Homeward and Orchard Alternative in Massachusetts: Power-Buyer Programs vs AFC's Cash Offer
Homeward and Orchard made "buy before you sell" a national category. Neither lists Massachusetts among its markets as of September 2026, so if you're here from Greater Boston, Worcester, Springfield, or the Cape, this page explains how those programs work, what they cost, and how a local lender's Cash Offer and bridge loan compare.
Short version
Power-buyer programs charge a program fee on your current home's value (Homeward's site says it starts at 3.5%, Orchard's says as low as 1.9% plus brokerage), give you a set window to sell, and provide a backup purchase below market if it doesn't. AFC's Cash Offer Program finances up to 100% of your next home in your own name, closes in as few as 7 business days, gives you up to 12 months to sell with any agent you choose, and is priced like a bridge loan: 2.5% origination plus interest that accrues only while it's open. Neither national program currently lists Massachusetts; AFC lends across the state.
- Homeward: fee starts at 3.5% of your current home's market value, 180 days to sell, backup purchase at 90% to 95% of value minus commission (per homeward.com)
- Orchard Move First: program fee from 1.9% plus brokerage commission, 12 metros (per orchard.com)
- AFC Cash Offer: up to 100% financing in your name, as few as 7 business days to close, up to 12 months to sell, no brokerage requirement
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| Compare | Homeward (Buy Before You Sell) | Orchard (Move First) | AFC Cash Offer + bridge (Massachusetts) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Available in Massachusetts? | Not listed. Homeward's site lists Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, and Washington DC. | Not listed. Orchard's FAQ lists 12 metros, all outside the Northeast. | Yes, statewide. |
| Program or loan fee | Starts at 3.5% of your current home's market value; as low as 2.5% with Homeward Mortgage (homeward.com). | Starting as low as 1.9%; exact fee varies by provider (orchard.com). | 2.5% origination on the amount financed, plus a flat $3,200 in attorney and processing fees and a $50 wire fee. |
| Interest or carrying cost | Extension after 90 days at 1% per month, up to 3 additional months (homeward.com). | Equity advance described as interest-free (orchard.com). | 1% per month, accrues and is paid at payoff. No monthly payment out of pocket. No prepayment penalty. |
| Do you have to use their agent or lender? | Fee discount is tied to using Homeward Mortgage. | Orchard is a brokerage; the program includes a brokerage fee to buy and sell, typically 6% (orchard.com). | No. Use any agent you like. AFC writes the permanent mortgage, but the bridge doesn't require it. |
| Who owns the new home on day one | Varies by program structure; confirm with Homeward. | Varies by program structure; confirm with Orchard. | You do, in your name, with AFC's financing recorded as a lien, like any mortgage. |
| How long to sell | 180 days (homeward.com). | Listing period with a possible 60-day extension (orchard.com). | Up to 12 months. |
| If it doesn't sell | Homeward buys it at a floor price, typically 90% to 95% of market value, minus a standard 6% commission (homeward.com). | Extend 60 days or sell to your provider to clear remaining liability (orchard.com). | No backup purchase. You keep the home and keep selling at market; interest accrues and we work the plan with you. |
| Speed to close on the new home | Not published on the page reviewed. | Not published on the page reviewed. | As few as 7 business days. |
| Who you talk to | Homeward's platform and partner agents. | Orchard's agents and platform. | AFC's Home Finance Advisor and Approval Team, licensed in Massachusetts. MA closings are attorney-run; we coordinate with your closing attorney. |
Sources for Homeward and Orchard figures, checked September 2026: homeward.com/buy-before-you-sell (fee "starts at 3.5% of your current home's market value," "as low as 2.5%" with Homeward Mortgage; 180 days to sell, then Homeward buys at a floor price "typically 90% - 95% of your home's market value" minus a standard 6% agent commission; extension after 90 days at 1% per month; available in Texas, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Colorado, Maryland, and Washington DC); orchard.com/faq (program fee "starting as low as 1.9%," exact fee varies by provider; brokerage fee to buy and sell, typically 6%; equity advance described as interest-free; 60-day listing extension or sale to provider if unsold; Move First available in 12 metros: Atlanta, Austin, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Houston, Nashville, Orlando, Phoenix, San Antonio, San Diego, Seattle, Tampa Bay). Program terms change; confirm current terms with each company. Homeward and Orchard are not affiliated with AFC Mortgage Group.
When a Power-Buyer Program Wins vs When AFC's Cash Offer Wins
A power-buyer program wins when...
- The home you're selling is in one of the program's listed markets
- You want a guaranteed backup purchase, even at a below-market price, and will pay a program fee for that certainty
- You're happy to use the program's agent or lender to unlock the fee discount
- You prefer a packaged, app-driven process over a local relationship
AFC's Cash Offer wins when...
- Your current home is in Massachusetts
- You want to own the new home in your own name from day one, with your own agent
- You'd rather pay a fee on the amount you actually finance than a percentage of your current home's value
- You want up to 12 months to sell at market, and a team you can call by name
A Worked Example From Greater Boston
You own a $650,000 home in Framingham with a $300,000 balance and you're buying an $850,000 home in Natick. With AFC's Cash Offer you make a cash-backed, non-contingent offer and put $200,000 down from your equity; the new mortgage is $650,000, about $4,108 a month at an illustrative 6.5%. Your old home sells three months after you close. Because neither program currently lists Massachusetts, the Homeward column shows how its published fee would apply in a state it serves.
| Line item | Homeward terms (where available) | AFC Cash Offer + bridge |
|---|---|---|
| Fee basis | 3.5% of current home's market value ($650,000) = $22,750; as low as 2.5% ($16,250) with Homeward Mortgage | 2.5% of the $200,000 financed = $5,000, plus $3,250 fees |
| Interest over 3 months | None stated within the first 90 days | $6,000 (1% per month, accrues) |
| Approximate total at 3 months | About $16,250 to $22,750 | About $14,250 |
| If it takes 6 months | Extension after day 90 at 1% per month per Homeward's site (basis and cap per their terms), or sell to Homeward at the floor price | About $20,250 |
| Who owns the new home | Confirm with Homeward | You, from day one |
The difference in shape matters more than the totals. A program fee is charged on what your current home is worth. AFC's cost is charged on what you actually borrow, and it grows only with time. For a Massachusetts homeowner with meaningful equity and a realistic list price, financing the gap locally is usually the cheaper and cleaner path, and it's the only one of the three that's available here today.
Illustrative only. Uses a $650,000 current home with a $300,000 mortgage balance, an $850,000 purchase, an illustrative 6.5% 30-year fixed rate on the new mortgage, and AFC's representative bridge terms (2.5% origination, 1% per month accruing interest, $3,250 in attorney, processing, and wire fees). HELOC and home equity loan figures use an illustrative 8.0% rate. Your rate, fees, and eligibility depend on credit, equity, and market conditions. Not a commitment to lend.
How AFC Handles It
AFC's Cash Offer Program is our own answer to the power-buyer category, and we offer it across Massachusetts. We finance up to 100% of the new purchase, secured by your current and new home, so your offer competes with cash. Then you sell on your timeline and pay it off, with no prepayment penalty.
- We are a retail lender, not a broker. Our Approval Team underwrites and closes in our own name, and we're licensed in Massachusetts. Massachusetts closings are attorney-run, so we work alongside your closing attorney and you talk to the same people from first call to settlement.
- We lend our own money on bridge loans. No outside bank has to sign off, which is why we can close in as few as 7 business days and give you up to 12 months to sell.
- No prepayment penalty, no minimum interest. Interest accrues only while the loan is open and is settled at payoff, so nothing is due out of pocket month to month.
- Your pre-approval never expires. As long as your income, assets, and credit are unchanged, it stays valid, so you can shop without a clock running.
- You keep your agent and your name on the deed. No brokerage requirement, no lease-back, no transfer of title later. Learn how the Cash Offer Program works.
- Just need the down payment? A standard bridge loan against your equity does the job with the same terms.
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Homeward and Orchard Alternative in Massachusetts: Frequently Asked Questions
Is Homeward available in Massachusetts?
Is Orchard available in Massachusetts?
What do power-buyer programs cost?
How is AFC's Cash Offer different from a power-buyer program?
What does AFC's Cash Offer cost?
How fast can AFC close?
Make a Cash-Backed Offer in Massachusetts
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