Is a CMA done by a Real Estate Agent a valid Appraisal

Profile picture for Jim Bradley Advisor
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November 18 2011 - Park City
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Answers (17)

Profile picture for Rich Fine
It's at a point where we can barely state the size of the home, and we can only do that if we have other paperwork to back it up.  Aside from the answer where the agent may be a licensed appraiser, I don't see a BPO or CMA used for anything except an approximation of market value.  Whether there is a retail buyer at that market price, and if an actual appraisal will be close...that's another story.
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March 06
Profile picture for Brent Mayes
absolutely not.
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December 04 2011
Profile picture for Zilluminati
No, therefore the requirement that this be added to them;

"This market analysis may not be used for the purposes of obtaining financing in a federally-related transaction"
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December 04 2011
Profile picture for TiffanyBond
"a local real estate expert always knows home values better than an appraiser"

Shenanigans.
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December 04 2011
Profile picture for sryan1980
Only licensed appraisers can conduct appraisals. That is why realtors coined the phrase "CMA." However, a local real estate expert always knows home values better than an appraiser. Appraisers routinely call realtors for info and advice when they are conducting their appraisals.
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December 04 2011
Profile picture for Sharon Lewis
No
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December 03 2011
Profile picture for Caveat Emptor
" is a snapshot of the market."

a very apt metaphor as oftentimes a photograph can be taken from 3 different angles and show completely different stories. some zoom in too far, others stand too far back, while others are just plain weird. It depends entirely on the photographer who took the photo.

Likewise a CMA can be a beautiful panorama, an elegantly framed portrait or something spit out by a photo-booth when you deposit a few quarters. when comparing "snapshots" you'll need to look at the "whole picture" or you may end up with buyer's remorse.

So, no. A CMA is not an appraisal, because there is no "standard" for CMAs. They are a marketing tool and nothing more.
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December 03 2011
A Comparative Market Analysis is not a substitute for an appraisal.  Is is a snapshot of the market.  There are many more factors that are used in the appraisal.
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November 20 2011
Profile picture for Sharon Lewis
Vince......you always give such great answers!
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November 20 2011
Profile picture for NY Broker
ordering a bank apprasal and spending 500-1000 for them to tell you what your home is worth, not only is a waste of money but its usually very wrong.  The bank who you hire to do an app, is looking to collect their money, NOT give you a real price value on your home.
THE real apprasal will come when your have a buyer who makes an offer on your home, and THEIR bank shows up to do an apprasal, to make sure that what the buyer is paying is worth it.

BUT, to get the BEST IDEA, of what your home is worth, call a local realtor have them bring comps from your area.  Your home is only worth what someone is willing to pay for it AND what all the other homes like yours in the area are selling for.
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November 19 2011
Profile picture for SoCal Appraiser
YES, but ONLY when the CMA is done by a Realtor with a valid appraisers license - as myself. (This would be a good real estate trivia question, someone come up with a good trivia app for Iphone, would ya !!)

More trivia here - In fact, if an appraiser gives you a verbal value, or writies it down on a napkin, UNLIKE Realtors, its considered a valid appraisal and appraisers can and have been sued for the validity of these non-formal valuations. Realtors, on the other hand, can not be held to that level of value expertise.

So thats why appraisers never give you a straight answer when you ask them about your listings 'value' ...



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November 18 2011
Profile picture for Derek_Zasaretti
No. It's only a vague comparison of properties in the area.
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November 18 2011
Profile picture for hpvanc
No agents do not have the education or license to provide legal appraisals.  A CMA may legally be prepared for purely marketing purposes with little or no basis in reality, so it should have little or no standing, and for some reason most agents prefer it that way.
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November 18 2011
Profile picture for Tug of War

NO

Define Blah Blah should be Blah Blah


NO!
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November 18 2011
Profile picture for wordsmth
Define "valid."

Legally binding? No.

Likely to be accepted as-is by a lender? No.

A professionally-prepared document that should provide a reasonable estimate of the value of a property? Yes.
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November 18 2011
Profile picture for MarKusGroup
A CMA is a useful tool, but it's not a legal document.
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November 18 2011
Profile picture for TiffanyBond
No.
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November 18 2011
 

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