A realistic timeline starts with how fast homes have been closing and contracting
If you need to line up a purchase with a move, I would build around recent market timing rather than best-case hopes. In Monterey Park, CA, a typical sale took 25 days last month, and pending homes over the last three months took a typical 27 days to move under contract.
That gives you a usable framework. Monterey Park, CA still had 60 active listings last month, so there was enough supply to compare options, but the market was not loose enough to support endless delay, especially when new listings over the last three months moved in a typical 2 days.
I would translate that into planning discipline. The market pace says you need to know your financing, preferred closing window, and fallback options before the right property arrives, because the best homes may ask for a faster decision than your schedule feels ready for.
Set your moving timeline from actual market pace, not from a guess. Tighten your search criteria so you can act cleanly when a fit appears. In Monterey Park, CA, I would also keep a small reserve of flexibility in your move dates because the right home may not line up perfectly on the first try.
