What You Can Learn From a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

Tina Curtis July 8, 2025

What You Can Learn From a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

By Tina Curtis, REALTOR® | Interior Designer

Let’s be honest: pricing your home to sell can feel like throwing darts in the dark—unless you have the right information to guide you. That’s where a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) comes in.

But a CMA isn’t just a spreadsheet of nearby homes—it’s a strategic roadmap that helps you understand how your home fits into the current market and how to position it to attract the right buyers.

Let me show you what’s really behind a CMA—and how I use it to help you price with purpose, not guesswork.

First, What Is a CMA?

A Comparative Market Analysis is a custom report I create for each seller that evaluates:

Recently sold homes similar in size, age, and condition
Active listings currently competing for buyer attention
Pending sales (homes under contract but not yet closed)
Expired or withdrawn listings—aka the cautionary tales

But here’s the truth: not all CMAs are created equal. Some agents pull 3–5 basic comps and call it a day. I go deeper, analyzing:

Buyer behavior in your price bracket
The pace of market absorption
What homes sold quickly (and why)—versus those that didn’t
How design, condition, and layout affected sale price

Pricing is never just about square footage. It’s about perception, timing, and strategy.

What a CMA Tells You (That Zillow Never Will)

While automated estimates (hello, Zestimates) offer a starting point, they don’t understand nuance. Your CMA shows you:

How Your Home Compares

Does your home have updates others don’t?
Are there key features buyers expect at your price point?
Is your layout more functional—or less?

I walk you through the comps side-by-side so you understand your home’s unique selling points—and where it might need adjustments to stay competitive.

What Buyers Are Actually Paying For

Buyers may say they want one thing—but their wallets tell the real story. CMAs reveal:

The price range that’s getting offers right now
What upgrades buyers are willing to pay a premium for
Which features are "must-haves" vs. "nice-to-haves" in your area

This helps us decide whether to price just below the competition to spark multiple offers—or go bold if your home has standout features.

How to Time + Position Your Home

The CMA includes:

How long homes are staying on the market
Pricing trends over the last 30–90 days
Whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market in your price range

We use this to build a strategy that matches your timing, your goals, and buyer psychology.

Why Pricing Isn’t About “Guessing High” Anymore

One of the biggest mistakes sellers make is pricing for what they hope to get—then chasing the market when buyers don’t bite.

Here’s what happens:

A home gets the most attention in the first 7–10 days
If the price doesn’t match the perceived value, buyers scroll past
The longer a home sits, the more buyers wonder, “What’s wrong with it?”
Price drops signal desperation—not opportunity

The result? Lower offers, weaker leverage, and delayed outcomes.

Smart pricing from the start = more interest, stronger offers, and a faster sale.

My CMA Process in Action

When I prepare a CMA for you, I:

Walk your home to understand its true value—not just what's on paper
Compare your home through a buyer’s lens, not just a numbers sheet
Layer in design, staging, and marketing strategies that amplify your value
Present your options clearly so you can choose how aggressive or conservative you want to be

A well-prepared seller makes empowered decisions—and confident decisions lead to better results.

Ready to See Where You Stand?

Whether you’re planning to sell soon or just curious about your home’s current position in the market, I’d love to prepare a custom CMA for you.

Let’s look beyond the estimate—and into the strategy.

Request Your Complimentary CMA Consultation with Tina Curtis
Real estate + design + data-driven strategy to help you price it right the first time.