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

(1) Government seizes private property, but does not provide fair and reasonable compensation for it. (2) Property is seized and the owners rights abolished because of a legal violation. ...

Second home. The interest and real estate taxes on the second home are tax deductible on the family's 1040 tax return. ...

Additional utility an individual receives when purchasing an additional unit of a commodity or service. Represents a trade off between units of cost and unit of utility. For example, an ...

To clip or prune shrubbery,etc. ...

An individual for whom a court has awarded a financial judgment against a debtor. For example, a court award makes Smith a judgment creditor against Cole for $2,000. ...

A rental stipulation a varying rental rate. Rental rate are determined tied to periodic appraisals or an inflation or an inflation index. The provision is more common in a long-term leases. ...

Lawsuit brought by one or more persons of a large group for the benefit of all members of the group. ...

Something offering protection against the wind such as trees and fences. ...

The selling of a parcel of land whereby the original owner agrees to immediately leaseback the property. The advantage of the land sale-leaseback in that the original property owner can ...

Popular Real Estate Questions