Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

Definition of "Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)"

Alan Wilson real estate agent

Written by

Alan Wilsonelite badge icon

Olde Town Realty

That’s the name of the study a Real Estate Broker presents to home sellers when trying to turn them into clients. In it, by making a comparison with the available houses in the market - and how much they are asking for - the homeowner gets to find out what their asking price should be.

The comparative market analysis (CMA) can span from two-pages to a hundred; it depends on how thorough and comprehensive the analysis is, and how complex is the house (or the market) in question. More and more comparative market analysis (CMA)  are generated in specialized software that cross-references data from several sources of recent sales in specific markets, showing days on the market, average sales price, local minimum and maximum sales prices, the reasons why some houses did or didn’t sell, and even information like the best time to sell a property in that region.

Making a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) can be quite toilsome. The reason why Brokers and Real Estate Agents do all this work of suggesting a sales price, explaining the reasons behind it and even including a marketing plan to sell the house is to convince the homeowner to list the house with them. To show they know how the market behaves and will be the best person for the seller to trust the house with.

If you’re a home seller, it is important for you to ask Comparative Market Analysis to more than one broker or agent. Results may vary, and you want to make your own comparison between what is presented you. Don’t necessarily go for the broker that priced your home the highest; weeks after you sign a contract they may come with new more realistic calculations.

Real Estate Advice:

You haven’t gotten a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) yet? Call one of our real estate agents and ask them to make you one!

image of a real estate dictionary page

Have a question or comment?

We're here to help.

*** Your email address will remain confidential.
 

 

Popular Real Estate Terms

Selling price for a property less assumed mortgages by the buyer. For tax purposes, the computation of the contract price is critical. ...

lender who charges an exorbitant interest rate, which is typically illegal because it exceeds the interest rate allowed in the state. A borrower may go to a loan shark if he cannot obtain ...

A loan that is to be replaced by a permanent loan. ...

Something that has been built and physically exists at a specified location, such as a building, garage, etc. Something consisting of related parts, such as the organization and terms of ...

Precalculated tables providing the present values of $1 or an annuity of $1 for different time periods and at different discount rates. ...

People often use the term in their everyday discourse, yet many wonder what the meaning of common law genuinely implies. Common law refers to a system of jurisprudence based on court ...

Right to an item belongs to the public at large so anyone can use it. An example is a real estate software program that is publicly available by an electronic bulletin board service. ...

Being an administrator in the state where an individual was domiciled at the time of death. The domiciliary administrator is considered the primary and principal estate administrator. ...

Retail businesses next to each other with common walls on each side and the same roof. ...

Popular Real Estate Questions