Want to Be in Your New Home by the Holidays? Here’s the Timeline You Need to Know
The holidays are coming fast — especially if your goal is to celebrate them in a brand-new home. On the surface, it feels like there’s still plenty of time. But when you look at the real timeline from contract to closing to moving in, the window is actually much tighter than most people realize.
A Real Conversation with a Buyer
Just the other day, I spoke with someone who said, “We’re not in a huge hurry. We’d love to be in by the holidays.”
Instead of pushing them, I asked a simple question:
“When do you want to be fully settled in?”
They said November 20th. So we worked backward from there:
- Settled by November 20th → You’ll want keys in hand that day.
- That means allowing about 30 days from contract to close.
- Which means being under contract by October 20th at the latest.
That leaves just 30 days to find the right home and secure it.
When they saw that laid out, it clicked. What felt like “plenty of time” was actually a one-month window — and that shift turned the conversation from “we’re not in a hurry” to “okay, let’s meet this week.”
Why This Matters for Buyers in Lebanon County and Annville
Buying a home in Annville, Hershey, or anywhere in Lebanon County is a process with multiple moving parts: finding the right property, negotiating the contract, inspections, financing, title work, and closing. Each step takes time — and if your dream is to celebrate Thanksgiving in your new home, you can’t afford to wait until next month to get serious.
The Bottom Line
If being home for the holidays is your goal, the next 30 days are critical. Waiting even a couple of weeks could mean missing that window and spending another holiday season in your current place.
📩 Ready to make your holiday move happen? Let’s talk this week and put a game plan together.