if an appraisal is properly researched and constructed it is pretty accurate and usually within +/- 2% of selling price, but you need good comparable sales in the area; appraisals are fact based, a good one will stand up in court, CMAs are often wishfull thinking on behalf of the broker/home owner
CMAs generally don't go deep enough, often skipping over critical elements of comparison [view, sq ft., building tier, neighborhood or even a paticular block, etc. - Sun Jul 20 2008, 12:50
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