You can still buy a detached home under $1 million in Orange County in Cypress, Buena Park, West Anaheim, La Habra, La Mirada, and just over the line in Lakewood. Plan on three to four bedrooms, roughly 1,050 to 1,500 square feet, priced from the mid $800,000s to about $950,000. If you are open to a condo or townhome, Huntington Beach and most OC cities have options from around $700,000.
By Austin Criss, REALTOR® | RE/MAX Tiffany | June 17, 2026
I was right where you are in 2024
Not that long ago, my wife and I bought our first home. We had our little boy at the time, and my wife was pregnant with our daughter. It was exciting and stressful, and at times, an emotional rollercoaster. I kept telling myself the same thing I have always told my clients. Focus on the bigger picture. We were ready, we were pre approved, and we needed a good neighborhood to raise our family.
That was 2024, and the market has not changed much since. Most homes in Orange County are over a million dollars, with the median sitting over $1.3 million for single family homes. But I found pockets all over Orange County that were perfect, under a million, exactly what we were looking for. Looking back, buying our home was such a huge milestone.
So this is me sharing the neighborhoods and cities I personally looked at, and still recommend to my first time buyers hunting for their starter home.
Happy to answer any questions along the way. And if you are ready to explore these neighborhoods, text or call me at 714.600.1176.
The neighborhoods where your budget still works
Competition under a million is real, but the market is balanced right now, not a bidding war on everything. What moves fast is turnkey, so when one fits, be ready to act. Everything below is detached single family except Huntington Beach.
Buena Park
This is where I would start most first time buyers. On the southwest side near Valley View Street, where it borders La Palma and Cypress, the General, San, Los, La, and Brentwood tracts give you deep cul de sacs, low through traffic, and bigger lots than you find nearby. Figure 1,200 to 1,500 square feet, usually single level, in the high $800,000s to about $950,000. Pound for pound, my pick for value.
Cypress
In the city itself there is basically one detached option, the Brentwood tract. Three to four bedrooms, single story, around 1,050 to 1,250 square feet on roughly 6,000 square foot lots, with three bedrooms about $900,000 to $950,000. Smaller homes and a slight premium, but a central location and the entry way into Cypress.
West Anaheim
A good option, but prices are creeping toward a million, and turnkey will land right about there. You get more square footage, three to four bedrooms, sometimes on bigger lots. The Cinderella tract is a favorite of mine for the feel of it.
La Habra and La Mirada
More home for the money, roughly $850,000 to $950,000, where $950,000 buys a nice three to four bedroom around 1,500 square feet. The tradeoff is they sit 15 to 20 minutes from a freeway, and the weather runs a little hotter since it’s inland. The upside is the windy, hillier streets. Worth a look if your budget is around $900,000.
Lakewood
Just over the line in LA County, but close enough to OC that I include it. If you cannot get above $900,000, there are solid homes here from about $850,000 to $900,000. They are older than OC homes, with more character I would say, often a raised foundation and the original hardwood flooring.
Huntington Beach
No detached under a million unless it is a major fixer. But condos and townhomes start around $800,000, near the beach and the restaurants. If you are open to attached, this is the one I would look at first, and it opens up most of the county.
And if you are looking for a condo or townhome, you can find options at much lower prices in most OC cities. Just know they come with HOA dues, often an extra $300 to $500 a month.
Not sure which one fits you?
Text me at 714.600.1176 and I will give you my personal experience on which neighborhood actually matches your budget and your goals. No pressure, we can chat and see if buying right now is the right decision for your family.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do you need to put down to buy a home in Orange County?
You do not need 20 percent. Most first time buyers I work with put down around 10 percent, and FHA loans can go as low as 3.5 percent. Plan for closing costs of roughly 2 percent of the price on top of your down payment, and confirm your exact numbers with a lender.
Will home prices in Orange County drop if you wait?
Probably not in a way that helps you. Orange County is highly sought after and homeowners here are equity rich, so a crash is unlikely. Prices adjust a point or two, but when rates fall, more buyers come in and prices tend to rise, which cancels out the savings.
What does a home under $1 million get you in Orange County?
A detached home under $1 million gets you three to four bedrooms, usually 1,050 to 1,500 square feet, in cities like Cypress, Buena Park, West Anaheim, La Habra, and La Mirada, or Lakewood just over the county line. In Huntington Beach that budget buys a condo or townhome near the beach.
Ready to make a move?
If you are serious about buying under a million in Orange County, text or call me at 714.600.1176 with your budget and what you want. I will tell you where to look and how to get you in. Let’s make you a homeowner.
Always Ask Austin.
About Austin Criss
Austin Criss is a REALTOR® with RE/MAX Tiffany serving Orange County, California. He specializes in helping first time buyers and move up sellers navigate the process from first question to closing. Call or text him at 714.600.1176, or visit austincriss.com. DRE 02128057.