What happened to the old fashion CMA? Don't just tell them what they want to hear!

What happened to the old fashion CMA?

Here we go again! It's the first week of January (a.k.a. Real Estate Spring). All the homeowners that chose to keep their properties off the market during the holidays will be coming on again soon. Realtors will all be scrambling to get the listings. It's competitive & it's fun or I wouldn't do it too.

One of the things that bothers me about our profession is that many agents will take listings at any price that the homeowner feels his/or her property is worth. Over-pricing these homes while having the homeowner sign a 6 month or 1 year listing agreement with their company. The idea is that they will get the price down at a later time.

What happened to using a CMA as a tool to get an accurate list price?
Back when the market was climbing many agents would put together a CMA for a homeowner and put considerably more emphasis on the active properties vs. the under contacts and title transfers...now it should be just the opposite.
 
Realtors really need to take the time to educate their homeowners. Homeowners need to understand that even if you are able to find a buyer that is willing to "Over Pay" for their property it may not appraise out. Pricing the property right the first time will save them time and money in the long run. I believe that you're not doing a homeowner a favor by telling them what they want to hear instead of what they need to hear.