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

Single-family dwelling attached to other units by common walls. ...

A mortgage loan where the bank provides the mortgagor the required funds to purchase property the bank has obtained through foreclosure on outstanding mortgages. For example, John obtains a ...

Geographic location where a vacant or occupied structure exists. It usually means the land reserved is for a future building. ...

What is a turnkey property? A turnkey property is a very popular type of investment property that real estate investors prefer because it starts bringing a return on investment quickly. ...

In real estate, asking price is referred to as the amount set by the seller, the amount he/she wants to receive for the purchase of their home by the buyer. The asking price isn’t ...

The accelerated cost recovery system is a depreciation system for tax purposes mandated by the Economic Recovery Tax Act of 1981. In 1986 the Accelerated Cost Recovery System (ACRS) was ...

Charge assessed a mortgagor by the mortgagee when assuming a pre-existing mortgage. The assumption fee is often included in the closing costs when purchasing property. ...

Net operating income (NOI) of property relative to its market value. If rental income property worth $1,000,000 results in NOI of $100,000, the overall return is 10%. NOI compared to ...

If you're involved in real estate, whether buying, selling, or investing, you might have come across the term "alluvium." It's not just a fancy word but an important concept. Let's delve ...

Popular Real Estate Questions