Avenue, Saturday, November 7, 12 to 4pm. Free and family friendly. The city’s page has a year mismatch in its text, so confirm with the city before you go. ADA parking and paratransit drop-off are on Harding Street between Atlantic and Myrtle. longbeach.gov
C. Robert Lee Activity Center, 21815 Pioneer Boulevard. The city’s 2026 events calendar lists the ceremony on Friday, November 6, with a registration link, rather than November 11. No time was visible, so call 562-420-2641 first. hgcity.org
These cities have not posted 2026 details that I could find as of October 19. Most calendars fill in during the last two weeks of October, and the year-to-year patterns are below only as a guide, not as 2026 times.
Almost no organizer publishes this, so here is what has actually been posted:
For every other ceremony, call the organizer before you go if mobility, seating or shade matters. Mission Viejo and Yorba Linda have mentioned sign language interpretation and a shade tent in the past; ask them to confirm for 2026.
Veterans Day Orange County listings get copied forward year to year, so some of what circulates is wrong. Here is what I found as of October 19:
Veterans Day is a commemoration rather than a promotion, so this is deliberately short. I could not find a 2026 free-admission announcement for the Nixon Library; past years offered one, so call 714-993-5075 before you plan around it. Several national restaurant chains run long-standing free-meal programs that day. Check the restaurant’s own website in early November, since most post their offer and ID requirements a week or two ahead.
Wednesday, November 11, 2026. Several nearby cities hold their ceremonies on a different day: Buena Park on Wednesday, November 4, Artesia and La Palma on Saturday, November 7, Hawaiian Gardens on Friday, November 6, and Norwalk adds a recognition ceremony on Tuesday, November 10.
Yes. The city’s Veterans Day Commemoration is on Wednesday, November 11 at 10am at the Cerritos Civic Center, 18125 Bloomfield Avenue, near the Veterans Memorial. It includes patriotic music, remarks, a wreath laying and a moment of silence, runs rain or shine, and has free parking at the Civic Center.
Buena Park’s main observance is the Veterans Honor Lunch and Resource Fair at the Ehlers Event Center, 8150 Knott Avenue, on Wednesday, November 4 at noon. Register at 714-236-3870, by email at seniors@buenapark.com, or at the Buena Park Senior Center. One event guide says registration closes October 23, so call soon.
Cerritos at 10am, Placentia from 10 to 11am, Paramount from 10 to 11:30am, VA Long Beach from 10am to 2pm, Irvine from 11am to 12:30pm, El Toro Memorial Park in Lake Forest at 11am, the San Fernando Valley Parade at 11:11am and Yorba Linda at 2pm. Norwalk, Mission Viejo and Santa Fe Springs also hold theirs on November 11, with times not yet posted.
Few organizers publish this. Long Beach posts ADA parking and paratransit drop-off, and Cerritos has free parking at the Civic Center. For anything else, call the organizer ahead of time.
No Veterans Day ceremony is listed on the VA’s page for Los Angeles National Cemetery. Call 310-268-4675 to confirm before planning a visit around an event.
Buena Park’s honor lunch requires registration at 714-236-3870. Irvine’s Veterans of the Year Celebration on November 12 lists an RSVP, and Hawaiian Gardens shows a registration link. La Palma has required an RSVP in the past, so call City Hall at 714-690-3300 to check. The others do not list a requirement.
If you know of a Veterans Day Orange County ceremony that belongs on this list, or your organization is holding one, let me know and I’ll add it.
I’ll update this guide again in early November, once the remaining cities post their 2026 times.
If you’d like to talk about your next move in Southern California real estate, I’d be happy to help.
If you want to sell your house and buy another in Orange County and LA County, you do not have to pick between selling first with nowhere to go and buying first with two payments. There are ways to structure the move, and each one has tradeoffs. The key is to build the plan before you list, not in the middle of escrow.
Homes are still selling for close to their original asking price. In Q3 2026, Orange County single-family homes sold for 97.9% of original price on average, and LA County homes in CRMLS sold for 98.8% (CRMLS, pulled October 3, 2026). That means your plan matters on both sides of the move.
Christine Almarines is a top real estate agent in Buena Park and Cerritos helping homeowners sell in Orange County and Los Angeles County. She helps move-up families line up the sale and the purchase before the sign goes up.
The numbers in this article cover single-family detached homes in Orange County and Los Angeles County from CRMLS, January 2025 through September 2026. LA County homes are listed on more than one MLS, so the LA County figures cover only LA County homes in CRMLS and may not include every sale in the county. The advice about timing a move reflects Christine’s experience, is not a finding from the data, and is not legal or lending advice, so a lender and an attorney answer the questions in their fields.
You start with a written plan for both sides of the move before you list. That plan answers three questions: where you will live in between, what you can afford to carry, and which structure fits your situation.
Selling and buying at the same time works best when the order of steps is decided early. You talk to a lender about what you can buy before your current home sells. You get a clear picture of what your home could sell for. Then you choose how the two transactions connect.
None of this removes every risk. A plan lowers the chance of a scramble. It does not promise a perfect handoff.
In Christine’s experience, timing is the number one thing that stops move-up sellers. Most people fear one of two things: a stretch without a home, or two house payments at once.
Neither outcome is certain. Both are possible. In Christine’s experience, the fear shrinks when you know what happens first, what happens next, and what you will do if a step slips.
A plan reduces the risk. It cannot remove it. That is why it belongs before the listing, not after.
There are three common tools, and each one protects you in one way and limits you in another.
Your agent helps you weigh these in the contract. Your lender answers the money questions, and an attorney answers the legal ones.
Both counties saw higher average sale prices in Q3 2026 than a year earlier, with homes going under contract in about a month on average. Orange County was up 11.2% year over year, and LA County homes in CRMLS were up 8.0%. That is last year’s direction, not a prediction.
The LA County figures below cover only LA County homes in CRMLS, because homes there are listed on more than one MLS. They may not include every sale in the county.
Single-family detached homes in Orange County and Los Angeles County, from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS), pulled October 3, 2026.
| Q3 2026 measure (Q3 2025 in parentheses) | Orange County | Los Angeles County (CRMLS homes only) |
|---|---|---|
| Average sale price | $2,090,835 ($1,880,358) | $1,551,572 ($1,436,531) |
| Change in average sale price | Up 11.2% | Up 8.0% |
| Average days active | 33 (34) | 35 (35) |
| Percent of original price | 97.9% (97.3%) | 98.8% (98.2%) |
| New listings | 3,972 (4,170), down 4.7% | 12,638 (13,337), down 5.2% |
| Closed sales | 3,174 (3,271), down 3.0% | 8,258 (8,229), about flat |
How to read it:
LA County homes in CRMLS also held up across the year. From January through September 2026, the average sale price was $1,528,775, up 13% from $1,349,577, with 23,660 closed sales, also up 13%.
Yes. In Christine’s experience, moving from a smaller home to a larger one often changes the numbers on both sides of the move.
What you net from your sale and what you need for the next purchase may not line up the way you expect. That gap shapes which structure makes sense for you. It is one more reason to run both sides before you list, with your agent and your lender at the same table.
A planned move follows a clear order, so each step is decided before the next one starts.
Illustration only, not data.
Christine and the CA Real Estate Group team serve move-up families in Buena Park and Cerritos, plus Anaheim, Bellflower, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Lakewood, and Placentia.
The best time to plan your move is before your home is on the market. Pick the step that fits where you are today.
If you are outgrowing your home, message Christine and set up a time. The goal is to leave with a plan for both sides of the move.
Should I sell first or buy first in Orange County and LA County?
It depends on your situation, and there is no one answer for every family. If you want to sell your house and buy another in Orange County and LA County, a plan built before you list reduces the risk on both sides.
How do I plan a move-up in Orange County and LA County?
Start with your agent and a lender before you list. Get a market evaluation, choose a structure, and decide the order of each step in advance.
What is a contingent offer?
It is an offer on the next home that depends on your current home selling. It protects you from owning two homes, but some sellers prefer offers without one.
What is a rent-back agreement?
It lets you stay in your home for a period after it sells, as the buyer’s tenant. Whether it is possible depends on what your buyer agrees to in the contract.
Will I have to carry two mortgages if I buy first?
Not always, but it can happen. Your lender can explain which options fit your finances, and a plan helps you see the risk before you commit.
Who can help me plan a move in Orange County and LA County?
Christine Almarines of CA Real Estate Group, licensed since 2004, helps move-up families plan both sides of the move. Book a time to map out your move or get your complimentary market evaluation.
Source: All market data is from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. InfoSparks © 2026 ShowingTime Plus, LLC. Single-family detached, Orange County and Los Angeles County, monthly data January 2025 through September 2026, as of October 3, 2026. Quarterly figures calculated from monthly data.
If you’re thinking about selling and want to know how your home should be positioned in today’s market, I’d be happy to help.
If you are asking whether to sell first or buy first in Buena Park, you do not have to choose one and hope it works out. There are ways to structure a move-up, including contingent offers, rent-back agreements and bridge options. Each one has tradeoffs. The plan works best when it is built before your home is listed.
Buena Park single-family homes averaged 25 days active in the MLS in Q3 2026 and sold for 98.5% of their original list price on average (CRMLS, pulled October 3, 2026). Those numbers describe the selling side. The timing of your whole move is something you plan.
Christine Almarines is a top real estate agent in Buena Park and Cerritos helping homeowners sell in Orange County and Los Angeles County. She helps move-up families decide on the order of their move before the sign goes up.
Numbers cover single-family detached homes in Buena Park from CRMLS, January 2025 through September 2026. The advice about timing a move reflects Christine’s experience, is not a finding from the data, and is not legal or lending advice. A lender and an attorney answer the questions in their fields.
It depends on your situation, and there is no single right order. What matters more than the order is having a plan in place before you list.
Selling first gives you a clear number to shop with, but you may need somewhere to stay. Buying first lets you move once, but you may carry two housing payments for a while. Some families combine the two by selling and buying at the same time, with terms that link the dates. Your equity, your income, your next price range and your family’s flexibility all shape the answer.
In Christine’s experience, timing is the number one thing that holds move-up sellers back. The fear usually comes down to two outcomes: being without a home for a stretch, or carrying two payments at once.
Neither outcome is certain, and neither has to happen when the plan is built first. A plan does not remove every risk. It turns a vague worry into decisions you make ahead of time with your agent, your lender and, for legal questions, an attorney.
Three common structures are contingent offers, rent-back agreements and bridge options. Each is meant to protect one side of the move, and each comes with something you give up.
| Tool | What it is, in plain words | What it can protect | What to ask |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contingent offer | An offer on your next home that depends on your current home selling first. | Protects you from owning two homes if yours does not sell. | Ask your agent: How will a seller in my price range view a contingent offer? What happens if my home does not sell in time? |
| Rent-back agreement | After your sale closes, you stay in the home for a period as the buyer’s tenant. | Protects you from moving twice or having nowhere to go between homes. | Ask your agent: Will buyers for my home agree to a rent-back? Ask an attorney: What should the agreement cover? |
| Bridge options | Financing that may let you use the equity in your current home toward the next one before it sells. | Protects your ability to buy before you sell. | Ask your lender: Do I qualify? What would it cost me? What happens if my home takes longer to sell? |
A seller on the other side may prefer an offer without a contingency. A rent-back depends on what your buyer agrees to. Bridge options depend on a lender’s rules. What is available, and what it costs, depends on the contract, the lender and your situation.
Settle five things first. Each one removes a guess you would otherwise make under pressure.
Buena Park homes sold close to their original price and about as fast as a year ago. Fewer homes came on the market, which matters for the buying side.
Single-family detached homes in Buena Park, from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS), pulled October 3, 2026.
| Measure | 2026 | 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Q3 average sale price | $1,045,412 | $1,002,350 | Up 4.3% |
| January to September average sale price | $1,040,850 (190 sales) | $993,172 (205 sales) | Up 4.8% |
| Q3 closed sales | 67 | 80 | Down 16% |
| Q3 new listings | 77 | 84 | Down 8% |
| Q3 average days active in MLS | 25 | 24 | About the same |
| Q3 percent of original list price received | 98.5% | 98.1% | Slightly higher |
How to read it:
Move-up families in Buena Park often look in nearby Fullerton, Cypress, La Palma, Anaheim and Cerritos too, and each of those has its own pace.
You lose options. Once your home is under contract, dates are set, and in Christine’s experience several of the structures above get harder to arrange.
In Christine’s experience, the families who struggle are the ones figuring out the timing mid-transaction. The plan has to exist before the sign goes up.
Buena Park is Christine’s home market. Planning a move-up here starts with a conversation, not a listing.
If you are outgrowing your home, message Christine and set up a time. The goal is to leave with a plan for both sides of the move.
Should I sell first or buy first in Buena Park?
Whether to sell first or buy first in Buena Park depends on your situation, and there is no one answer for every family. A plan built before you list reduces the risk on both sides, though no plan removes it completely.
How do I plan a move-up in Buena Park?
Start with your home’s real number, what you are comfortable paying next, and which structure you want. Then decide how flexible your move date is.
What is a contingent offer?
It is an offer on your next home that depends on your current home selling. It can protect you from owning two homes, but some sellers prefer offers without one.
What is a rent-back agreement?
It lets you stay in your home for a period after your sale closes, as the buyer’s tenant. It only works if your buyer agrees to it.
How fast are Buena Park homes selling?
Single-family homes in Buena Park averaged 25 days active in the MLS in Q3 2026, according to CRMLS. That is the time before an accepted offer, not the length of a whole move.
Who can help me plan a move in Buena Park?
Christine Almarines of CA Real Estate Group, licensed since 2004, helps Buena Park homeowners plan a move-up before they list. Book a time to map out your move or get your complimentary market evaluation.
Source: All market data is from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. InfoSparks © 2026 ShowingTime Plus, LLC. Single-family detached, Buena Park, monthly data January 2025 through September 2026, as of October 3, 2026. Quarterly figures calculated from monthly data.
If you’re thinking about selling and want to know how your home should be positioned in today’s market, I’d be happy to help.
Yes, you can sell and buy at the same time in Cerritos without being stuck between two homes, as long as the plan is built before you list. You do not have to pick between selling first with nowhere to go or buying first and carrying two payments with nothing in place. Contingent offers, rent-back agreements, and bridge options are ways to structure the move. Each one has tradeoffs, and a plan lowers the risk without removing it.
Cerritos homes that sold in Q3 2026 spent an average of 17 days active in the MLS before an accepted offer (CRMLS, pulled October 3, 2026). That is the listing side only. The whole move has more steps, which is why the order matters.
Christine Almarines is a top real estate agent in Buena Park and Cerritos helping homeowners sell in Orange County and Los Angeles County. If your home feels a little smaller every month, this article covers how she thinks about the timing before a sign ever goes up.
The numbers in this article cover single-family detached homes in Cerritos from CRMLS, January 2025 through September 2026. The advice about timing a move reflects Christine’s experience. It is not a finding from the data and it is not legal or lending advice. A lender answers loan questions and an attorney answers legal questions.
Often, yes. It takes a structure chosen ahead of time, and you should know what each structure gives up.
In Christine’s experience, timing is the number one thing that stops move-up sellers from moving at all. Nobody wants to hand over the keys with no next home, or carry two payments with no end date. The way through is not luck. It is deciding, before you list, which risk you are willing to carry and which tools will cover the rest.
There are three basic paths: sell first, buy first, or plan both together. Each one protects you from one problem and exposes you to another.
| Path | What it can feel like | What it can risk | What a plan adds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sell first | Clear numbers. You know what you walk away with before you shop. | You may need somewhere to live while you look for the next home. | Time built into the sale, and a short list of next homes ready before you list. |
| Buy first | Calm. You move once, into the home you chose. | You may carry two homes at the same time, and your offer may depend on selling. | A lender conversation first, so you know what you can carry and for how long. |
| Plan both together | More moving parts up front, less scrambling later. | The timing depends on two sets of people agreeing. | The structure is chosen before you list, so each step has a backup. |
In Christine’s experience, the plan matters more than the order. In her experience, families who pick a path on purpose feel steadier than families who land on one by accident.
Each tool is meant to protect one side of the move. Each one also has a cost or a limit, and your agent, your lender, and for legal questions an attorney decide what fits.
None of these is a promise. Every structure trades one risk for another. The details come from your contract and your lender.
A planned move puts the decisions in front of the listing, not in the middle of escrow. Here is one order to use as a starting point.
Illustration only, not data.
Cerritos homes sold close to their original asking price in Q3 2026, and more homes came on the market than a year ago. That helps on both sides of a move-up.
Single-family detached homes in Cerritos, from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS), pulled October 3, 2026.
| Measure | Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average sale price | $1,221,457 | $1,211,063 | Up 0.9% |
| Closed sales | 59 | 50 | Up 18% |
| New listings | 76 | 54 | Up 41% |
| Average days active in MLS | 17 | 25 | 8 days faster |
| Percent of original price received | 99.7% | 100.6% | Down 0.9 points |
How to read it:
Families moving up from Cerritos also look in Artesia, Norwalk, Lakewood, Bellflower, Buena Park, and La Mirada.
Because once your home is under contract, the clock belongs to someone else. Decisions made before listing are choices. Decisions made mid-transaction are reactions.
In Christine’s experience, the families who struggle are the ones who try to figure out the timing after they accept an offer. In her experience, the families who move calmly already know their number, have talked to a lender, and know which terms they will ask for. Having walked families through this exact move, she finds the difference often comes down to the order of the conversations.
The first step is a conversation, not a listing. Message Christine and set up a time to map out your move together.
Should I sell first or buy first in Cerritos?
There is no one answer, because it depends on your situation. You can sell and buy at the same time in Cerritos with a structure chosen ahead of time, and a plan built before you list reduces the risk on either path.
How do I plan a move-up in Cerritos?
Start with your home’s real number, then talk to a lender about the next home. Decide the structure before you list so the timing is part of the offer, not a scramble after it.
What is a contingent offer?
It is an offer on your next home that depends on your current home selling. It protects you from owning two homes, but some sellers prefer offers without that condition.
What is a rent-back agreement?
It lets you stay in the home you sold for a period after closing. It depends on what your buyer agrees to, and the terms come from your contract.
How fast are Cerritos homes selling?
Cerritos single-family homes averaged 17 days active in the MLS before an accepted offer in Q3 2026 (CRMLS). That is the listing period only, not the length of escrow or your whole move.
Who can help me plan a move in Cerritos?
Christine Almarines of CA Real Estate Group, licensed since 2004, helps Cerritos homeowners plan a move-up before they list. Book a time to map out your move or get your complimentary market evaluation.
Source: All market data is from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. InfoSparks © 2026 ShowingTime Plus, LLC. Single-family detached, Cerritos, monthly data January 2025 through September 2026, as of October 3, 2026. Quarterly figures calculated from monthly data.
If you’re thinking about selling and want to know how your home should be positioned in today’s market, I’d be happy to help.
Halloween is the one night a year we walk around the neighborhood and look at every house. Here is a treat for yourself: take a quiet look at your own. Not a to-do list. A check-in.
Homes do not change much from year to year. Our lives do. A house that was perfect when you bought it can feel a little tight, a little big, or a little far from the people you love. A home check-in is simply asking whether your home still fits the life you are living now. It is not a commitment to sell.
Here are five signs worth noticing.
This one shows up in two ways. Maybe the kids are growing, someone is working from home, or family stays over often, and every room is doing double duty. Or maybe the kids have moved out, and you are heating and cleaning rooms you rarely walk into.
If you catch yourself saying “we just need a little more room” or “we do not use half of this house,” that is a sign worth listening to.
Every home needs care. But there is a difference between enjoying a Saturday in the yard and feeling like the house runs your calendar.
When the work outweighs the comfort, it may be time to ask whether a different home would give you your weekends back.
A new job, a school change, or a schedule that looks nothing like it did a few years ago can make a once-convenient location feel far away. In Southern California, a longer drive can quietly take hours out of your week.
Ask yourself how many hours a week you spend getting to the places you go most. If a different spot would give you that time back, that is worth a real look.
Family, friends, a school, a place of worship, or a community you want to be part of. Sometimes the best reason to move has nothing to do with the house at all.
If you often think “it would be so nice to live closer to them,” take that feeling seriously. It is one of the most common reasons homeowners start the conversation.
Maybe you want a single-level home, a smaller space, a bigger one, or a home that can welcome more family. Maybe your plans for the next five years look different than they did when you bought.
You may also be sitting on more equity than you realize, which can give you more choices than you expected. Our post on how your home equity could change your next move explains how to think about it.
Not sure which way you lean? Take the Should I Stay or Sell? quiz and see where you land.
Seeing yourself in one or two of these signs does not mean you have to list your home. It means it is a good time to gather information, with no pressure.
If you are leaning toward a move, start with your agent. They can show you what your home could sell for and map out a timeline that fits your life. For the money side, a lender can talk through financing, and a tax professional can tell you what applies to your situation.
There is no wrong answer to a home check-in. Some homeowners realize they love where they are and want to stay. Others find they are ready for something new. Either way, you will know more than you did yesterday. If you are thinking about a move in Orange County or LA County, we are happy to talk it through, with no pressure.
Common signs include a home that no longer fits your space needs, upkeep that feels like too much, a changed commute, wanting to live closer to family or friends, and plans that have shifted. If a few of these sound familiar, a check-in is a good next step.
No. It is simply a way to gather information. Many homeowners decide to stay after learning their options.
Your agent can prepare a home value report based on recent local sales, so you have a real number to plan around.
Start with what is and is not working in your home today, where you want to be, and what your timeline looks like. Your agent can help you turn that into a plan.
Your agent can walk you through what a sale looks like, a lender can speak to financing, and a tax professional can tell you what applies to you.
If you’re thinking about selling and want to know how your home should be positioned in today’s market, I’d be happy to help.
If you are wondering how much down payment do I need in Orange County and LA County, the first thing to know is that, in Christine’s experience, many first-time buyers do not need 20% down. A lender decides what you qualify for. Ten minutes with a lender tells you where you actually stand.
That matters here because prices are high. The Q3 2026 average sale price for a single-family home was $2,090,835 in Orange County and $1,551,572 for Los Angeles County homes in CRMLS (CRMLS, pulled October 3, 2026). Saving 20% of numbers like that can take a very long time.
Christine Almarines is a top real estate agent in Buena Park and Cerritos helping homeowners sell in Orange County and Los Angeles County. She also works with first-time buyers who want a real answer before they spend another year saving toward the wrong number.
Market numbers cover single-family detached homes in Orange County and Los Angeles County from CRMLS, January 2025 through September 2026. Los Angeles County homes are listed on more than one MLS, so LA County figures cover only LA County homes in CRMLS. The advice about down payments and loans reflects Christine’s experience, not a finding from the data, and a lender decides what you qualify for.
In Christine’s experience, many first-time buyers need less than 20% down. The exact amount depends on you, the home, and the loan, and that is a lender’s call.
Christine serves Buena Park and Cerritos, plus Anaheim, Bellflower, Cypress, Fullerton, Garden Grove, Long Beach, Lakewood, and Placentia. Across all of them, in Christine’s experience, many buyers start with “I don’t have 20% yet,” and often they never asked anyone whether 20% was the number. The answer can only come from a lender looking at your own situation, so that is the first stop.
At the Q3 2026 average sale price, 20% down is about $418,200 in Orange County and about $310,300 for LA County homes in CRMLS. Those are big numbers for anyone saving from a paycheck.
Illustration only, not a quote or a program rule.
| Orange County | Los Angeles County (CRMLS homes) | |
|---|---|---|
| Q3 2026 average sale price | $2,090,835 | $1,551,572 |
| Each 1% of that price | about $20,900 | about $15,500 |
| 20% of that price | about $418,200 | about $310,300 |
This is plain math on the county average. A specific home will give you different numbers, higher or lower.
Here is why waiting for 20% can stretch into years in these two counties. Every 1% of an average home is a five-figure amount. If you set aside a steady amount each month, reaching 20% means reaching that five-figure step twenty times. For many families, that is not a one-year plan. It is a many-year plan, and you may not even need it.
In Christine’s understanding, 20% down mostly matters for avoiding mortgage insurance, not for qualifying for a loan. It is a cost question, not a door that stays locked until you hit it.
Mortgage insurance is a cost some loans carry when the down payment is smaller. What it would cost on your specific loan is something a lender explains, and it varies from buyer to buyer. In Christine’s experience, many first-time buyers do not need 20%. Which options fit you, and how much you actually need to bring, is a lender’s call. The useful question is not “Do I have 20%?” It is “What would my monthly cost look like with what I have today?”
Over the last year, average prices rose in both counties: up 11.2% in Orange County and up 8.0% for LA County homes in CRMLS, comparing Q3 2026 to Q3 2025. That is not a promise prices keep rising, and an average is not any one home’s price.
Single-family detached homes in Orange County and Los Angeles County, from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS), pulled October 3, 2026. Los Angeles County figures cover only LA County homes in CRMLS and may not include every sale in the county.
| Q3 2026 (Q3 2025) | Orange County | Los Angeles County (CRMLS homes) |
|---|---|---|
| Average sale price | $2,090,835 ($1,880,358) | $1,551,572 ($1,436,531) |
| Change in average price | up 11.2% | up 8.0% |
| Average days active | 33 (34) | 35 (35) |
| Percent of original price received | 97.9% (97.3%) | 98.8% (98.2%) |
| New listings | 3,972 (4,170) | 12,638 (13,337) |
| Closed sales | 3,174 (3,271) | 8,258 (8,229) |
How to read it:
For a longer view inside the data window, LA County homes in CRMLS averaged $1,528,775 from January through September 2026, up 13% from $1,349,577 over the same months in 2025, with 23,660 closed sales.
In Christine’s experience, the biggest cost of waiting has been time. She has watched buyers stay in a rental for years while saving toward a number they never actually needed.
That is her observation, not a data finding. Buying has no guarantee either, and nobody can promise a home will be worth more later. But the buyers she thinks about most are the ones who never found out. They assumed 20% was the rule, kept saving, and kept renting. A ten-minute conversation would have told them whether that plan made sense.
You can find out where you stand before you spend another month saving toward a guess. Here is a simple order to do it in:
You do not have to guess. Start learning the process on your own time, or book a time to talk.
Not sure what you would actually need? Message Christine, and she will get you a real answer this week.
Do I need 20% down to buy a home in Orange County and LA County?
When people ask how much down payment do I need in Orange County and LA County, the answer in Christine’s experience is that many first-time buyers do not need 20%. A lender decides what you qualify for and how much you need to bring.
How do I find out what I actually qualify for?
Spend ten minutes with a lender and ask what you qualify for today. Then message Christine for a real answer this week.
What does 20% down look like at today’s average prices?
At the Q3 2026 average sale price, 20% is about $418,200 in Orange County and about $310,300 for LA County homes in CRMLS (CRMLS, pulled October 3, 2026). That is an illustration only, and a specific home will give different numbers.
Why does 20% down matter at all?
In Christine’s understanding, 20% down mostly matters for avoiding mortgage insurance, not for qualifying. A lender can explain what mortgage insurance would cost on your specific loan.
Are prices rising in Orange County and LA County?
Over the last year, the Q3 average sale price rose 11.2% in Orange County and 8.0% for LA County homes in CRMLS. That is last year’s direction, not a promise about next year.
Who can help me buy a home in Orange County and LA County?
Christine Almarines of CA Real Estate Group, licensed since 2004, works with first-time buyers across Orange County and Los Angeles County. Start the Buyer Bootcamp course or book a consultation.
Source: All market data is from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. InfoSparks © 2026 ShowingTime Plus, LLC. Single-family detached, Orange County and Los Angeles County, monthly data January 2025 through September 2026, as of October 3, 2026. Quarterly figures calculated from monthly data.
If you’re thinking about buying and want to know what makes sense for you in today’s market, I’d be happy to help.
If you are saving for the down payment to buy a house in Buena Park and you think the target is 20%, you may be waiting on a number you never needed. In Christine’s experience, many first-time buyers do not need 20% down. Which programs fit you, and how much you actually need, is a lender’s call. Ten minutes with a lender tells you where you stand today.
For context, the average Buena Park single-family home sold for $1,045,412 in Q3 2026 (CRMLS, pulled October 3, 2026). At that price, 20% is a big number to save toward, which is exactly why it is worth checking whether you need it.
Christine Almarines is a top real estate agent in Buena Park and Cerritos helping homeowners sell in Orange County and Los Angeles County. Buena Park is her home market, and she would rather you get a real answer this week than keep saving toward a guess.
Market numbers in this post cover single-family detached homes in Buena Park from CRMLS, January 2025 through September 2026. The advice about down payments and loans reflects Christine’s experience working with buyers and is not a finding from the data. A lender decides what you qualify for.
The amount depends on you, the loan and the home, and a lender is the one who tells you. In Christine’s experience, many first-time buyers in Buena Park find out they need less than 20% down.
There is no single down payment number that fits every buyer. Your income, your savings, your credit and the price of the home you want all shape the answer. That is why the first step is a lender, not a guess: a lender looks at your actual situation and tells you what you qualify for. Guessing at it from a number you heard years ago can keep you renting longer than you need to.
In Christine’s experience, yes, for many first-time buyers the idea that you must have 20% before you can buy is a myth. Here is how the common assumption compares with what she tells buyers to check.
| What many first-time buyers assume | What Christine says to check with a lender | |
|---|---|---|
| How much you must save first | 20% of the price, no exceptions | What you actually need for your situation, which may be less |
| What 20% is for | It is required just to qualify | In Christine’s understanding, 20% mostly matters for avoiding mortgage insurance, not for qualifying. A lender explains what mortgage insurance would cost on your loan |
| How long saving takes | Years, maybe many years | May be shorter once you know your real number |
| What to do first | Keep saving and check back later | Spend ten minutes with a lender this week |
The point is not that 20% down is a bad idea. Some buyers choose it on purpose. The point is that it is a choice, and you should know your options before you decide to wait.
At the Q3 2026 average sale price, 20% down comes to about $209,100. That is a lot of money to save, and it is the number many buyers have in their heads.
Illustration only, not a quote or a program rule.
| Based on the Q3 2026 Buena Park average sale price | Amount |
|---|---|
| Average sale price, Q3 2026 | $1,045,412 |
| Each 1% of that price | About $10,500 |
| 20% of that price | About $209,100 |
A specific home will give you different numbers, because an average is not any one home’s price. Use this table to see the size of the 20% target, not to plan your own down payment. Your lender gives you the real figures.
Over the last year, Buena Park prices moved up. The Q3 2026 average sale price was up 4.3% from Q3 2025, and the January to September average was up 4.8%.
Single-family detached homes in Buena Park, from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS), pulled October 3, 2026.
| Measure | Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average sale price | $1,045,412 | $1,002,350 | Up 4.3% |
| January to September average sale price | $1,040,850 (190 sales) | $993,172 (205 sales) | Up 4.8% |
| Closed sales | 67 | 80 | Down 16% |
| New listings | 77 | 84 | Down 8% |
| Average days active | 25 | 24 | About the same |
| Percent of original price received | 98.5% | 98.1% | Up slightly |
How to read it:
In Christine’s experience, the cost of waiting is time. She has worked with buyers who put off buying for years because they were saving toward 20%, a number they turned out not to need.
Those buyers stayed in a rental the whole time. Christine sees that as years of building equity in a home of their own that they did not get to start. That is her observation from working with buyers, not a promise about what the market will do. Buying carries no guarantee either. But spending years saving toward a number nobody asked you to reach is a cost you can avoid with one conversation.
You can find out your real number. Christine’s line is simple: it is worth ten minutes with a lender to learn what you actually qualify for today.
For more on getting ready, see What buyers need to do before they start shopping and Get pre-approved before touring in Buena Park.
If you are not sure what you would actually need to buy in Buena Park, message Christine. She will get you a real answer this week, with no pressure to buy. She would like you to know where you stand before you spend another year saving.
Do I need 20% down to buy a home in Buena Park?
In Christine’s experience, many first-time buyers do not need 20% down to buy a house in Buena Park. A lender decides what you qualify for and how much you actually need.
How do I find out what I actually qualify for?
Spend ten minutes with a lender. You can also message Christine for a real answer this week.
What is 20% down mostly for?
In Christine’s understanding, 20% down mostly matters for avoiding mortgage insurance, not for qualifying. A lender explains what mortgage insurance would cost on a specific loan.
What does 20% of an average Buena Park home come to?
At the Q3 2026 average sale price of $1,045,412 (CRMLS, pulled October 3, 2026), 20% is about $209,100. A specific home will give different numbers.
Are Buena Park home prices going up?
The Q3 2026 average sale price was up 4.3% from Q3 2025, according to CRMLS. That shows the past year, not a promise about the future.
Who can help me buy a home in Buena Park?
Christine Almarines of CA Real Estate Group, licensed since 2004, helps buyers in Buena Park and across Orange County and Los Angeles County. Start the Buyer Bootcamp course or book a consultation.
Source: All market data is from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. InfoSparks © 2026 ShowingTime Plus, LLC. Single-family detached, Buena Park, monthly data January 2025 through September 2026, as of October 3, 2026. Quarterly figures calculated from monthly data.
If you’re thinking about buying and want to know what makes sense for you in today’s market, I’d be happy to help.
If you are asking how much down payment do I need to buy a house in Cerritos, the answer in Christine’s experience is often not the 20% you have been saving toward. Many first-time buyers she has worked with did not need 20% down. A lender decides what you qualify for, and ten minutes with a lender tells you.
That matters in Cerritos because the number is big. The average sale price for a single-family detached home in Cerritos was $1,221,457 in Q3 2026 (CRMLS, pulled October 3, 2026). Twenty percent of that is about $244,300. Saving that much can take years.
Christine Almarines is a top real estate agent in Buena Park and Cerritos helping homeowners sell in Orange County and Los Angeles County. She also helps first-time buyers in Cerritos find out what they actually need before they spend another year saving toward the wrong number.
Market numbers cover single-family detached homes in Cerritos from CRMLS, January 2025 through September 2026. The advice about down payments and loans reflects Christine Almarines’s experience and is not a finding from the data. A lender decides what you qualify for.
In Christine’s experience, many first-time buyers do not. Which loan options fit you, and how much you actually need to put down, is a lender’s call.
So where does the 20% idea come from? In Christine’s understanding, 20% down mostly matters for avoiding mortgage insurance, not for qualifying for a loan at all. Mortgage insurance is a cost some buyers pay when they put down less. A lender can tell you what it would cost on a specific loan, so you can weigh it against waiting.
The 20% number gets repeated so often that many buyers treat it as a rule. In Christine’s experience, it is closer to a myth for most first-time buyers.
The amount you need depends on the home, the loan, and your lender. What we can show is what 20% looks like on the average Cerritos price, so you can see why waiting for it takes so long.
Illustration only, not a quote or a program rule.
| Cerritos number | Amount |
|---|---|
| Average sale price, Q3 2026 | $1,221,457 |
| Each 1% of that price | about $12,200 |
| 20% of that price | about $244,300 |
An average is not any one home’s price. A specific home at a different price will give you different numbers.
Look at that last row. For many buyers, saving about $244,300 is not a one-year goal. It is a many-years goal. That is why the 20% idea can quietly keep people renting in Cerritos far longer than they planned.
A lender looks at your whole picture, not just your savings. They walk you through what they see and what it means for you.
The down payment is one piece. A lender also reviews the rest of your finances and explains what options you have today. You do not need to figure that out alone or guess from what a friend did. Ten minutes with a lender tells you what you qualify for today, and that answer beats any rule of thumb.
The biggest cost Christine has seen is time. She has had buyers put off buying for years while they saved toward a number they never actually needed, and they stayed in a rental that whole time.
Those are years of rent paid and years not spent building equity in a home of their own. That is Christine’s experience with real buyers, and it is a warning worth hearing.
Here is the other side, because it matters. Cerritos prices were about flat over the last year. The Q3 2026 average sale price of $1,221,457 was up 0.9% from $1,211,063 in Q3 2025 (CRMLS). The January through September 2026 average was up about 2.8%, at $1,256,515 against $1,222,607. That is not a promise that prices will rise. Prices can rise, fall, or stay flat.
So the point is not “buy now before prices jump.” The point is simpler. Find out what you actually need before you spend more years saving for a number that may not apply to you. Then decide.
Cerritos has more homes to choose from than a year ago, and homes still move quickly. New listings were up 41% in Q3 2026, and the average home sold in 17 days.
Single-family detached homes in Cerritos, from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service (CRMLS), pulled October 3, 2026.
| Measure | Q3 2026 | Q3 2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average sale price | $1,221,457 | $1,211,063 | up 0.9% |
| Closed sales | 59 | 50 | up 18% |
| New listings | 76 | 54 | up 41% |
| Average days active in MLS | 17 | 25 | 8 days faster |
| Percent of original price received | 99.7% | 100.6% | Down 0.9 points |
How to read it:
Start with one short conversation, not a savings goal. Here is the order Christine suggests.
You do not have to keep guessing. Message Christine, and she will get you a real answer this week.
Do I need 20% down to buy a home in Cerritos?
In Christine’s experience, many first-time buyers do not need 20% down, which is the first thing to know when you ask how much down payment you need to buy a house in Cerritos. A lender decides what you qualify for and how much you actually need.
Why do people say you need 20% down?
In Christine’s understanding, 20% down mostly matters for avoiding mortgage insurance, not for qualifying. A lender can explain what mortgage insurance would cost on a specific loan.
What does 20% down look like on an average Cerritos home?
On the Q3 2026 average sale price of $1,221,457 (CRMLS), 20% is about $244,300. That is an illustration only, not a quote, and a specific home’s price gives different numbers.
How do I find out what I actually qualify for?
Spend ten minutes with a lender and ask what you qualify for today. Then message Christine, and she will get you a real answer this week.
Are Cerritos home prices going up?
Over the last year they were about flat. The Q3 2026 average sale price was up 0.9% from Q3 2025 (CRMLS), and no one can promise where prices go next.
Who can help me buy a home in Cerritos?
Christine Almarines with CA Real Estate Group, licensed since 2004, helps first-time buyers in Cerritos understand their options before they shop. Start the Buyer Bootcamp course or book a consultation.
Source: All market data is from the California Regional Multiple Listing Service, Inc. InfoSparks © 2026 ShowingTime Plus, LLC. Single-family detached, Cerritos, monthly data January 2025 through September 2026, as of October 3, 2026. Quarterly figures calculated from monthly data.
If you’re thinking about buying and want to know what makes sense for you in today’s market, I’d be happy to help.
The winners of our 2026 Kids Halloween Coloring Contest are Eurielle in Kindergarten, Mariam in Grade 4, and Alana in Grade 5. Each one wins a $50 Amazon gift card, and all 14 young artists who sent in a coloring page are in our online gallery.
We picked one winner from each grade group:
Congratulations to all three. Entries closed Friday, Oct 23, and we announced the winners on Tuesday, Oct 27. We contact each winner’s parent or guardian by phone.
We received 14 coloring pages, and every one made our office smile. Picking three was not easy. We show each artist with a first name and grade only, and every family agreed to this when they registered. There were bold colors, careful shading, and a lot of imagination, and each page is a masterpiece in its own way.
Every drawing is in our Kids Halloween Coloring Contest gallery. You can filter by grade group and tap any drawing to see it bigger. The winners are shown first, then every other artist in grade order.
Thank you to every family who took the time to color and send one in. We love hosting contests and seeing the kids’ artwork. To see what we are hosting next, check our events page. You can also read more about how we give back in the community.
Eurielle (Kindergarten), Mariam (Grade 4), and Alana (Grade 5) each won in their grade group.
Each winner receives a $50 Amazon gift card.
Visit the contest gallery at https://carealestategroup.com/coloring-contest-gallery/.
If you’d like to talk about your next move in Southern California real estate, I’d be happy to help.
Rancho Southeast REALTORS is partnering with the ABC Unified School District on a donation drive called “Building Brighter Futures, Together.” They are collecting clothing, rain gear, personal care items, household supplies, and diapers to support students and families in need this school year. Christine Almarines saw the flyer and thought it was a Cerritos cause worth sharing. She will even pick up donations from your door. Here is what they are asking for and how to help.
It is a community effort from Rancho Southeast REALTORS, a local association of real estate professionals based in Cerritos, working alongside the ABC Unified School District. According to their flyer, the goal is to bring the community together to support students and families who need a little extra help this school year.
The message on the flyer is simple: every donation, big or small, can make an impact. You do not have to give a lot. A pack of socks, a bottle of dish soap, or a pair of rain boots all count.
The flyer lists four categories of donations, plus diapers.
Notice how practical the list is. These are everyday things a family goes through quickly, and they add up fast when money is tight.
There are two easy ways to get your donation where it needs to go:
Have a question for the organizers? Rancho Southeast REALTORS lists these contacts:
The last day for pickup and drop off is Friday, November 20, 2026. Plan ahead so your donation arrives before then.
A few simple habits make a donation easier for everyone who handles it.
Cerritos is a community that shows up for its neighbors, and school drives like this one are a good example of how that works. Families in the ABC Unified School District, which has its district office in Cerritos, send their kids to school every day, and a little help with clothing, rain gear, and household basics can make the school year easier. Winters bring rain to Southern California, and a dry pair of socks and an umbrella go a long way.
If you like reading about the community side of Cerritos, you may enjoy our post on why community events matter in Cerritos and our look at volunteer opportunities in Orange County.
Drives like this work best when many small gifts come together. Here are a few easy ways to spread the word:
Even a small donation from each household can fill a lot of boxes.
You do not have to do everything to make a difference. Pick one item from the list, call Christine to schedule a pickup, or bring it to Rancho Southeast REALTORS in Cerritos. That is it. If you share this post with a neighbor who might want to help, even better.
It is a donation drive from Rancho Southeast REALTORS in partnership with the ABC Unified School District to support students and families in need this school year.
The flyer asks for new or gently used clothing (including underwear and socks), umbrellas, rain boots and blankets, personal care items, household supplies, and diapers, preferably size 5 to 7.
You can drop it off at Rancho Southeast REALTORS, 10900 E. 183rd Street, Suite 120, Cerritos, CA 90703, or call Christine Almarines at (714) 476-4637 to schedule a pickup. The last day for pickup and drop off is Friday, November 20, 2026.
Rancho Southeast REALTORS, an association of real estate professionals based in Cerritos, is organizing it in partnership with the ABC Unified School District.
The flyer says “together, we can make a difference” and asks the community to help, but it does not spell out who can donate. Ask the organizers to confirm before you drop anything off.
If you’d like to talk about your next move in Southern California real estate, I’d be happy to help.
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