Challenge
ZURU was seeking a building that aligned with its regional growth and strategic partnership goals. The former Issaquah City Hall NW—located next to Costco’s HQ campus—was a strong candidate but came with several complications:
The property was being sold through a public bid process managed by three different brokers, each fielding interest and creating an inconsistent stream of information.
Multiple developers were in the mix—with longer timelines and more contingencies—while ZURU needed to act quickly and avoid overpaying.
The risk of being misled or outmaneuvered was real, especially given the public nature of the sale and lack of transparency.
A title issue surfaced late in the process, threatening to delay closing.
Action
Aaron Kraft’s strategy focused on both market intelligence and tactical pressure. He:
Maintained constant contact with each of the three listing agents as offers came in—calling repeatedly during the final review window to ensure ZURU’s offer could be repositioned at the top of the stack before final submission
Carefully triangulated details across all three agents to avoid misinformation and ensure that ZURU did not overpay
Positioned ZURU as a user with immediate, cash-backed ability to close, offering more certainty than other developers in the running
Worked collaboratively with the listing team and title company to quickly resolve title issues and keep the deal on track
Result
ZURU successfully acquired the building—locking in a strategic asset in a high-demand corridor while avoiding the delays and overpayment risk common in public bid sales. The transaction closed smoothly, with full alignment between buyer, seller, and broker teams.