Good morning, Southern California. This week's quick read is about pace: how long homes are taking to sell across a few big SoCal cities, what that means if you're buying or selling, and a few things worth doing around town.
Monday Motivation
“Good decisions rarely feel rushed. Get clear on your numbers now, and you get to move on your timeline, not the market's.”
Move of the week: Look at how many days homes near you are taking to sell (it's in this update). If a move is on your radar for the next year, that number tells you how much runway to plan for.
Your Southern California Market
County and state figures: C.A.R., September 2026, existing single-family homes.
City snapshot (Redfin; median sale price for the 3 months ending the month shown, days on market for that month vs. a year earlier):
| City | Median | YoY | Days on mkt | Mo. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $1,032,508 | ▼ -1.7% | 56 (vs. 59) | Sep |
| Long Beach | $909,567 | ▲ +9.3% | 47 (vs. 51) | Sep |
| Anaheim | $969,538 | ▲ +8.6% | 41 (vs. 47) | Sep |
| Riverside | $659,686 | ▲ +4.7% | 41 (vs. 50) | Sep |
Rates this week: 30-yr fixed 7.32% · 15-yr fixed 6.68% (Freddie Mac PMMS, October 22, 2026), down from 7.40% and 6.71% the week before. A year ago: 6.19% and 5.44%.
Your LA County market page → · Buyer and seller FAQ →
What It Means For You
If you're buying
At the Los Angeles County median (C.A.R., September 2026) of $994,670, putting 20% down, this week's 7.32% average 30-year rate works out to about $5,466/month in principal and interest, vs. about $4,868 at last year's 6.19%. In the city snapshot, homes sold in a median 41 to 56 days, and faster than a year earlier in all four cities, so have your pre-approval ready before you tour.
If you're selling
LA County's median is up 1.2% from September 2025 and Orange County's is up 5.6%, while sales are down 10.9% and 2.0%. Your street can look very different from the county number, so a value based on recent sales near you is the place to start.
Homeowner reminder · Safety
Clocks fall back Sunday. Test your alarms.
Daylight saving time ends this Sunday, Nov. 1, at 2 a.m. It's an easy reminder to check your smoke and carbon monoxide alarms. The U.S. Fire Administration says to test smoke alarms monthly, replace the batteries at least once a year, and replace the whole smoke alarm every 10 years. California's carbon monoxide law also requires CO detectors in homes that have a fossil-fuel-burning heater, appliance or fireplace.
Sources: NIST, 2026 daylight saving time dates; U.S. Fire Administration smoke alarm guidance (page reviewed Oct. 13, 2026); City of West Hollywood summary of California's Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention Act of 2010.
Around Southern California
- Halloween on the Pier · Redondo Beach
Fri, Oct 30 · 5-8 p.m.
Redondo Beach Pier, Fisherman's Wharf · No cost - Holiday Open House & Pier Lighting · Manhattan Beach
Wed, Nov 18 · evening; pier lighting at 7 p.m.
Downtown Manhattan Beach and the Manhattan Beach Pier - Autumn Festival at the Aquarium of the Pacific · Long Beach
Sat-Sun, Nov 21-22 · 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
100 Aquarium Way · Included with admission; reservations required - Sand Snowman Contest · Hermosa Beach
Sat, Dec 5 · 9 a.m.-noon
Hermosa Beach - Holiday Music on the Pier · Redondo Beach
Sat, Dec 12 · 1-4 p.m.
West end of the Redondo Beach Pier · No cost
Event info from organizers' public listings and may change. Please confirm before you go.