How Much Does a Comparative Market Analysis Cost, and Is It Ever Free?

Looking to list your home? Before you publish your listing, you might be wondering how much value your home has acquired since you bought it. Whether you’ve lived in your home for a while or totally spruced up the place, a comparative market analysis (CMA) can determine your home’s value with a high degree of accuracy. But how much does a comparative market analysis cost?

A CMA is typically performed by a licensed real estate agent and having one written up for your house can vary in price. While most agents will perform a CMA for free, some may charge a small fee. If you’re listing your home with an agent, a CMA will almost always be included in the services they provide.

Let’s look closer at CMAs, as well as some other methods commonly used to assess home value, so that you won’t feel awkward or nervous about asking for one, even at no cost.

How much does a comparative market analysis cost?

Some agents charge from $100 to $200 for a CMA, says George Herring, a top real estate agent and single-family homes expert serving the Dallas, Texas, area. But Herring doesn’t charge anything. In fact, many agents advertise free CMAs as part of their marketing. Some agents will even include CMAs when they mail out fliers to certain subdivisions on a regular basis to drum up business.

“I do free CMAs for people all the time,” says Herring.