I'm Jesse Oñate, a licensed REALTOR® who works Cerritos and the cities around it every week. You get straight answers on price, schools and timing, and you deal with me from the first call to the keys.
Looking for a real estate agent in Cerritos? I'm Jesse Oñate, CA DRE #02133131. I have closed 100+ homes across LA and Orange County, I hold a 5.0 rating on Google, and Cerritos sits right in the middle of the area I work, next to Lakewood, Norwalk and La Mirada. When you call (562) 609-4200, I pick up, 7 days a week from 8am to 9pm.
Here is the short version of the market. As of 2026, the median home in Cerritos sits around $1.05 million, and a typical listing goes under contract in about 35 days. That is one of the fastest paces in this part of LA County. Buyers need to be ready before they tour, and sellers need the price right on day one. The full numbers are in my Cerritos market guide.
A little history explains how this city shops. Cerritos was incorporated in 1956 as Dairy Valley, back when it had more than 400 dairies and the cows far outnumbered the people. It became Cerritos in 1967. Most of the houses you will tour went up after the dairy land was sold off, so many streets share the same era of floor plans. That keeps comps tight, and it makes a pricing mistake easy to spot in either direction.
Most Cerritos buyers come for two things: the schools and a central spot between LA and Orange County. Here is how I help you get in without overpaying.
Most of Cerritos is in ABC Unified, but a small western slice belongs to Bellflower Unified. Before you write an offer, I confirm the district for that exact address, so there are no surprises when school starts.
Whitney High School serves grades 7 to 12 and admits students through placement testing. Buying in Cerritos does not get your kid in by itself. If Whitney is the reason you are moving, plan for the test and look hard at Cerritos High too.
At about 35 days on market, the best homes go faster than that. Get fully pre-approved, know your ceiling, and let me run the comps on that street before you fall for a kitchen.
When your house shares a floor plan with half the block, buyers compare hard. Price and presentation decide whether you get several offers or a price cut.
I pull recent sales of the same model on your tract and nearby streets, then adjust for the remodel, the lot and which side of the 91 you are on. That beats any online estimate.
Not every upgrade pays. I walk the house with you and point out which repairs buyers will discount you for, and which projects are money you will not get back.
The highest offer is not always the best one. I weigh price, loan type, appraisal risk and close date so you keep more at the closing table.
Want to hear it from clients instead of me? Read what they say on my reviews page.
Cerritos market snapshot · 2026 · full Cerritos market guide →
Cerritos is one ZIP code, 90703, but it does not shop like one. This is how I walk clients through it.
North and south of the 91: the Artesia Freeway runs straight through the middle of the city. Which side you live on shapes your commute and your errands, so we pick a side on purpose instead of by accident.
The west side along the 605: the San Gabriel River Freeway runs down the west edge of Cerritos. The small Bellflower Unified area is on the west side too, so this is where I check the school district twice.
Around the Towne Center: Cerritos Towne Center is home to the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts, which opened in 1993. The Cerritos Millennium Library and the Sculpture Garden sit at the Civic Center nearby. Los Cerritos Center and Cerritos Auto Square cover the shopping, and the 5 touches the city's northeast border.
Parks everywhere: Don Knabe Community Regional Park has the sports complex, a skate park, pools and a lake. Heritage Park sits in the center of town, and the city keeps 18 neighborhood parks, from Bettencourt Park on Andy Street to Frontier Park on Maria Avenue, which just got a new picnic shelter.
My honest take: if schools are the top priority and the budget fits, I would start in Cerritos. If it is a stretch, look next door. Lakewood runs about $880K and Norwalk about $695K, with the same freeways close by. Fun fact for newcomers: Cerritos College is in Norwalk, not Cerritos.
One thing to do this week: pick the Cerritos street you like most and send it to me. I will pull the last six months of sales on it and tell you what a house there really costs.
As of 2026, the median home price in Cerritos is about $1.05 million, and homes typically go under contract in about 35 days. Price still moves a lot with the floor plan, the remodel and the lot. I can give you a valuation for your exact street at no cost.
No. Whitney High School is part of ABC Unified, serves grades 7 to 12, and admits students through placement testing. A Cerritos address does not get your child in by itself. Check the current rules with ABC Unified directly, and treat Cerritos High and the other district schools as part of your plan.
Most of Cerritos is in the ABC Unified School District. A small western portion is in Bellflower Unified. Do not assume from the city name. I confirm the district for the exact address before you write an offer.
If schools and a central location matter most and the budget fits, Cerritos is hard to beat. If $1.05 million is a stretch, Lakewood runs about $880K and Norwalk about $695K as of 2026, with the 91 and 605 close by. I can tour all three with you in one afternoon.
Commission is negotiable and always in writing. Buyers sign a buyer agreement before touring, and agent pay is often covered through the transaction. Sellers get a net proceeds estimate from me before they list, so you know what you walk away with. Book a 15-minute call and I will walk you through the real numbers.