Local Agencies?

We are looking into adopting either through foster care or privatley. Is it recommended that we stay local to our home if we go privatley? I know the best thing for the child is not to relocate him/her if they are older, but what if a new born? There is an agency in California called Adoption Network Law Center and you see it everywhere on the internet. They only place new borns and they do so all over the country and even out of the country. Has anyone ever heard of this? I did pull them up on the BBB and there were some complaints but they had been addressed. They have a retainer fee that seems high like $8500. I am waiting for the details of that fee once I receive the package. Is a retaining fee normal? Also, is it a normal practice that if you pay about $10K, which is half of the entire amount to adopt, and you are chosen as a parent, and then the birthparents decide to keep the baby, that you lose all of your money. This might be normal but we are new to this and are trying to understand how different agencies work. Thank you for any help you can give us.