A focused search is the best defense against overpaying for the wrong fit.
If you want more space, I would narrow the search before you add more listings to it. In La Puente, CA, buyers need enough flexibility to compete, but not so much flexibility that every compromise suddenly starts looking acceptable.
Recent market activity in La Puente, CA put supply at 2.07 months, with a typical closed price of $750,000 and offers averaging 100.3% of asking. Homes took about 32 days to sell. That combination tells me the search should be focused, because the market is not creating a lot of easy margin for mistakes.
For an upsizing move, the practical issue is usually not desire. It is discipline. When homes are selling close to asking, overbuying the wrong property can be harder to fix later. I would rather refine the target now than spend energy chasing homes that do not solve the reason you are moving.
Cut your search down to the homes that truly fit your budget and space needs. Decide which compromises are acceptable before you tour. Move quickly on the homes that match that standard, and let the rest go without regret. Focus wins.
