Skip to main content
How to Avoid
Foreclosure
Get free help

Arizona · Weigh your options

What happens after a foreclosure sale in Arizona

An Arizona trustee's sale is final when the buyer pays, and there is no redemption period. The main questions afterward are when you must leave, whether you owe anything more, and whether money is left over for you. For most single family homes on 2.5 acres or less, the lender cannot pursue a deficiency.

Ask for help in Arizona Free HUD counselor: (800) 569-4287

Reviewed against Arizona law and official sources on October 11, 2026. General information, not legal advice.

What happens after the sale in Arizona, in order

  1. Trustee's deed

    Recorded within 15 business days to relate back to the sale date

    The deed passes the property without any right of redemption and clears liens that were junior to the deed of trust.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 33-810(A), 33-811(E)

  2. Written demand for possession

    After the sale

    If you stay after the buyer gives a written demand for possession, the buyer may file a forcible detainer action in court.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1173.01

  3. Forcible detainer case

    Summons issued no later than the next court day after filing and served at least 2 days before the hearing date

    The case moves fast and is about possession. Go to the hearing and bring your papers.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1175

  4. Writ of restitution

    No sooner than 5 calendar days after judgment

    If the buyer wins, the court cannot issue the writ that lets officers remove you until five calendar days after the judgment.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1178(C)

  5. Deficiency

    Lender must sue within 90 days after the sale, where allowed

    No deficiency action is allowed after a trustee's sale of a single one family or two family dwelling on 2.5 acres or less, with some exceptions for deeds of trust made after 2014. Where allowed, you get credit for the higher of fair market value or the sale price.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-814

  6. Excess proceeds

    Notice mailed within 15 days after the sale; trustee must apply or deposit the money within 90 days

    Leftover money goes to junior lienholders and then to you. If the trustee deposits it with the county treasurer, you apply to the superior court for it. Money unclaimed for two years is presumed abandoned.

    Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-812

The three questions that matter after a sale

Can I get the home back in Arizona?

No redemption after sale

A trustee's sale is final. The statute says the trustee's deed is absolute without right of redemption. If the lender forecloses in court instead, you can redeem within six months after the sale, or within 30 days if the court found the property abandoned and not used for farming or grazing.

Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 33-811(E), 12-1282

Can the lender come after me for the rest?

Limited

If your home is on 2.5 acres or less and is a single one family or two family dwelling, the lender cannot sue you for the shortfall after a trustee's sale. Some exceptions apply to deeds of trust made after December 31, 2014, such as property owned by a home builder. Where a deficiency is allowed, the lender must sue within 90 days after the sale and you get credit for the fair market value or the sale price, whichever is higher. A similar rule protects purchase money mortgages on the same kind of home in a court foreclosure.

Ariz. Rev. Stat. §§ 33-814, 33-729

What if the home sold for more than I owed?

After sale costs and the foreclosed loan are paid, extra money goes to junior lienholders in order and then to you, or to the owner of record at the time of the sale if you had transferred the home. The trustee must mail you a notice of any excess proceeds within 15 days after the sale. The trustee may instead deposit the money with the county treasurer and open a superior court case, and you then apply to the court for your share. Money left with the treasurer for two years with no pending application is presumed abandoned.

Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-812

Common questions in Arizona

Is there a redemption period after a trustee's sale in Arizona?

No. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-811(E) says the trustee's deed is absolute without right of redemption. A six month redemption period applies only when the lender forecloses through a court case.

How long do I have to move out after an Arizona trustee's sale?

The statutes do not give former owners a set number of days. The buyer must give a written demand for possession and then win a forcible detainer case, and the writ of restitution cannot issue until five calendar days after judgment.

Will I owe money after my Arizona home is sold at a trustee's sale?

Usually not on that loan, if the home is a single one family or two family dwelling on 2.5 acres or less. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-814(G) bars a deficiency action in that case. Other loans and exceptions for some deeds of trust made after December 31, 2014 are different, so ask a lawyer.

How do I claim excess proceeds from an Arizona trustee's sale?

Watch for the trustee's notice, which must be mailed within 15 days after the sale. If the trustee deposits the money with the county treasurer and opens a superior court case, you file an application in that case. Act within two years, after which the money is presumed abandoned.

Step by step

More on foreclosure in Arizona

Understand the process

What is happening and how much time there is.

Weigh your options

What can stop it, and what happens if it goes ahead.

Get help now

Who to call, and what to do when a sale is scheduled.

Back to the Arizona overview

Free, official, nationwide

Free help anywhere in the country

Ask a question

Need help avoiding foreclosure in Arizona?

Tell us where things stand. A person reads every message and writes back with the options that fit your situation and the free, official help available in Arizona.

  • Free. There is nothing to buy and no fee, ever.
  • No loan number, Social Security number or documents needed.
  • We are not your lender, a law firm or a government agency.

If a sale is days away, do not wait for an email. Call a free HUD-approved housing counselor now at (800) 569-4287.

For example: a sale date, what your servicer has told you, or what changed in your income. Please do not include your loan number, Social Security number or bank details.

Free, and there is nothing to buy. A person reads your message and replies by email, or by phone if you leave a number. We never ask for a fee and we do not sell your details. See the privacy policy.

Sources for this page

  1. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-810 (sale by public auction; postponement)
  2. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1175 (forcible detainer complaint and summons)
  3. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1178 (judgment; writ of restitution)
  4. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 44-1378 (foreclosure consultants, definitions)
  5. U.S. Courts: Chapter 13 Bankruptcy Basics (automatic stay)
  6. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-807 (sale of trust property)
  7. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-808 (notice of trustee's sale)
  8. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-809 (mailing of notice of sale)
  9. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-811 (trustee's deed, no redemption)
  10. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-812 (disposition of proceeds of sale)
  11. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-813 (reinstatement)
  12. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-814 (deficiency after trustee's sale)
  13. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 33-729 (purchase money mortgage, limit on liability)
  14. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1282 (time for redemption after judicial sale)
  15. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 12-1173.01 (forcible detainer after trustee's sale)
  16. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 44-1378.02 (foreclosure consultants, prohibited acts)
  17. Ariz. Rev. Stat. § 44-1378.04 (foreclosure consultants, right of cancellation)
  18. U.S. Treasury: Homeowner Assistance Fund (program ended September 30, 2026)
  19. CFPB: 12 C.F.R. § 1024.41 Loss mitigation procedures
  20. State Bar of Arizona: Legal Aid Resources