Should I Get an Appraisal Before Selling My House or Use a CMA?

Anytime a house sells to a buyer who is financing their purchase, the lender will require a third-party appraisal to verify the property’s value and determine what they’re willing to lend. But on the other side of the coin, sellers also have the option to get their own pre-listing appraisal to set an asking price. This begs the question: Should I get an appraisal before selling my house? Is it even the best way to price a home? When might a pre-listing appraisal make sense? Get a Free Home Value Estimate Enter a few details about your home, and we’ll provide you with a preliminary estimate of value in less than two minutes. This won’t replace a comparative market analysis (CMA) or home appraisal, but it can be a helpful starting point. While an appraisal is one method of assessing home value, it isn’t the typical way to decide on a listing price. Usually, a top real estate agent’s comparative market analysis (CMA) is all you need to gauge what a buyer is likely to pay for your home, saving sellers between $300 and $500 in extra expenses if they order an appraisal. Moreover, a CMA reflects your area’s current real estate market conditions. And you can always get a free online home v...