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“CMA” is an abbreviation real estate agents use for a Comparative Market Analysis. A CMA gives an estimated sale price for a property given current market conditions. It’s prepared by a real estate agent and it usually comes in report form. Most residential real estate agents don’t charge a fee for preparing a CMA.

An agent needs to walk through the property in question before preparing a CMA. Unless the home is enormous, the agent inspection part of the CMA shouldn’t take long, nor does the home have to show like a model home. However, property condition does affect price. So if you plan to do work on the property, let the agent know.

After the agent previews the property, he or she researches the Multiple Listing Service for information about similar properties in the area that have recently sold. In order to arrive at a current price estimate, an agent should analyze information about listings that have sold and closed, those that are sold but haven’t yet closed (the pending sales), active listings and expired listings.

Pending and sold listings give the most reliable indicator of current market price. Active listings are a gauge of the current competition in the marketplace. Expired listings are properties that were listed for sale but didn’t sell. Usually expired listings didn’t sell because they were priced too high for the market.

The agent then compares the property with listings found in the MLS search and by so doing arrives at a probable selling price. Keep in mind that the price derived from a CMA is somewhat subjective. Also, a CMA is not an appraisal. You need to hire a licensed appraiser to complete an appraisal.

Sellers should have a CMA done before listing their home for sale. Sellers who don’t have a real estate agent often ask several agents to complete CMA’s. This gives the seller an opportunity to meet different agents and to see how they work.

You may find that you want a CMA even if you aren’t planning to sell. For instance, before embarking on a major renovation you might want to know how much you can spend without over-improving for the neighborhood. The agent who sold you the property should be happy to prepare a CMA for you if he or she is still active in the local housing market. If not, ask an acquaintance whose opinion you trust to recommend an agent.

Buyers should ask for a CMA on a property they are considering buying, particularly if they are new to the area and haven’t had the opportunity to see many listings.

First-Time Tip: Regardless of whether you are a buyer or a seller, the agent who prepares your CMA should work actively in the area where the property is located. The Internet has made it possible for virtually anyone to access comparable sales information. However, this information could be inadequate without firsthand knowledge of the comparable properties and the local marketplace.

For example, property upgrades usually have a positive effect on sale price. But if the upgrades are inferior in quality or design they can lower rather than increase the price. Suppose the information on a sold listing shows a remodeled kitchen. Without having seen the property, it’s difficult to know how the remodeling affected the price.

The Closing: Don’t be surprised if a CMA gives a price range rather than a set price. You’re more likely to see this in markets were there is variation in terms of property size, age, architectural style and condition.

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Anyone who has ever profited from doing a short sale has also without a doubt had one or two rejected at some point. Guess what? It is just the nature of the beastAs with all types of sales; you’re playing a numbers game.

There are very few investors who truly know how to successfully negotiate a Short Sale. We find that most investors have the perception that all that is necessary is to submit an offer and wait for the bank to give you an answer. If all goes well the offer will be accepted but in many cases it’s not that simple.

That’s why a strategic plan is necessary. “What do you mean?” You ask. A strategic plan means making the deal go your way by persuading the lender to agree with your offer.

There are several steps that will ensure your success when negotiating with lenders.

First of all, you must be able to determine if you indeed have a short sale opportunity on your hands. Many investors are under the misconception that every homeowner facing foreclosure is a good short sale candidate. This could not be any further from the truth. One of the most common mistakes made by investors is attempting to fit a square peg into a round hole. Not all deals are good short sale opportunities. You must know the difference between a good and a bad deal. Period! You’ll have to analyze the deal and develop an excellent plan of attack if you want to truly master the art of the Short Sale.

Second, you must not take no for an answer. No can never be the final chapter to your negotiation. If the lender says no you must ask yourself why. There must be a reason. Why did they say no? Is there anyone else I can speak with? Was my offer to low? How does the lender determine their bottom dollar? What else can I do? What was the BPO amount? These are just a few of the questions that need to be addressed each time you are met with some resistance from the lender.

We’d like to share an awesome deal that one of our students closed recently. His name is Thomas Stockman.

Thomas got a call off of one of his signs from a gentleman that had two properties in foreclosure. The two properties were on the same street and were bought as rental homes within the last year. Consequently, they were also financed by the same mortgage company. One property had a mortgage balance of approximately $150,000 and was in need of several thousand dollars worth of repairs. The other had a mortgage balance of $156,000 and was currently being rented for $1,100 per month. Both properties had very little equity but the neighborhood had been very active over the last 9 months. After qualifying the two potential deals he decided to attempt short sales.

He contacted the bank and began the process. His offer on the first house was $89,900 and $95,800 on the second house. The bank rejected both and asked for higher offers. After several conversations and some additional documentation to justify his offer, Thomas was able to get both properties for a total of $60,000 below market value. Thomas rehabbed the first property for $3,500 and put it on the market for sale. Since the second property was already occupied by a tenant he decided to keep it. His mortgage is roughly $400 per month (interest only loan/taxes paid at year end) he makes $700 in monthly positive cash flow. Not bad for a beginner (wink).

This would have never happened if Thomas accepted NO from the bank. If he would have not known what pressure points to touch and how to counter without increasing the offer amount we would not be talking about these deals.

This type of outcome is customary when you are equipped with the necessary tools and know how to turn a “No” into a “Yes” just by slightly adjusting your approach. Thomas got two great properties with lots of equity and a constant cash flow, the homeowner avoided TWO foreclosures, and the bank was satisfied.

Remember, the next time you are putting together a short sale offer, be prepared and take control of the deal. Never take NO for an answer. Be proactive not reactive. Don’t just submit offers without having a game plan. Do yourself a favor and take advantage of the opportunity to make lots of money in an industry where great deals are hard to come by. We hope that you have learned something and are on your way to much success.

Best Regards,

D.C. Fowler, Real Estate Investor/Educator
http://www.shortsaledeals.com

Mr. Fowler has been a real estate investor for over 15 years specializing in the area of pre-foreclosure/short sale investing. He has bought and sold over 200 homes in Georgia, Florida, Louisiana, and Tennessee using the same short sale techniques that he teaches in his course, Making Money with Short Sales: The Complete Guide to Acquiring Property Pre-Foreclosure. Mr. Fowler currently resides in Atlanta Georgia. He also spends many hours per month teaching his creative real estate investing techniques to other aspiring investors across the country.

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So you’ve decided to take advantage of the booming real estate market and put your house up for sale. As you know, buying a house is the most important purchase a consumer can make.

So it’s understandable that when prospective buyers come through your house, your home will be scrutinized like it’s never been before (well not since you bought it anyway!). Everyone knows you never get a second chance to make a first impression, so consider implementing the following cost-effective suggestions, before you welcome any potential buyers.

Consider the view that people see when they first drive up.

To ensure that you don’t send any potential buyers running down the driveway before they even see the house, make sure the exterior of the home is spotless. Paint or wash as necessary and don’t forget to mow the lawn and spruce up any outdoor greenery.

Upon entering your home, what will they see?

If you have a room that makes a statement when you walk in, perhaps the walls are painted a very bright colour or the style of furniture is eclectic, potential buyers may have a difficult time picturing their own stuff in the room. A fresh coat of paint in a neutral colour is an inexpensive but proven technique for increasing the appeal of any home. A clean, fresh smell makes a good impression. Try placing air fresheners in closets to eliminate musty smells. The smell of freshly baked bread also goes a long way. Don’t go overboard though - not everyone likes the strong scents of potpourri or incense. Of course, it goes without saying that clean and bright equals a sale. Scrub, clean, wash windows, walls, floors and tiles and shampoo dirty carpets - leaving no stone unturned.

Clean under sinks, repair any leaks and clean up any damage.

Use special cleaning agents to rid toilets, tubs and sinks of stains. If you have lots of stuff, it’s hard for potential buyers to see around it to see the room. Store any miscellaneous items, making sure to keep the garage, basement, attic and any closets tidy. This will make your house look more spacious and clean. Make repairs as necessary. If the baseboard around the cupboard is loose, for example, get out the hammer or glue and fasten it securely. Are the handles on the closet door wobbly? If so, get out the screwdriver and tighten them. Potential buyers don’t want to have to look after a bunch of little things when they move in and they may subconsciously be noting all the little repairs.

In the end, they might reject the house because they think all the minor repairs will amount to a lot of work for them. By implementing these simple tips, you can ensure that your house will be off the market in no time!

About The Author

John Carle & Sharon Gregresh are Realtors with Royal LePage - ArTeam in St. Albert, AB. They pride themselves on providing more than just real estate sales and listings. Their clients benefit from a much larger spectrum or real estate services. Contact them any time at information@workingtogether.ca or through their website at www.workingtogether.ca. They can be reached by phone at (780) 458-5595

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