What to Expect at Your Virtual Home Assessment

If you’ve already scheduled your virtual home assessment, you’re on your way to unlocking your home equity with Orchard. This is an important step towards understanding the value of your home in today’s market, receiving your instant equity amount, and any upgrade or repair recommendations you should make before you list.

What is a virtual home assessment?

The virtual home assessment allows Orchard to take a closer look at your home’s condition to give you a more accurate home valuation and determine your instant equity amount. If you are considering our Move First program, your instant equity amount allows you to become a non-contingent buyer so you can move first before you sell. If you are considering our List with Orchard program, your instant equity provides you with an optional cash offer that guarantees your home sale should you need to sell on a specific timeline.

This evaluation—along with reviewing recent sales in your area, current homes on the market, and your home’s unique features—will be used to determine a listing strategy that maximizes your price and buyer interest.

At your consultation, your Home Advisor or Listing Agent will also recommend any repairs or upgrades you should consider in order for your home to stand out and sell faster. Knowing what prospective buyers might focus on can help you save valuable time during the closing process.

What happens during the virtual home assessment?

The virtual home assessment itself is a pretty clear-cut process.

You’ll be asked to join a Zoom meeting on your mobile device where you’ll meet with a qualified home expert, also known as an Orchard Market Manager, who will guide you through showing them your home. They’ll start with a few general questions about your home, before asking you to walk them through it, starting with the main level, then the basement (if your home has one), and finally any additional stories. 

Depending on the weather, you may be asked to do a quick walk of your home's exterior before you end. Throughout the assessment, they’ll guide you where to pause so they can capture photos and ask questions about that area of your home. 

The best part is that you won’t need to open your home up to anyone directly in order to receive an accurate valuation of your home and get your instant equity amount.

How long does a virtual assessment take?

A virtual home assessment typically takes around 30 minutes, but can vary depending on the size and details of your home.

During that time, the Orchard Market Manager will be able to examine and provide an evaluation of the entire house. Should any additional assessments be required, we’ll follow up with you to set those up.

Is there anything I should do to prepare for a virtual assessment?

Yes, there are a few things to keep in mind. 

For the virtual home assessment, you will join through the Zoom app, a video conferencing tool. If you are new to this tool, here are some instructions to help you get started.

• Before joining the Zoom meeting on your smartphone or mobile device, download the Zoom app from the Download Center. Otherwise, you will be prompted to download and install Zoom when you click the link to join the meeting.
• When joining on your mobile device, select "wi-fi & cellular data" when prompted for which audio source to use.
• When ready to join, click the Zoom meeting link provided in your calendar invite. See below for an example of what this will look like.

We recommend that you join the Zoom app on a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet device, instead of laptop or desktop computer, so that you can more easily navigate your home.

Last, you certainly do not need to tidy up your home for the assessment, but you are welcome to do so if it will make you feel more comfortable when presenting it.

Nervous about using Zoom for the first time? You can join a test meeting at any time to familiarize yourself with the tool.

What happens after the virtual assessment?

After the virtual home assessment, our team will evaluate your home’s results in order to determine your instant equity amount, as well as any recommendations on repairs or upgrades you should consider before listing. If you haven’t scheduled a consultation, a member of our Customer Experience team will reach out to set one up for you with an Orchard agent.

At your consultation, your Home Advisor or Listing Agent will share a recommended list price for your home. It’s important to remember that you are in full control of the price we list your home for and the offers that you’re willing to accept.

Once you and your Home Advisor or Listing Agent confirm the offer and terms, you'll then be sent representation documents to officially begin working with Orchard.

If you'll be using the Move First service to buy a home with Orchard, this is the perfect time to take the Home Match quiz if you haven’t already. Home Match scores every home on the market against preferences you set, including whether you need an open floor plan or a shorter commute to work. As you start looking for homes, it's a great tool that enhances your search results so you can quickly see which homes you match with.