September 2026 Cerritos Real Estate Market Report: Monthly Dip, Yearly Climb

Cerritos single-family prices dipped in September 2026, but the longer trend is still pointing up. The September median was $1,130,000, down 7.0% from last September, while the 12-month median is $1,250,000, up 5.9%. Sales picked up, with 21 closings against 16 a year ago, and homes sold in 18 days. Below I explain why one soft month does not tell the whole story, and what I would watch next.

Source: Pacific West Association of REALTORS® (PWR) Local Market Update for September 2026, based on CRMLS data and current as of October 2, 2026. Figures cover Cerritos (Los Angeles County) as a whole. Sales prices do not account for seller concessions or down payment assistance.

September 2026 Snapshot: Single-Family Homes vs. Condos

Year-over-year changes compare September 2026 with September 2025. Condo comparisons marked n/a have no prior-year base because no condos closed in Cerritos in September 2025. One month of data can swing on a handful of sales, so I also lean on the 12-month figures below.

How I Read the September Numbers

One month’s median dipped, and the 12-month median kept rising

The September median of $1,130,000 sits $120,000 below the 12-month median of $1,250,000. With only 21 closed sales, which homes happen to close in a given month moves the median a lot. Last September’s median was $1,215,150 on 16 sales. The 12-month median is up 5.9% from $1,180,000, and that is the steadier read. The average fell 7.9% to $1,151,381 and sits close to the median, so a few unusual sales were not driving the dip. It likely reflects which homes sold, though one month cannot confirm that. I would not treat September as a turn in Cerritos prices, but I would not ignore it either.

More homes listed, more homes sold, still fast

New listings rose 66.7% from 15 to 25, and closed sales rose 31.3% to 21. Both are small numbers, but the direction is more activity than last September. Homes sold in 18 days, down from 21. Inventory held at 34 homes with 2.1 months of supply, which by the common rule of thumb still leans toward sellers. Pending sales slipped 15.4%, from 13 to 11, a modest decline compared with the yearly pattern of down 2.5%.

Buyers paid a little less relative to list price

Sellers received 99.3% of the original list price in September, roughly $7,900 below asking at the median, compared with 101.1% last year. Over the last 12 months the figure is 100.8%, so buyers have typically paid slightly above list. September was a softer month on that measure, and it fits with the lower median.

Condos and Townhomes: A Small Market

Cerritos condos and townhomes sold at a median of $522,500 in September on six closed sales, with homes taking 43 days. The 12-month figures are more useful: a median of $561,000, up 0.2%, 41 closed sales, and 40 days on market against 26 a year earlier. Months of supply is 3.4, and sellers received 98.0% of list price in September and 99.0% over 12 months. Condos are taking longer to sell than a year ago, which gives buyers some room, but the sample is small.

Bao’s Take: Beyond the Numbers

If you are selling in Cerritos

A lower monthly median does not mean your home lost $120,000. What matters is what homes like yours sold for: lot size, condition, and updates move the number far more than the citywide figure. With 2.1 months of supply and 18-day sales, a well-priced home still sells fast. The 99.3% figure says buyers were not paying over asking last month, so I would not count on an above-list result by default. To check your own price, read How to Tell If a Long Beach Home Is Overpriced, which I wrote for Long Beach but the approach carries over.

If you are buying in Cerritos

Do not read the 7.0% dip as a discount. The 12-month median is climbing, and a home that fits your criteria can still go quickly. Compare a home’s list price to recent sales on that street, not to the citywide median, since September’s median swung $120,000 away from the yearly figure. If rates are part of your timing decision, Should You Wait for Mortgage Rates to Fall Before Buying? is a useful read.