Orchard Reviews

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  Written by Shannon Whyte

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  Edited by Katy Byrom

Should you use Orchard? | How much does Orchard pay? | Orchard fees | Orchard reviews | How it works | Orchard vs. competitors | Purchase criteria | Locations | FAQs

Orchard helps streamline the process of buying and selling a house at the same time. Its signature buy before you sell program, Move First, allows you to leverage your home’s equity, plus traditional financing if needed, to make an offer on a new house without it being contingent on your old house selling. That way, you can secure a new house before listing your old one for sale.

In addition to making your offer more competitive to sellers, Orchard’s equity advance lets you to put funds toward home improvements, upping your chances of getting a higher sale price. Just be prepared to pay some additional fees on top of the usual selling costs.

Orchard at a glance

Should you use Orchard?

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 living in a house 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 at the same time, 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.

We recommend exploring your options before signing with any company to ensure you get the right fit for you. For instance, if you like the sound of Orchard’s program but want to work with your own listing agent, you could try a competitor like Knock. If you want avoid a traditional real estate transaction, need to sell fast, or want to sell as-is, you may want to consider a company that buys houses for cash.

⚡ Take the guesswork out of selling your house: Explore a full range of offers from leading cash buyers in your area — including iBuyers who may be able to offer more for your house while still giving you the flexibility to close on your timeline. Plus, get a professional opinion of your home’s fair market value. Compare your options side-by-side, with no added fees or obligation to move forward.

How much does Orchard pay?

While most homes sold through Orchard are listed and sold on the open market with the help of an Orchard partner agent, Orchard provides a guaranteed backup offer in case your home doesn’t sell within the company’s 4-month listing period.

According to Orchard’s website, the guaranteed offer for your home is worth “up to 90%” of its 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.”² However, it’s unlikely you’ll have to accept Orchard’s backup offer.

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.³ 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. Those who do end up accepting Orchard’s guaranteed offer tend to be dissatisfied with the amount.

We recommend determining the fair market value of your home and looking into competitors before signing with Orchard. Other buyers may offer lower fees and a similarly flexible closing timeline.

Orchard fees and other costs

To take advantage of the equity advance offered through Orchard’s signature Move First program, you’ll pay a 2.4% program fee, plus a brokerage fee of 5–6%, depending on the market. Orchard’s brokerage fee is comparable to a standard real estate agent commission. 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 5–6% 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” in the form of an interest-free loan that can be used to make minor repairs and improvements to your home before listing. The company lends you money interest-free, 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 obtaining money, interest-free, from Orchard’s Concierge program. There is no upfront cost, but you will have to repay the loan 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.

Orchard vs. competitors

Orchard’s main competitors include other home trade-in services like Knock, iBuyers like Opendoor, and cash offer networks, like Clever Offers, which help you explore a range of selling options.

Any of these options can get you a cash offer within days, but they each offer a unique business model.

Home trade-in services help you tap into your home’s equity to purchase a new house before you sell — 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.

Finally, a cash offer platform 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 highly rated and may provide more competitive offers or compelling perks.

» MORE: Want to find more cash buyers 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 have to pay a 3% listing fee, plus another 2.5–3% to the buyer’s agent. And if you’re a buyer who works with a traditional agent, you won’t receive a home buyer’s rebate.

If you’re considering working with a traditional real estate agent, look into discount brokers or agents who offer low real estate commission fees, so you keep more money in your pocket. 

Orchard reviews: What customers have to say

Orchard maintains an average customer rating of 4.3/5 across 640 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.

✅  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. 

“We used Orchard.com to sell our old house and purchase 2 new houses. Working with Orchard made the process of finding our new houses while selling our existing house much easier. Orchard fronted us the money to get our new houses and Orchard’s Concierge service helped us get our old house renovated and sold for an excellent price. We were very happy with the overall process and how smooth Orchard made the often complex process of selling and finding new residences.”

— Berlin L., April 2023, 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

❌ Inexperienced or disinterested agents

Several negative reviews focused on problems with their agent. Some reviewers had deals fall through or experienced additional complications due to misinformation from their agent. Others reported feeling like their agent was invested in helping them, leaving them feeling ignored and frustrated.

“It couldn’t have been clearer that Orchard didn’t care about my home sale.

“I was never certain that my auto assigned agent had my best interest at heart. He would never explain anything, was unresponsive, and generally abrasive when he actually did respond. Once we were under contract, it literally took him a week to respond to any question or request for a status update.

— Steven B., September 2023, Trustpilot

Other customers felt like agents weren’t following through on promises or fully honoring the signed agreement.

“Company will not do open houses?! The Move First Program sounds great on the surface, do your due diligence before agreeing to anything. [I] decided to just list the house for sale with them, after initially dealing with an agent who lived in my area, was assigned a listing agent who lived 3 hours away and was told that Orchard does not do open houses. Canceled the contract, and listed with a real real estate company.”

— Bad C., April 2023, BBB

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 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 sfter 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.

❌ Issues caused by poor communication

Some reviewers experienced poor communication that led to misunderstandings and consequences that cost them money.

“I was led to believe by the realtor who was working with us that he would discontinue the services that was tied to our home and property for us. That did not happen. So, here I am a couple of months from the sale of our home, getting hit with several collection companies about payments not made. Because NONE of the services were canceled on our behalf, including trash pickup, water service, security service, home internet and telephone service, etc.

“I would have shut those off myself, but was assured that those things would be taken care of. My credit score is taking a beating because of this deception. It would have been better not to make a promise like that in the first place.”

— Christopher S., December 2023, Trustpilot

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.

The process is simple:

1. Complete a home assessment. Start by submitting basic information about your single-family home (such as its age and address) online.
2. 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 to pay down your mortgage and make a down payment on your next home.
3. Purchase and move into your new home. You can buy a new home and move in right away! Orchard will cover mortgage payments on your old home until it sells.
4. Prep and list your old home. Orchard will take care of repairs, staging and any other prep work needed to list your home. An Orchard agent will act as your listing agent. After your old home sells, your new home’s title will be transferred to you.
5. 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.

The company states that most homes sell within 120 days of listing. If your home hasn’t sold within 120 days of listing, Orchard will pay you the initial assessed value, what it calls the “instant equity” amount. This guaranteed offer gives you peace of mind in case you need to sell on a specific timeline.

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.
3. 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. 

Buy & List

The Buy & List service lets homeowners choose whether they want to focus first on selling or buying. You work with an experienced, local realtor to help you buy a new home and sell your existing home.

You also receive free listing preparation help with Orchard providing around $1,000 for marketing for free, including creating a 3D virtual tour and professional photos. They also will provide an online closing or mobile notary that comes to you. The cost to use the Buy & List service ranges from 5-6%.

An Orchard agent walks you through the home buying process the same as working with traditional realtors. They will help you identify your goals and price range so you find a home that meets your needs.

You are not obligated to buy a home owned by Orchard. Your agent will show you all potential homes that fit your criteria. If you purchase a home owned by Orchard, separate agents will represent both sides.

Other Orchard services

Orchard Concierge: This service provides interest-free 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 Notarize.com) to provide customers with title insurance, property searches, and settlement and escrow services.⁴

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%.⁵

Orchard Homeowners Insurance: Orchard partners with Young Alfred (an insurance marketplace) to let you request and compare quotes online.⁶

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.

What kinds of homes does Orchard buy?

Your home may be eligible for Orchard’s programs if it is:

• A single-family home (includig condo and 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.

Where is Orchard available?

Orchard’s Move First program is currently available in 6 metropolitan areas:

• Atlanta, GA
• Austin, TX
• Dallas–Fort Worth, TX
• Denver, CO
• Houston, TX
• San Antonio, TX

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, WA.

Learn the steps to sell a house in Colorado, Georgia, and Texas.

Frequently asked questions

Related links

Opendoor: Reviewed and Explained: Opendoor is a leading iBuyer that can help you close on your property sale in as little as 14 days. Learn more about how the service works in this Opendoor review.

Knock Home Swap: Reviews, Fees, and How It Works: Knock Home Swap reviews praise its convenience and flexibility. Here’s how Knock.com works — and what you can do to save on fees.

Offerpad vs. Opendoor vs. Knock: Which Should You Choose? Interested in working with an iBuyer or trade-in service, but not sure how to choose? We break down the pros, cons, and customer reviews you should consider.

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.

1. Built In NYC, ‘Proptech Startup Orchard Earns Unicorn Status With $100M Series D’ Sept. 9, 2021, https://www.builtinnyc.com/articles/orchard-raises-100m-series-d-1b-valuation-hiring ↩︎
2. Trustpilot, ‘Steve Lawson – Reviews’ Sept. 23, 2023, https://ca.trustpilot.com/users/57bcf3aa0000ff000a3d910a ↩︎
3. Orchard, ‘Get a guaranteed cash offer’, https://orchard.com/pages/guaranteed-offer ↩︎
4. Orchard Title, https://orchardnationaltitle.com/ ↩︎
5. Orchard Mortgage, https://orchardmortgage.com/ ↩︎
6. Young Alfred, https://www.youngalfred.com/ ↩︎