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Trustee's Sale Articles & Resources

Information about Arizona Foreclosures, including Trustee's Sale

Trustee’s Sale Articles & LinksSite Producer2025-08-07T10:14:10-07:00

What is a foreclosure?

When a borrower doesn't perform their financial obligations, a lender may legally seize and sell a home or other property. This method is called foreclosure. There are various types of foreclosures in Arizona.

  1. The trustee's sale procedure is the most used in Arizona. When the lender decides to foreclose on the borrower's property, there are laws governing the process. Normally the trustee's sale, in comparison to other processes, is cheaper and quicker (at least 90 days). In this method, there is no court involvement.
  2. The second process is a judicial foreclosure. This is a court procedure. Therefore, it is more expensive and takes longer. The advantage for the lender is that a deficiency action could be brought against the borrower or guarantor. The homeowners' association ("HOA"), or those who purchased back taxes may also use this court process.
    • The sheriff's sale comes after the judicial foreclosure. As was already mentioned, the process begins in court. The task of selling the property is then given to the sheriff. Lenders, HOAs, and investors in back taxes normally use this.

The following will explain a few of the fundamentals of Trustee's Sale.

If you fall behind on your mortgage payments in Arizona, the trustee's sale is one of the things your lender can do.  A judicial foreclosure is the second option. The trustee's sale is often chosen because it lets the lender move faster and costs less than the judicial foreclosure.

Quick Links to Articles & Resources

Learn more about the Trustee's Sale process by clicking on the following link.

Visit "Trustee's Sale Process"

Our frequently asked questions includes many questions about: foreclosure rescue scams, the trustee's sale process, if you have a VA loan, living in the property and excess sale proceeds.

Visit Trustee Sale FAQs

Deficiency-Flow-Chart-8-7-25 re trustee sales and foreclosure.

(As of May 28, 2018 this became permanent Federal law. Also see links at bottom to Arizona Landlord Tenant Act)

by Attorney Janet Portman Protecting Tenants in Foreclosure Act – Federal legislation signed in May 2009 gives important rights to tenants whose landlords have lost their properties through foreclosure. The mortgage industry crisis that started in 2006 has resulted in thousands — no, make that millions — of foreclosed homes. Most of the occupants are the homeowners themselves, who must scramble to find alternate housing with very little notice. They're being joined by scores of renters who discover, often with no warning, that their rented house or apartment is now owned by a bank, which wants them out.

Read More by visiting

Tenants and Trustee Sales (foreclosures)

Visit Arizona Trustee's Sales and Bankruptcy by Diane Drain

Property which is pledged as collateral on a debt will sometimes be surrendered to the creditor if the debtor is unable to make payments.

The rise in incidents of foreclosure of homeowner mortgages across the nation is but one aspect of this. Repossessions of cars and mobile homes are also common occurrences in the current economic environment. This article explores the income tax consequences to the borrower which may ensue from surrendering property to satisfy a debt. In general there are two tax aspects to consider: (1) recognition of gain or loss on the transaction and (2) recognition of cancellation of indebtedness (COD) income.

Read More about this by visiting the link below

Tax Issues in short sales, trustee and sales and foreclosures, by Robert Ciancola

Visit Investing in Post-Trustee Sale Properties

Visit "Sue on the Note or Foreclose on the Property – what is the difference?" by Stephanie Monroe Wilson. An Arizona attorney

Visit "Buying Tax Liens: Not an Entirely Gold Plated Investment", by Chris McNichol, an Arizona Attorney

"Tax Lien Sales Winner for County (but not investors)", by Mike Fimea, Arizona Business Gazette, February 19, 2004, volume 124

When deciding whether to fight to keep your home or let the lender foreclose, it's important to know what the lender's processes are.

How long before my house has equity?

Find out by using the calculator below. This tool will allow you to calculate when you will have equity in your home.

The principal and interest make up the majority of your mortgage payment. The main is the amount borrowed, while the interest is the fee paid to the lender. Your lender may additionally collect an additional sum each month to place in escrow, which the lender (or servicer) normally pays directly to the local property tax collector and your insurance provider.

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