TRENDING: Hullmark To Manage Redevelopment Of Jane Finch Mall

Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

Discover how a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) helps determine a property’s value in Canadian real estate and supports smart pricing and negotiations.

Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)

May 22, 2025


What is Comparative Market Analysis (CMA)?

A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is a report prepared by a real estate professional that estimates a property’s market value based on recent sales of similar homes in the area.

Why Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) Matters in Real Estate

In Canadian real estate, a CMA helps sellers price their homes competitively and assists buyers in making informed offers. It’s based on ‘comps’—comparable properties that have recently sold or are currently listed.

A typical CMA evaluates:
- Recently sold homes (typically within 3–6 months)
- Active listings (current asking prices)
- Expired listings (homes that didn’t sell)
- Property features (size, age, condition, location)

CMAs are not formal appraisals, but they provide a data-driven pricing strategy. REALTORS® use their expertise and local market knowledge to interpret the data and make pricing recommendations.

For sellers, a CMA can help avoid overpricing or underpricing. For buyers, it can reveal whether a home is fairly valued. CMAs are especially important in competitive or fast-moving markets where price accuracy can impact sale outcomes.

A well-prepared CMA builds confidence for all parties in a transaction and supports stronger negotiations and outcomes.

Example of Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) in Action

A REALTOR® prepares a CMA for a seller showing that three similar homes in the area sold for $850,000–$875,000. They recommend listing the property at $860,000.

Key Takeaways

  • Estimates property value based on local sales data.
  • Used by sellers to set prices and by buyers to evaluate offers.
  • Compares recent and similar property sales.
  • Created by a licensed REALTOR®.
  • Not a formal appraisal, but a strategic pricing tool.

Related Terms

  • Market Value
  • Appraisal
  • Listing Price
  • Fair Market Value
  • Pricing Strategy

Additional Terms

Budgeting

Budgeting in real estate refers to the process of forecasting and managing income and expenses associated with owning, operating, or developing a property.. more

Tenant Improvements

Tenant improvements refer to custom modifications or build-outs made to a leased space to suit the tenant’s operational needs, often negotiated as. more

Highest and Best Use

Highest and best use refers to the reasonably probable use of a property that results in the highest value, provided it is legally permissible,. more

Gross Lease

A gross lease is a commercial lease where the tenant pays a fixed rent, and the landlord covers most or all operating expenses such as property. more

Brownfield

A brownfield is a property that was previously used for industrial or commercial purposes and is now vacant or underused, often requiring. more

Record of Site Condition (RSC)

A Record of Site Condition (RSC) is a formal document filed with a provincial environmental authority certifying that a property meets required. more

More For You

Low Immigration, High Supply Pull Rents Down For Ninth Straight Month

Low Immigration, High Supply Pull Rents Down For Ninth Straight Month
Shutterstock

Canadian rents continued to slide in June, with the most pronounced declines reported in BC and Alberta and in Canada's largest cities. Driving the decline is a combination of low immigration and over supply leading to higher vacancy rates and longer vacancy terms, under which landlords are beginning to cave.

“Rent decreases at the national level have been mild so far, with the biggest declines mainly seen in the largest and most expensive cities," said Shaun Hildebrand, President of Urbanation. "However, it appears that the softening in rents has begun to spread throughout most parts of the country.”

Keep ReadingShow less

Northern BC Project Could Be Blueprint For Canada’s $25B Modular Push

Northern BC Project Could Be Blueprint For Canada’s $25B Modular Push

NorthStar Development's 40-unit Estrella rental project in Prince Rupert, BC.

Developer Gordon Wylie has worked on office buildings, all types of residential, real estate investment, and major shopping mall redevelopments, including project lead on the early iteration of Oakridge Mall during his tenure as Vice President, Development, for Ivanhoe Cambridge.

He was also key in the company’s purchase of Metrotown Centre, an expansion that helped transform Burnaby. Wylie says he’s always up for a challenge, and so it fits that he’s now one of the rare developers who’s embraced modular construction to bring desperately needed rental housing to BC’s northern city of Prince Rupert. The five-storey, 40-unit Estrella rental project is a test case for his company, NorthStar Development Corp., which handled the financing, development, and construction management of the new rental building. NorthStar builds office, retail, industrial, mixed use, and rental and condo housing, and partners with non-profits to deliver below-market housing.

Keep ReadingShow less

Hullmark Acquires Interest In Jane Finch Mall, Will Manage Redevelopment

Hullmark Acquires Interest In Jane Finch Mall, Will Manage Redevelopment
Rendering of 1911 Finch Avenue West/BDP Quadrangle

A fixture of Toronto's Jane and Finch neighbourhood for upwards of 50 years, Jane Finch Mall has seen its fair share of change, from updated stores and restaurants to the addition of new grocery offerings to meet the evolving needs of the community. And it’s in for its biggest transformation yet. In the coming decades, the property at 1911 Finch Avenue West will be redeveloped into seven mixed-use blocks with a dozen new mid- to high-rise buildings and over 4,600 new residential units.

The proposed redevelopment, which comes from an affiliate of Southdown Builders Brad-Jay Investments Ltd., got the City's go-ahead in August 2024, around eight months after the company filed plans for Phase 1 of the master plan. Most recently, Brad-Jay has announced that they have brought on prominent investment and development company Hullmark to see the transformation through. The project will join similarly ambitious development endeavours in the company’s portfolio, including Beltline Yards, a master-plan community in the works from Hullmark and BGO.

Keep ReadingShow less
TRENDING: Hullmark To Manage Redevelopment Of Jane Finch Mall

H&R REIT Considering Strategic Sale After Receiving Multiple Offers

Office towers in downtown Toronto.

Office towers in downtown Toronto. / Erman Gunes, Shutterstock

Just before the weekend, Toronto-based H&R REIT (TSX: HR.UN) disclosed that it had formed a special committee in February "to review and consider strategic alternatives after receiving an unsolicited expression of interest," confirming the possibility that the REIT may be sold.

H&R REIT says that after receiving that unsolicited proposal, it has received other proposals for potential transactions.

Keep ReadingShow less

Camrost Felcorp Names Joseph Feldman President & COO Ahead Of 50th Anniversary

Camrost Felcorp Names Joseph Feldman President & COO Ahead Of 50th Anniversary

Joseph Feldman (left), David Feldman (right) of Camrost Felcorp

As it gears up for its 50th year in operation, Camrost Felcorp has made major changes to its senior leadership team, including the appointment of Joseph Feldman to President and Chief Operating Officer. The company behind landmark projects like Upper East Village in Leaside and the Exchange District in Mississauga announced Monday that former President David Feldman will stay on as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, and will maintain an active role in Camrost’s “overall direction.”

“As we reflect on the company’s success over the past 50 years, it’s not only a moment to appreciate the legacy we’ve built — but more importantly, an opportunity to think boldly about the next 50,” said David in a press release. “We’re evolving our leadership and sharpening our focus to be even more responsive, ambitious, and future-oriented — building on the strength of our team, the values that have guided us from the beginning.”

Keep ReadingShow less

Plans For 34, 11 Storeys Near Kennedy GO Advance With SPA Application

Plans For 34, 11 Storeys Near Kennedy GO Advance With SPA Application
2157-2183 Lawrence Avenue East/Kirkor Architects

A Scarborough housing proposal is moving ahead with a Site Plan Approval (SPA) application that seeks to replace a low-rise commercial plaza with a 34- and 11-storey mixed-use development that would offer 565 new rental units.

According to the planning materials, the SPA follows a September 2023 Zoning By-law Amendment application for a smaller 24- and 21-storey structure, which was approved in April 2024 with amendments that brought the heights up to their current specifications. With the approval came a (“H”) Holding Symbol to be cleared with the successful review of a Functional Servicing Report, Stormwater Management Report, and Methane Gas Study.

Keep ReadingShow less

Meet The Agent: Ankur Singla, Homelife Silvercity Realty Inc.

Headshot of Ankur Singla of Homelife Silvercity Realty Inc.

Welcome to Meet the Agent, an ongoing series profiling real estate agents from across Canada. With more than 150,000 agents, brokers, and salespeople working in 75 different boards and associations across the country, we thought it was about time they had a place to properly introduce themselves.

If you or someone you know deserves the same chance, email agents@storeys.com to apply.

Keep ReadingShow less

Toronto Releases Free Pre-Approved Garden, Laneway Suite Plans

Toronto Releases Free Pre-Approved Garden, Laneway Suite Plans
Pre-approved plan for two-bedroom laneway suite/City of Toronto

In 2018, the City of Toronto amended zoning bylaw to allow laneway suites on residential properties in the Toronto and East York District, expanding the permissions citywide by 2020 and with the addition of garden suites in 2022. The amendment was intended to increase the number of housing options and infill opportunities in the city, ultimately helping to improve affordability for Torontonians.

Now, the City is implementing additional measures to cut down approval timelines and make the construction of garden and laneway suites more accessible, including releasing free blueprints, expanding online services for building permit submissions, and including garden and laneway suites in the existing Reliance on Professional Engineer’s Seal program.

Keep ReadingShow less
Privacy PolicyAbout UsTerms of UseAdvertise with UsJobsContact UsRSS Feed
2025 © STOREYS Publishing Inc. | All Rights Reserved