Most searchers expect it to move faster than it does. Here’s what the data says. The median small business that sold in 2025 spent about 266 days on the market. That’s roughly 9 months. Before 2020, it was closer to 180 days. And that’s only the time from listing to sale. It doesn’t count the months you spend finding the right business in the first place. It also varies by industry: Service businesses: around 155 days Manufacturing: around 247 days So if a deal feels slow, it’s probably not just you. A few things that usually help: Keep your pipeline full, so one slow deal doesn’t stall your whole search Set a realistic timeline from the start, so a slow month doesn’t feel like failure Keep your outreach consistent, even when a deal is in diligence Slow isn’t the same as stuck. Most good deals just take longer than anyone expects. Question for the group: how long did it take you from first conversation to signed LOI?