It seems like most high rise condos in the Bellevue area are headed in-house with their sales and marketing. Meaning the sales staff will only be able to sell you one of the condos they are representing. Which I think is a great idea where the developer is concerned.

I recommend having your own buyers agent to work in conjunction with on-site agents. One of the nicest things is, it doesn’t cost the buyer anything. Being a good real estate agent, I think, is about listening to the needs of your buyer. Taking that and translating the buyers needs into a reality takes an unbiased perspective. An agent that is not attached one way or the other to which condo you buy. But through his/her expertise in needs assessment, negotiation, and knowledge of what’s available in the area, can help achieve this goal. I also want to include that in some cases each of the developers have their own purchase and sale agreements. For this it’s a good idea to have an experienced agent who can explain the sometimes lengthy contracts. The in house agents are usually very qualified and a great source of information, but when it comes time to make an offer, you might consider an agent that is representing you alone.

There is some recent news about buyers suing to get back their earnest money when they were unable to get financing. I don’t have all of the details, but it is a good example of why it is important to have an experienced agent explain the contracts before you sign.