Orchard helps reduce a lot of the friction of buying and selling a house at the same time. Its signature Move First program advances you a portion of your current home equity, so you can make an offer on a new house without it being contingent on your old house selling — a huge benefit in a competitive market.
Once you secure a new home, you work with an agent to list and sell your current one. If you don't sell within a 120 day period, you can use Orchard's guaranteed offer as a backup — meaning you avoid the risk of carrying two mortgages indefinitely. Orchard's equity advance can also fund home improvements to get your home market-ready.
Just be prepared to pay a 2.4% program fee on top of the usual selling costs. You'll also need to use one of Orchard's agents to sell your house and pay them a brokerage fee of 6%. This is at the higher end of the standard 5–6% commission range and much higher than a discount brokerage might charge.
Other buy-before-you-sell options offer the flexibility to choose your own agent, which could ultimately help you sell for more while saving on costs— especially if you opt for a brokerage that charges a lower commission rate than Orchard.
Thinking of using Orchard? Here's a quick rundown
👍 Why Orchard might work for you:
Buy before you sell = less stress — Orchard’s Move‑First program lets you purchase a new home before selling, without a home sale contingency, temporary housing, or simultaneous mortgage payments.
Concierge service helps with home prep — For homes that could use some updating prior to listing, Orchard's Concierge Service can help you make the necessary improvements at no upfront cost. Orchard's team manages the work with its vendors and you can pay them back out of your equity loan.
The guaranteed offer provides a backup plan — If your home doesn’t sell in 120 days, you can take advantage of Orchard's backup offer. For some sellers, this creates peace of mind, even if you don't end up needing it.
👎 Why Orchard might not be your best option:
High combined fees — Sellers reported a 6% brokerage commission, plus a ~2.4% Move First program fee, resulting in overall fees of around 8–9% of the sale price, on top of typical closing costs.
Guaranteed offer can be low — While most people sell their homes the traditional way, if your home doesn't sell within 120 days, you may end up selling it to Orchard for less than it's really worth.
Mixed experiences with Orchard agents — Many sellers have positive experiences with Orchard agents, but others report that the agents assigned to them lived far outside their market, lacked communication, and didn't put in much effort to sell their homes.
Concierge services may be overpriced — Orchard uses their own contractors for its concierge service, which some customers said inflated the costs of repairs and home improvements.
Orchard vs. competitors
Orchard’s main competitors include other buy-before-you-sell services, iBuyer companies, and cash offer networks, which help you explore a variety of options for getting cash offers.
Buy-before-you-sell services help you tap into your home’s equity to purchase a new house before you list your old one — eliminating a lot of the headaches associated with timing a home sale and purchase.
iBuyers will purchase your home outright for closer to market value than an investor might pay, but they only buy homes in good condition and typically charge a 5% service fee, plus deductions for repairs.
Cash offer networks like Clever Offers can help you explore competing offers from a variety of sources, including iBuyers, local investors, and top-rated cash buyers within their network.
The following Orchard competitors are also highly rated and may provide more flexibility or lower fees.
» MORE: Want to find more cash offer options near you? Check out our guide to the best companies that buy houses for cash.
Orchard vs. a realtor
Traditional agents can’t provide a guaranteed backup offer on your home or front you the money for repairs. And while a buyer’s agent will represent you in the home purchase process, they can’t help you make an all-cash offer. If you want those types of services, Orchard is a better choice than a traditional agent.
However, traditional agents will use their local market knowledge to help you set a competitive asking price, provide a comparative market analysis, list and market your home for you, and negotiate with buyers on your behalf. Buyer’s agents can also help you find a home to purchase, negotiate with sellers, and close the deal.
However, if you work with a traditional real estate agent to sell your home, you’ll usually have to pay a 2.5–3% listing fee, and likely another 2.5–3% concession to cover the buyer’s agent fee.
If you’re considering working with a traditional real estate agent, look into discount brokers or agents who offer lower commission rates, so you keep more money in your pocket.
Orchard reviews: What customers have to say
| Source | Average Rating | Review Count |
|---|---|---|
| BBB | 3.5/5 | 35 |
| Trustpilot | 4.4/5 | 709 |
| Weighted Average: | 4.4/5 | 744 |
Orchard maintains an average customer rating of 4.36/5 across 744 reviews from Trustpilot and the Better Business Bureau.
While many people are happy with their experience, not all reviews are positive. Negative reviews largely focus on communication issues and being matched with inexperienced agents.
Here are some common themes we see from home sellers.
Positive themes from Orchard reviews
✅ Makes the process of buying and selling a home easier
Several positive reviewers highlighted how the equity advance through Orchard’s Move First program allowed them to buy first before selling and simplified the process.
"We bought our new home with Orchard’s Move First Program and it made it so easy! They fronted us the equity in our existing home to buy the new home. It was an interest-free loan. Once we moved out of our house that we were selling, we then listed it with Orchard for sale and sold through them again making it extremely easy without having to worry about keeping the house clean for showings, etc. I would highly recommend Orchard to anybody who wants to avoid the stress of showings, keeping your house clean, and trying to coordinate a move all at one time."
— B.A., March 2024, Trustpilot
Several positive reviews appreciated the ease of Orchard’s process and how it made buying and moving before selling easier and less stressful.
"Orchard relieved a lot of the stress with buying and selling a home. The greatest part was getting the equity advance which enabled us to purchase another home while our home was on the market. Our home sold above the initial offer and we received additional proceeds at closing. The Orchard team was fantastic and did everything they said they would do."
— L. Small, February 2024, Trustpilot
✅ Professional customer service reps
Some positive reviews highlighted the professionalism of the employees. These reviewers felt confident in the services they received and were impressed by how organized the process was.
"Wonderful service. Everyone from start to finish was personable, professional, proactive, and prompt. All communication was helpful, timely, and overall, a wonderful experience. It was also great being able to close with a notary, who was knowledgeable and timely."
— Alisa B., February 2023, BBB
Other customers felt that Orchard’s customer service representatives did a good job of helping make the process clear and stress-free.
"Through out the whole home selling experience the people at Orchard did a great job of providing needed information, helping me fill out needed forms, answering questions and keeping me up to date on what was going on. I would highly recommend Orchard for your home buying or selling needs."
— Christiana S., June 2024, Trustpilot
Orchard complaints
❌ Inexperienced or disinterested agents
Several negative reviews focused on problems with their agent, including a lack of communication and fees that weren't fully explained upfront.
"There was very little communication during the listing, I had to contact the realtor every time to ask her what was going on, a lot of the fees were not explained correctly to me up front, I was overcharged for things like lawn maintenance and utility bills after I moved out...I felt so alone most of the time without any information which is different than a normal realtor client situation. The only convenient part was that I was able to move out and purchase my other home before we listed my home but It ultimately cost me money."
— Mstakely, April 2025, Trustpilot
Other customers felt like their agent wasn't invested in helping them sell their home, leaving them feeling ignored and costing them dearly as the costs of carrying two homes added up.
"We were given comps and we listed under value so that we could sell quickly as we were leaving the state for a job and didn't want to duplicate our living expenses. My realtor said this wouldn't be a problem. So we left our home in her care...Any time I asked for an update, she would tell me to drop the price and desperately we did, time and time again. She literally did not even try to get this house sold. We ended up selling for less than we owed, but the real estate agent still made her 10k off the deal. I will literally never recommend Orchard."
Having an agent who can advocate for and guide you through the complex selling and buying process is essential. Unfortunately, you can’t choose which Orchard agent is assigned to you.
❌ Guaranteed offers were lowered after signing
Some reviewers were frustrated when their guaranteed offers changed after signing a contract.
Use extreme caution when choosing Orcard. This company will give you a guaranteed offer. However, this company has no idea what guaranteed means. My "guaranteed" offer was reduced by $20,000 two days after accepting their so called guaranteed offer. They made me feel like a sucker.
— Steve L., September 2023, Trustpilot
Another reviewer shared that his initial offer was based on Zillow but then later was told he would only get 85% of the initial quote.
How does Orchard work?
Move First | List with Orchard | Buy & List
Orchard offers three main services for home buyers and sellers: Move First, List with Orchard, and Buy & List. Customers who opt for any of these options can also take advantage of additional services from Orchard, such as their Concierge service.
Move First
Orchard's Move First program allows you to buy your new home and move in before selling your current home. Orchard will work to sell your home, and you'll receive any additional proceeds from the sale, minus Orchard's fees and expenses.
- Assess your home equity. Start by submitting basic information about your home (such as its age and address) online.
- Access your equity. Based on the results of your initial home value estimate and your current home equity, Orchard will allow you to access up to 90% of your old home's value — minus what you still owe on the mortgage — through an interest-free "equity advance." This equity can be used for a down payment on your next home and to cover your existing mortgage for up to four months.
- Purchase and move into your new home. You can buy a new home and move in right away! Orchard will use part of your equity loan to cover mortgage payments on your old home until it sells. When you close on your new home, you must be completely moved out of your old home, though you'll need to continue maintaining utilities and yard upkeep.
- Prep and list your old home. Orchard will take care of repairs, staging and any other prep work needed to list your home at a mutually agreed-upon price (which may be higher than the initial guaranteed offer). An Orchard agent will act as your listing agent. After your old home sells, your new home's title will be transferred to you.
- Settle your bill. You'll receive the profits from your old home's sale, minus your overlapping mortgage payments and Orchard's fees and expenses. Expect to pay approximately 8–9% directly to Orchard, including a 2.4% program fee, plus 6% in brokerage fees.
The company states that most homes sell within 120 days of listing. During this period, if your home isn't selling, Orchard's pricing team may recommend price adjustments. If your home hasn't sold within 120 days of listing, Orchard will pay you the initial guaranteed offer amount.
List with Orchard
If you only need to sell — or are buying outside of Orchard's service area — you can use List with Orchard.
The process is the same as working with a real estate agent, but with some additional perks like home preparations that not all agents provide.
- Complete a home assessment. Orchard uses the information you submit to run a home assessment, determine if your home qualifies for its program, and to calculate the best listing price.
- Let Orchard prep and list your home. Orchard's listing package includes up to $1,000 of prep work, including a 3D tour, staging, and cleaning. Additional repair costs will be deducted from the profits of the sale.
- Close the deal. An Orchard agent will market your home. Once you accept an offer, your agent will help coordinate your closing. A closing officer from the title company will also walk you through the closing process. Orchard states most closing take 30-45 days on average.
Cash Offer + Upside
Orchard's Cash Offer + Upside option lets you compare offers from iBuyers like Offerpad, Opendoor, and Homeward with the guidance of an Orchard agent.
The benefit is that you can unlock as much as 84% of your home value upfront — giving you more leverage than the equity advance — then list for additional upside.
The downside is the cost. You'll pay as much as 5–7% in service fees to Homeward's iBuying partners, plus Orchard's brokerage fees of up to 6%. On a home worth $600,000, you could end up paying as much as $78,000 just in fees to buy and sell.
It's worth noting that there's typically no need to work with an agent when selling to an iBuyer. If you're in a time crunch and considering the cash offer route, you can source offers directly from top iBuyers and then use their offer as a backup while testing the waters with a traditional listing.
Other Orchard services
Orchard Concierge: This service provides funding to help you pay for home repairs prior to listing your house. It can be added to any Orchard program. There are no upfront costs as costs are deducted from your final home sale proceeds. Not all repairs are covered by this service, and Orchard chooses the contractors you’ll work with. The Renovation Lead will review a breakdown of all costs before work begins, so there are no surprises.
Orchard Title: Orchard Title partners with third-party vendors (including First American and Fidelity National Title Insurance) to provide customers with title insurance, property searches, and settlement and escrow services.[1]
Orchard Home Loans: Orchard Home Loans is Orchard's mortgage lending solution. However, its origination fee ranges from 0–3% — potentially adding up to much more than the typical 0.5–1%.[2] However, if you use Orchard Mortgage for your new home loan, you may have the option to refinance every six months with only a filing fee, which can be helpful if interest rates improve.
Orchard used to have a service, Offer Boost, that allowed you to turn your offer into an all-cash offer. However, this program appears to have been discontinued at this time.
How much is Orchard's guaranteed offer?
According to Orchard's website,[3] the guaranteed offer for your home is worth "up to 90%" of its estimated fair market value — but your actual offer could be for much less. For example, in a Trustpilot review for Orchard, home seller Steve. L. claimed "their 'guaranteed cash offer' was extremely lowball, at $130,000 less than what we put the house on the market for."[4]
Your home's condition, its features, and the state of the local market will all affect your guaranteed offer amount. However, it's unlikely you'll have to accept Orchard's backup offer.
Most homes sold through Orchard are listed and sold on the open market with the help of an Orchard partner agent. The guaranteed backup offer only kicks in if your home doesn’t sell within the company’s 4-month listing period. According to Orchard's website, the average customer sells their home on the open market for $30,000–69,000 more than the guaranteed offer.[5] However, some customers complain of lackluster service from Orchard’s listing agents, causing their homes to sit on the market while the company’s listing period lapses.
Orchard fees and other costs
| Move First program fee | 2.4% |
| Brokerage fee | 6% |
| Closing costs | ~1% |
| Concierge service* | Varies |
*Separate loan for pre-listing repairs and home improvements, paid back at closing
To take advantage of Orchard's equity advance, you'll pay a 2.4% program fee, plus a 6% brokerage fee to sell your current home. Orchard's brokerage fee is on the high end of a standard real estate agent commission range of 5–6%. However, you don't have the ability to choose your own agent when selling with Orchard.
If you opt out of the equity advance and instead decide to list with Orchard using their cash offer as a backup, you'll pay only the 6% brokerage fee. You'll also be responsible for traditional closing costs of approximately 1%.
As an add-on service for home sellers, Orchard offers a separate "Concierge Service" that can be used to make minor repairs and improvements to your home before listing. The company recommends repairs, manages the work, and lends you money to complete it, so there's no upfront cost. However, you will have to repay the loan out of your home sale proceeds.
Orchard’s fees can add up, so you need to decide if the convenience is worth it for you. The company’s fees are similar to those of other home trade-in companies like Knock. But they're higher than those of iBuyer companies or realtors — especially from some of the top brokerages offering lower commission rate.
How much does Orchard charge for repairs?
You can make repairs to your home before listing by using Orchard’s Concierge program. There is no upfront cost, but you will have to repay the costs of any improvements out of your home’s sale proceeds.
Not all repairs are covered by this program, and Orchard chooses the contractors. The program typically pays for the most common issues, like exterior and interior painting, new flooring, and minor repairs to roofing, plumbing, electrical issues, and HVAC.
Is Orchard legitimate?
Yes, Orchard is a legitimate real estate company that helps customers buy and sell homes. The company’s signature home trade-in service allows you to purchase a new home and move before your old one sells — using your home’s equity so you can make a competitive offer on a new house.
Originally founded in 2017 as Perch, the company changed its name to Orchard in early 2020. The company has raised $472 million in funding, with its latest funding round in September 2021.[6]
In 2025, Orchard announced its expansion into four new markets, including Nashville, Phoenix, San Diego, and Seattle.[7]
The company has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. It also has 744 reviews on 3rd party review sites like Google and Trustpilot.
Who is eligible for Orchard's Move First program?
Your home may be eligible for Orchard’s programs if it is:
- A single-family home (including a condo or townhome)
- Built after 1920
- Not currently listed on the market
- Located in one of Orchard’s service areas
- Within Orchard’s approved home value range
The approved home valuation varies regionally, with most areas requiring a home value of $200,000–$1,000,000, but expensive metros like Austin or Denver have a higher cap at $1,500,000. Condos are eligible if they’re valued between $200,000 and $750,000.
Where is Orchard available?
Orchard's Move First program is currently available in the following metropolitan areas:
- Atlanta, GA
- Austin, TX
- Dallas-Fort Worth, TX
- Denver, CO
- Houston, TX
- Nashville, TN
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Antonio, TX
- San Diego, CA
- Seattle, WA
Orchard agents can also help you buy a new home in 21 states: AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, FL, GA, IL, KS, LA, MI, NC, NM, OH, OR, OK, PA, SC, TN, TX, and WA.
Bottom line: Is Orchard right for you?
Orchard can work well for you if you're trying to buy a new house while also selling. Its Move First program can help you:
- Avoid having to pay overlapping mortgages, perfectly line up closing dates, or find a temporary place to stay
- Skip the hassle of living in a house while also showing it
- Purchase a home in a competitive market, where a home sale contingency could be a deal breaker
Orchard's equity advance and purchase guarantee can be used to make a non-contingent offer on a new house. It can also cover the costs of any home improvements you need to make prior to listing your current house, such as fresh paint, flooring repairs, and minor repairs to your HVAC and other systems.
Another benefit of Orchard's Move First program is that Orchard will buy your home if it doesn’t sell on the market within 4 months — albeit for less than market value.
While Orchard eases the process of buying and selling, the convenience comes at a cost.
- Orchard charges a 2.4% program fee, plus a brokerage fee of 6%.
- It also requires you to work with its team of agents to sell your current house, which some sellers have been less than happy with.
If you're concerned about the risks and expense of using Orchard, ask a trusted local agent for a second opinion. They may be able to suggest a better alternative.
Get a better agent at a better rate. With Clever Real Estate, you get a pre-negotiated commission rate of just 1.5% with top local listing agents from around the country. Answer a few quick questions about your home sale, and get agent matches sent straight to your inbox — no added fees or obligation.
Frequently asked questions
What is Orchard Real Estate?
Orchard provides real estate solutions to simplify the process of buying and selling a home. Orchard's Move First program helps homeowners with financing to buy a new home before they sell their current one. Additional services offered by Orchard include List with Orchard, Orchard Home Loans, and Orchard Title.
Is Orchard a good real estate company?
Yes, many home sellers have had positive experiences with Orchard. Its Move First program can advance you a portion of your equity to secure a new house before you sell and make pre-listing improvements that boost your home's appeal among prospective buyers.
Are Orchard and Opendoor the same company?
No, Orchard and Opendoor are separate companies with distinct business models. Opendoor is an iBuyer that purchases homes for cash and offers home sellers flexible closing dates. Orchard helps home sellers finance a new home before they sell their old one by advancing them a portion of their home equity.
Related links
About our reviews
Our company reviews are powered by hundreds of hours of research. To evaluate and rank cash home-buying companies, we analyzed thousands of customer reviews, secret-shopped each company, and looked to publicly available data for indicators of offer quality, customer service, fees vs. value provided, trustworthiness, and more. Whenever possible, we also talked to customers, company reps, and industry professionals (such as real estate agents) who've had direct experience working with the brand.