The Seller Paid the Building’s Window Assessment. Then Brooke Had to Decide How Hard to Hold On to That Deal.
How We Helped Brooke Buy a Loft at Soho West in Downtown Kansas City’s Garment District: The Full Story
Can a Condo Seller Pay the Special Assessment? Yes, If You Negotiate It. Here Is How It Went for Brooke at Soho West
Yes. Who pays a condo building’s special assessment is negotiable in a Kansas City purchase. In August 2025, Brooke went under contract on a loft at Soho West, a 20-unit condominium building in downtown Kansas City’s Garment District. Casey Kempter of Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North negotiated for the seller to pay the building’s window assessment and to give Brooke a credit toward replacing the HVAC. When the buyer for Brooke’s previous home backed out, she kept those terms instead of trading them for more time, and closed on the condo on its original schedule, September 22, 2025.
A building with a bill attached to its new windows, an offer that depended on a house that had not sold, and one decision that came down to what the extra time would really cost. That was the setup.
Here is how it actually went, start to finish.
The Full Story
Brooke was not really looking for a house. She was looking for a different way of living. She loved walkable cities, had always wondered what it would be like to live in one, and was ready to trade an established, maintenance-provided neighborhood in the Northland for the energy of downtown Kansas City.
She and Casey Kempter toured downtown condos on and off, mostly on a whim. Nothing quite fit until one weekend, when they walked into a loft at Soho West that had been on the market only a few days: concrete floors, exposed beams, tall windows and a view of the city. Brooke knew it was the one.
There was one problem. Her own home was not on the market yet. Her biggest worry, in her words: “That my house wouldn’t sell before I had to close on the condo.”
“When you buy a condo you are buying into the building’s bills too. The window assessment was part of the price conversation from the start.”
The Strategy
Casey Kempter, who lives in a downtown condo himself, wrote Brooke’s offer contingent on the sale of her home. The seller’s own timeline lined up with hers, and the offer was accepted six days after the loft was listed.
The building had put in new windows, and an assessment came with them. On a condo, an assessment like that is part of what you are buying. Casey negotiated for the seller to pay the window assessment, so Brooke did not take on that bill, and for a credit toward replacing the HVAC. Our guide to HOA fees, reserves and special assessments in downtown KC condos explains how assessments work and who owes them at closing.
Brooke’s home was already updated, so Casey scheduled professional photos and had it on the market within about two weeks. Casey represented her on that sale too. In Brooke’s words, “you were able to list it quickly and we had an offer right away.”
Then that buyer backed out, before the condo closed. Brooke’s condo contract still depended on a sale that no longer existed, and she had two real options.
The first was more time. Casey asked the condo seller for an extension. The seller was willing only with a concession for every day of it, and reopening the contract would also have put the window assessment and the HVAC credit back on the table. The second was to remove the contingency and close on schedule, which meant owning both homes until the other one sold.
Brooke was in a position to carry both homes for a while, and she trusted Casey to sell the other one. She removed the contingency and kept the condo deal exactly as negotiated.
One more change happened along the way. Communication with Brooke’s original lender had become difficult, and Casey suggested she shop around. She moved her loan to our mortgage team at LeaderOne Financial (company NMLS #12007), with Joe Nelson (NMLS #2547018) as her loan originator, and got a better rate. Changing lenders after you are under contract needs the seller’s agreement, and Casey got it.
“More time was going to cost her every day, and probably the window money and the HVAC credit too. She decided the deal she had was worth keeping.”
The Success
Brooke closed on her Soho West loft on September 22, 2025, on the original schedule, with a conventional loan. The loft went under contract 6 days after it was listed and closed 46 days after contract. The seller paid the window assessment, the HVAC credit held, and the lender change went through without moving the date.
The goal was a downtown home on the terms she had negotiated, and she got it. The tradeoff was real: removing the contingency meant Brooke owned both homes until her Northland home sold, and that took longer than she hoped.
What surprised her, in her words: “Having to pivot to change from contingent to non contingent. Casey was able to guide me through some options to allow us to get to closing smoothly.”
What a condo buyer can take from this: the building’s bills are part of the deal, so find out about any assessment before you sign and negotiate who pays it. If your purchase depends on selling another home, decide before you write the offer what you would do if that sale falls apart. Removing a contingency only works if you can qualify for and afford both homes for longer than you expect, so talk with your lender first. One purchase is not a rule for yours; your contract, your building and your finances decide.
In Brooke’s Words
I had the pleasure of working with Casey Kempter on the Nelson Home Group team. Not only was Casey communicative beyond expectations, he delivered an exceptionally professional experience. Casey goes above and beyond researching, compiling data, communicating information, and leading the entire process. If you want a realtor who truly understands what client service encompasses and will be a true partner through the buying and selling process, contact Casey Kempter immediately! I can’t give enough accolades to what a positive, professional, and amazing experience this has been working with Casey Kempter on the Nelson Home Group team.
Brooke · Google review of working with Casey Kempter
About This Property
The condo is a loft at Soho West, a 20-unit condominium association in an all-brick building in downtown Kansas City’s Garment District. It has concrete floors, exposed beams, a fireplace, a steam shower, city views and two garage spaces inside the building. For recent sales and market activity across the city, see our Kansas City, MO community page.
The listing was held by another brokerage; Nelson Home Group represented the buyer.
Living in Downtown Kansas City
For Brooke, downtown meant walking instead of driving: the City Market, the streetcar and live jazz are all within a short walk of the Garment District. Our Living In: Kansas City, MO guide covers the rest of the city.
Downtown, the building is most of the decision, which is why it helps to work with someone who lives there. Here is who we recommend for a downtown Kansas City condo, and how to compare buildings.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a condo seller pay the special assessment for the buyer?
Yes, it can be negotiated. Who pays an assessment at closing is part of the contract, so ask about any assessment before you write the offer. On Brooke’s purchase at Soho West in downtown Kansas City, the seller paid the building’s window assessment and gave her a credit toward replacing the HVAC. Our condo HOA and assessment guide covers the general rules.
What happens to my condo offer if the buyer for my house backs out?
It depends on your contingency terms. Usually you can ask the seller for more time, which may cost you something, or remove the contingency if you can carry both homes. When Brooke’s buyer backed out, the condo seller would extend only with a concession for every day, and reopening the contract put her negotiated terms at risk, so she removed the contingency and closed on schedule. Talk with your agent and lender before deciding; Nelson Home Group is not a law firm or a financial advisor.
Can I switch lenders after I am under contract on a condo?
Sometimes. The seller has to agree to the change, and the new lender has to approve both you and the condo building in time for your closing date. Brooke’s seller agreed, and she moved her loan to our mortgage team at LeaderOne and closed on the original date. Here is how conventional lenders review downtown KC condo buildings.
If you have found a downtown condo and your current home has not sold yet, we will walk through your options with you, the building’s bills included. Call or text 816-680-6624, or reach the team here.
Joe Nelson · Nelson Home Group · 1508 NW Vivion Rd #205, Kansas City, MO 64118 · 816-680-6624
Brokerage: Keller Williams KC North · 816-452-4200
The Result
A Downtown Loft on the Terms She Negotiated
Conventional loan · under contract in 6 days · closed Sep 22, 2025
Soho West · Garment District, Downtown Kansas City, MO
Seller paid the window assessment, HVAC credit held, and the original closing date kept after her own buyer backed out.
What the Seller Covered
- The building’s window assessment
- A credit toward replacing the HVAC
- Agreement to a lender change mid-contract
All of it negotiated up front, and all of it still in place at closing.
Her Two Options When the Sale Fell Through
- Ask for more time: a concession for every day, and the window assessment and HVAC credit back on the table
- Remove the contingency: close on schedule and own both homes until the other one sold
She could carry both homes for a while, so she chose the second.
How the Timeline Ran
- Toured downtown condos on and off
- Aug 1, 2025: the loft is listed
- Aug 7, 2025: under contract, contingent on her home selling
- Her home listed and had an offer right away
- That buyer backed out before the condo closed
- Contingency removed; lender changed with the seller’s OK
- Sep 22, 2025: closed, 46 days after contract
Six days listed, forty-six under contract, and the closing date never moved.
The Loft at a Glance
- Soho West · 20-unit condo association
- Loft floor plan with a bonus room
- Concrete floors, exposed beams, city views
- Fireplace · steam shower
- Two garage spaces inside the building
- Conventional loan · closed Sep 22, 2025
Buyer side; the listing belonged to another brokerage.
Before You Remove a Sale Contingency
- Confirm with your lender that you qualify with both homes
- Plan for carrying both longer than you expect
- Read what your contingency language allows
- Price the extension: the concession and any terms at risk
- Have the other home ready to go back on the market
Removing it is a financial decision first and a real estate decision second.
What Changing Lenders Mid-Contract Takes
- The seller’s agreement to the change
- A new loan approval for you
- The new lender’s approval of the condo building
- Enough time left before the closing date
Brooke’s seller agreed, and the closing date did not move.
About Casey Kempter
Casey Kempter is a Realtor with Nelson Home Group, Keller Williams KC North. He lives in a downtown Kansas City condo himself, and downtown condos, townhomes and lofts are his specialty. Read Casey’s full bio →
More Downtown Condo Stories
- A couple who traded a Northland townhome for a downtown high-rise: Casey Kempter, buyer side, Kansas City, MO
- A veteran couple’s VA loan on a downtown condo: Casey Kempter, buyer side, Kansas City, MO
- Buyers whose contingent offer was accepted while their home sat unsold: Michelle Neely, buyer side, Olathe, KS
Two more downtown buildings with Casey, and one contingent offer that worked out a different way.
Thinking About a Downtown Loft?
Tell us which buildings you are curious about and whether you have a home to sell first. We will walk through the options with you. Call or text 816-680-6624.