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

An accessory building is an outdoor structure used by the occupants of the main building or house. They have different functions and can be detached or attached to the main building on the ...

Same as term industrial park: Usually a fairly large site zoned and planned for the purpose of industrial development and located outside the main residential area of a city. Industrial ...

The term agricultural property means a type of land that has been designed or is permitted to engage in agricultural activities. Also referred to as agricultural land, agricultural ...

A real estate owner's policy and rules regarding the use of the property by the tenant. In insurance, a contract that provides coverage against given risks. Coverage limits for real ...

Contractual provision specifying a dollar amount or rate an individual to the contract must pay for not conforming to its terms. An example is the fee charged for a late mortgage payment. ...

Periodic expenditures undertaken to preserve or retain a property's operational status for its originally intended use. These expenditures do not improve or extend the life of the property. ...

Written enumeration of the desired selling prices associated with homes or office buildings for sale. The prospective buyer can then determine if the properties for sale are within his ...

A home seller and a home buyer agreed upon a fair market value and the deal is off to closing the sale. One of the next steps is running a title search. But what is a title ...

Private company established in 1957 and headquartered in Milwaukee, WI, providing private mortgage insurance (PMI) to mortgage lenders granting mortgages to mortgagors not having at least a ...

Popular Real Estate Questions