Expert guide to buying condos in Bethesda and Rockville. A Top Producing Montgomery County real estate agent shares his 8-step process for helping relocating buyers to get up to speed on the market before they even arrive in town..
My client’s first text was honest: “I’m excited about moving to the Bethesda area, but I have no idea what I’m doing. I don’t even know where to begin.” Sound familiar? During our first meeting — before they even arrived in town — we transformed that anxiety into a clear action plan. By the end of our orientation call, they went from feeling overwhelmed to having the confidence to move forward. Here’s what we covered in that first conversation.
“I don’t even know what questions to ask.”
Many relocating buyers tell me this in our first conversation. That’s exactly why we start with a strategic orientation meeting on Zoom — before you even visit the area. It’s where we turn confusion into clarity and create your personalized roadmap.
Our Zoom call starts with a “Home Buyer’s Roadmap” that outlines the sequential steps involved in buying a condo — from initial search to closing day.
The Home Buyer’s Roadmap is a visual guide that helps you understand the entire process clearly, so you know exactly what to expect and when. This takes the mystery out of what will happen at the various steps along your home purchase journey.
“How do I even know which neighborhoods to consider?”
This is where most out-of-town buyers get stuck. Where in Montgomery County should I live?
Through a series of well designed questions, we begin to piece together the best places for you to begin your housing search. This involves making sure we identify the best neighborhoods that meet your lifestyle, budget and location needs.
For condo buyers, many times they like being on one of the Red Line Metro Station stops (Friendship Height, Bethesda, Medical Center, North Bethesda, and Rockville are popular choices). This really helps with commute needs and depending on the Metro stop, provides walkable areas for dining, shopping, and recreational activities.
During our Zoom call, we will look at several places online. This will help you learn the areas and buildings that have the most appeal to you.
Once we identify your top areas, I’ll set up a customized property search using our local Realtor Multiple Listing Service (called Bright MLS). It’s the most all inclusive way to search for all the listings that match your criteria. The Bright MLS system also allows us to filter out all units that don’t make sense for you. This is the most efficient way to search because you only see the potential winners and filter out the units that don’t make sense for you.
Some popular downtown Bethesda condo buildings include The Woodmont, Chase Point, and buildings along Wisconsin Avenue. In Rockville, buyers often love the walkability near Rockville Town Center and the community feel of King Farm.
Curious about current inventory in these areas?
“Is this a competitive market? How fast do I need to move?”
These are the questions that keep relocating buyers up at night.
Here’s what the latest Montgomery County condo market data (Spring 2025, Bright MLS) tells us for this client:
In his price range of $400K–$550K, for 2 bedroom condos, only about two close per month in the more highly desired areas of Rockville and Bethesda. That’s not a lot! This means that despite what you may hear in the news regarding a slowing market, there are still not that many opportunities per month for units that meet his needs. We need to do the same assessment for you.
When inventory is limited, your speed to decision matters.
But speed without strategy is just panic. I share the key Bethesda and Rockville real estate market stats with you so that you can see first hand:
Ready to see what’s available in your price range? Let’s schedule a call to discuss your timeline and preferences.
Want to see what’s currently available?
Browse Bethesda condos for sale or view Rockville condo listings to get a feel for the market before we talk.
“What if I find something I love during my visit? How do I know if I’m offering too much or too little?”
This is where preparation pays off. Before you even arrive in town, we’ll have discussed offer strategies so you can act confidently if you find a winner. Once you find the right place, we will look at past sales in the building to help determine the best offer price for you.
When you’re ready to write and offer, I help you with all the terms.The most commonly negotiated terms in an offer are:
My role as your Buyer Agent is to help you understand what these terms mean and what is normal and customary in our local Bethesda and Rockville housing market.
I could not have wished for a more wonderful team to help me locate – and acquire- a new home. Ron and his team went well beyond my expectations: thorough and well organized, clear about every step of the process, and always available and responsive. They worked very hard with me, were warm and generous with their time, and I always felt I was in the best of hands. I was very lucky to find Ron and his team, and to have them working with me in my search. I am very happy with the result.
— Lena, Condo Buyer
“Do I need an attorney for contact?”
Don’t let our local 60 plus page contact overwhelm you. It’s a standardized contact used by all the Realtors here. We just fill in a few key blanks with the terms mentioned above.
Our local real estate sales contract is well designed by our Board of Realtors to protect both the buyers and sellers equally. Of course you are free to hire an attorney if you want, but most buyers and sellers choose not to. This is very different from other parts of the country where attorneys are integral to the process. If you do want an attorney, I am always happy to recommend one. Just so you know, the title companies here do not represent the buyer or seller, they just follow the terms of the contact.
When it comes to disclosures, the cities of Bethesda and Rockville are located inside of Montgomery County. Montgomery County laws tend to be Buyer friendly and require Sellers to fill out a number of disclosures. We can review these disclosures together prior to you making an offer.
Montgomery County law also provides the buyer of a condo the right to void a contract based on the condo resale documents. This right terminates five days after the buyer receives the condo resale package. This way you get a chance to look at the condo’s rules and regulations (i.e. pets allowed or not, rentals etc) and its financial statements. If you don’t like what you find out, during this window of time you can void the contract and get your deposit back.
“I don’t want any financial surprises, how much cash will I need to close?”
Closing costs in Montgomery County are approximately 3% of the sales price. These costs cover transfer taxes, title insurance, title company fees and various pre-paids.
I used to be a CPA, so it will be easy for me to help you with the money flow and accounting.
During our call I’ll break down:
If you need a really good lender, I can help you with that as well.
“Ron and his team were so great to work with in helping me and my husband buy our first home, a beautiful 2 bedroom condo. Ron is incredibly kind, thoughtful, hardworking, and responsive. He was always available to us to help us ask the right questions, weigh pros and cons of various decisions, and guide us to the next step. I’d recommend Ron to anyone who is looking for an agent in the DMV”
— Sarah, Condo Buyer
“Help me avoid sticker shock – how much are condo fees and taxes?”
Monthly condo fees and annual property taxes can vary widely throughout Montgomery County.
High-rise condos in downtown Bethesda often have higher fees due to amenities like concierge service, while garden-style condos in Rockville may offer lower fees because they have fewer services. My role is to help you budget not only for the up front sales price, but also for the ongoing condo fee.
Condo fees are a function of the building’s services and amenities, the age of the building, and any needed building repairs. The fee can vary widely and gets pricey for luxury condos.
For the typical mid level condo, fees can range from:
Property taxes for condos generally run less than 1% of the sales price. Prior to you making an offer, one of the Seller’s required disclosures is the “Estimated Property Tax”. This disclosure will help you anticipate your estimated taxes as the new owner. For budgeting purposes, an estimate of annual property taxes is $4,000–$8,000/year for units costing between $400,000 and $800,000 to purchase.
“I am worried that the best homes sell fast but I don’t want to feel rushed”
When a listing checks your boxes, hesitation can mean losing it.
I coach my clients to know:
Once you get a home under contract, the typical number of days to close is 30. Cash buyers can close in a little as 14 days if desired.
“Ron is excellent. In our first contact, he made us a great presentation and showed us all last two year house sales data in the zone we were looking in. He has been very impressive in communicating with us and the seller side too. He made a big difference and helped us get our first house. His team is also amazing and very supportive. It was a great experience working with him and I recommend him to whoever is looking to buy or sell a house.”
— Mustafa, Bethesda Buyer
Q: Can I see current condo listings before we meet?
A: Yes! Visit condos near Red Line Metro in Montgomery County to get familiar with the market. This helps make our first conversation even more productive.
Q: What’s the average price for condos in Bethesda vs Rockville?
A: Bethesda condos typically range from $400K–$800K, while Rockville condos often start around $350K–$700K. Location within each area significantly impacts pricing.
Q: Are there good Metro-accessible condos for sale that are also in walkable areas with restaurants, cafes and shops?
A: Yes! Friendship Heights, Bethesda, North Bethesda and Rockville Metro stops are all near condo buildings that are close to shops and dining as well.
Q: How long does the condo buying process take in Montgomery County?
A: From contract to closing, expect 30–45 days for financed purchases, 14 – 21 days for cash buyers. The search phase varies based on your timeline and requirements.
“I went from not knowing what I didn’t know to having a clear plan.”
That’s exactly what my client told me after our first meeting.
Relocating can feel overwhelming — especially when you’re trying to coordinate everything from another city. But when you work with someone who understands the local inventory, legal process, and pace of the market, that anxiety transforms into confidence.
The best part, we cover all of this before you even visit the area. By the time you arrive, you’ll know exactly what to look for, which questions to ask, and how to move quickly when you find the right place.
Planning a trip to the area soon? Let me know in advance so we can get started.
Whether you’re still early in your journey or ready to tour next week, we’ll create a plan that makes the most of your time and budget.
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Condos in NW DC | All Montgomery County Condos
Contact Ron Sitrin, Montgomery County Real Estate Agent:
Serving Home Buyers relocating to DC, Bethesda, Rockville, and throughout Montgomery County, Maryland.
