What Happened to Cerritos Home Prices in Q3 2026?

The short answer

Cerritos single-family homes sold for an average of $1,221,457 in the third quarter of 2026 (July through September), about the same as Q3 2025 ($1,211,063, up 0.9%). Homes sold fast, in an average of 17 days, eight days faster than a year ago. Sellers received 99.7% of their original asking price.

Scope note: This report covers single-family detached homes in Cerritos only. Condos and townhomes move differently and have their own Q3 report.

The bigger change happened inside 2026. In Q2, Cerritos sellers got 101.7% of their original price, meaning many homes sold over asking. In Q3, that slipped just under 100%. At the same time, 76 homes came on the market, up 41% from 54 a year ago.

Put simply: Cerritos is still one of the fastest markets in Southern California, but buyers have more choices than they did in the spring, and over-asking offers are no longer the norm.

Christine Almarines is a top real estate agent in Buena Park and Cerritos helping homeowners sell in Orange County and Los Angeles County. Here’s the plain read on what Cerritos’s Q3 numbers say.

What are the Q3 2026 numbers for Cerritos single-family homes?

All figures are single-family detached homes in Cerritos, California (Los Angeles County), 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 the quarter figures were built: CRMLS reports these measures month by month. Closed sales and new listings are the three months added together. Average price, days active, and percent of original price are the three monthly figures weighted by the number of homes that closed each month.

About the sample size: Cerritos is a smaller city, so 59 sales in a quarter is a solid but not huge sample. A few unusually high or low sales can move the average price. Days on market and percent of asking price are steadier signals here.

Month by month inside Q3 2026

Month	Average sale price	Closed sales	New listings	Avg days active	% of original price
July 2026	$1,269,579	20	30	16	99.3%
August 2026	$1,240,284	19	21	18	100.8%
September 2026	$1,155,450	20	25	17	99.2%

Are Cerritos home prices going up or down?

Flat year over year, down from the spring. The Q3 2026 average of $1,221,457 was 0.9% above Q3 2025, but 6.1% below Q2 2026 ($1,300,152). The monthly average eased each month of the quarter, from $1,269,579 in July to $1,155,450 in September.

For a longer view, look at the first nine months of the year. From January through September 2026, Cerritos single-family homes averaged $1,256,515 across 149 sales, about 2.8% above the same nine months of 2025 ($1,222,607 across 140 sales).

An average describes the mix of homes that sold, not what any one home is worth. A September with more smaller homes closing will show a lower average even if values on your street held. Your number comes from your own comparable sales.

How fast are Cerritos homes selling?

Very fast. Cerritos single-family homes averaged 17 days active in MLS in Q3 2026, down from 25 days in Q3 2025. Across the broader CRMLS region, single-family homes averaged 39 days in the same quarter. Cerritos homes sold in well under half that time.

Every month of Q3 stayed between 16 and 18 days. The slowest stretch in the last 21 months was January 2026, at 43 days. That’s the winter pattern to plan around.

Are Cerritos sellers still getting over asking?

Not on average, not anymore. Sellers received 99.7% of their original asking price in Q3 2026. That measure compares the final sale price to the first price the home was listed at, so it includes both negotiation and any price cuts.

Here’s how that has moved:

Q2 2026: 101.7%. Many homes sold over their original price. May 2026 averaged 103.3%.
Q3 2026: 99.7%. July 99.3%, August 100.8%, September 99.2%.
Q3 2025: 100.6%.

On an average-priced home, 99.7% is within about $3,000 of the original price. That’s still an extremely strong result for sellers. But a buyer in September 2026 was negotiating a little, where a buyer in May was competing.

Is Cerritos a seller’s market right now?

Still a seller’s market, but a less extreme one than in the spring:

Homes sell in 17 days. That’s fast by any measure.
Sellers get nearly full asking price. 99.7% on average.
But more homes are for sale. New listings were up 41% from a year ago. For every 100 new listings, about 78 homes closed in Q3 2026, compared with about 93 in Q3 2025. Buyers have more to choose from.

The shift is from bidding wars to well-priced homes selling quickly near asking.

What does this mean if you’re selling in Cerritos?

1. Price at the market, not above it. In the spring, over-asking offers covered pricing mistakes. In Q3, with 41% more listings, buyers compare. A home priced right still sells in about two and a half weeks.

2. Expect a fast sale if you’re ready. At 17 days on average, plan for an accepted offer within the first few weeks. Have your next move lined up.

3. Stand out from the extra listings. With more homes on the market, condition and presentation matter more than they did in the spring.

4. List before winter if you can. January 2026 averaged 43 days and 96.6% of original price, the slowest month in the data.

What does this mean if you’re buying in Cerritos?

1. You have more choices than in the spring. 76 new listings in Q3, up from 54 a year ago.

2. Don’t expect a discount. Homes still sell for 99.7% of original asking on average. Offers well below asking on a fresh listing will usually lose.

3. Be ready to move in days. 17 days on market means the right home won’t wait for a second weekend.

4. The over-asking pressure has eased. You may not need to bid above the price the way buyers did in the spring. Let the comparable sales guide your number.

Common mistakes in Cerritos right now

Pricing off a spring sale. Spring homes sold above asking. Q3 homes didn’t.
Reading regional headlines. The broader region averaged 39 days on market. Cerritos averaged 17. Regional coverage will make buyers think they have more time than they do.
Assuming more listings means lower prices. Year-to-date prices are up about 2.8%. More inventory means more choice, not a falling market.
Treating the average price as your price. $1,221,457 covers every single-family sale in the city.

FAQ

What was the average home price in Cerritos in Q3 2026?

$1,221,457 for single-family detached homes, up 0.9% from $1,211,063 in Q3 2025 (CRMLS).

How fast do homes sell in Cerritos?

Single-family homes averaged 17 days active in MLS in Q3 2026, compared with 39 days across the broader CRMLS region.

Do Cerritos homes sell over asking?

In Q2 2026, sellers averaged 101.7% of original asking price. In Q3 2026, that dropped to 99.7%, just under asking.

How many homes sold in Cerritos in Q3 2026?

59 single-family homes closed from July through September 2026, up from 50 in Q3 2025.

Are more homes for sale in Cerritos?

Yes. 76 single-family homes were newly listed in Q3 2026, up 41% from 54 in Q3 2025.

Does this include Cerritos condos and townhomes?

No. This report covers single-family detached homes only. Condos and townhomes have their own Q3 2026 report.

What is my Cerritos home worth?

The city average is a starting point, not your price. Get a complimentary market evaluation for your home.

Who can help me buy or sell in Cerritos?

Christine Almarines is a top real estate agent in Buena Park and Cerritos helping homeowners sell in Orange County and Los Angeles County, licensed since 2004. Selling? Start with the Sure Seller course. Buying? Start the Buyer Bootcamp. Want to talk it through? Book a consultation.