How Long Does It Take to Sell a Business in California?

If you’re a business owner in California and you’ve been thinking about selling, one of the first questions you’ll have is:
“How long does this actually take?”

And the honest answer is:
It depends, but there is a clear pattern.

As a business broker working with auto repair shops, restaurants, cleaning companies, and other service-based businesses across California, here’s the real timeline most owners can expect.

1. Average Time to Sell a Business in California: 3–9 Months

Most small to mid-sized service businesses sell somewhere in this window:

• Well-priced businesses with clean books: 60–120 days

• Average businesses: 4–6 months

• Businesses with messy books or weak leases: 6–12 months

If someone promises you a guaranteed 30-day sale, run. That’s not how this market works.

2. What Makes a Business Sell Faster

A few factors shorten the timeline:

• Clean Financials (biggest one)

Verified books = serious buyer inquiries.
Scattered numbers = delays.

• Strong SDE (Seller’s Discretionary Earnings)

Businesses with healthy earnings attract more buyers, which shortens the timeline.

• Reasonable Asking Price

Overpricing adds MONTHS.
Pricing realistically brings immediate activity.

• Good Lease Terms

Landlords matter.
A clear lease assignment process keeps deals moving.

• Industry Demand

In California, these sell fastest:

• Auto repair shops

• Commercial cleaning companies

• Restaurants with good leases

• Trades (HVAC, plumbing, electrical)

• Retail stores with low rent

3. What Slows a Sale Down

Some factors push deals into the longer range:

• Disorganized financials

• High rent / bad lease

• Uncooperative landlord

• Weak staffing

• Declining revenue

• Seller unavailable for calls or walkthroughs

• Overpriced listings

• Heavy equipment financing or liens

• SBA deals (longer reviews)

None of these are dealbreakers, buy they do add time.

4. The Actual Breakdown of the Sale Timeline

Here’s what the process looks like week-by-week:

Week 1–2: Valuation + Prep

• Reviewing financials

• Setting price

• Preparing CIM and listing package

Week 2–8: Active Marketing

• Listing goes live

• Buyer inquiries

• NDAs

• CIM distribution

• Calls + walkthroughs

Week 6–12: Offers + Negotiation

• LOIs

• Counteroffers

• Terms discussions

• Buyer verification

Week 8–20: Due Diligence + Closing

• Buyer financial review

• Landlord approval

• Inventory/equipment review

• Escrow timeline

• Final close

SBA loans add 30–60 extra days.

5. How to Speed Up Your Sale (Realistically)

If you want the fastest possible timeline in California, do this:

• Have clean, updated financials ready

• Know your SDE

• Price based on the market (not emotion)

• Prepare your landlord early

• Respond to buyers quickly

• Keep your business running smoothly while listed

This shaves weeks off the process.

6. Final Answer: What Should You Expect?

For most California business owners:
A realistic sale timeline is 4–6 months.
Some sell faster. Some take a little longer.
It depends on the business, the price, and how well-prepared you are.

If you’re even considering selling in the next 6–12 months, this is the right time to start getting clarity. A good plan now saves a lot of time later.

If you want a quick valuation or want to know where your business fits on this timeline, reach out anytime.

— RLC Business Brokers