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An educational overview · Maricopa County

Understanding pre-foreclosure in Maricopa County.

If you're facing pre-foreclosure on a home in Maricopa County, you have several options. Selling to a direct buyer is one of them. This page explains the process and your alternatives.

See what we can offer Read the timeline first →

Total House Offer LLC is a private Arizona real estate investment company. We are not a lender, loan servicer, credit counselor, debt-relief company, HUD-approved housing counseling agency, attorney, or government agency, and we are not affiliated with any of them. Total House Offer LLC does not act as a real estate brokerage or as any seller's real estate agent. Submitting this form is not an application for a loan, loan modification, or government program.

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§ 01

The Arizona pre-foreclosure timeline.

Arizona uses a non-judicial trustee's sale process. The sequence below reflects the general timeline under Arizona law. For your specific property, the authoritative records are kept by the Maricopa County Recorder and the Maricopa County Assessor.

This section is educational and is not legal advice. Dates and requirements can vary based on the terms of the deed of trust and the actions of the trustee or beneficiary.

  1. 01
    Default & cure period

    Missed payments and early lender contact

    Once a borrower misses a scheduled payment, the loan is in default under the terms of the promissory note and deed of trust. Most servicers send written notice and may offer options such as reinstatement, repayment plans, or a request for loss-mitigation review before any trustee's sale is scheduled.

  2. 02
    Notice of Trustee's Sale recorded

    The Notice is recorded with Maricopa County

    If the default isn't cured, the trustee records a Notice of Trustee's Sale with the Maricopa County Recorder. The recorded Notice sets a sale date no earlier than 90 days after recordation and becomes the authoritative public record for the pending sale.

  3. 03
    Mailing requirement · 5 business days

    Written notice is mailed to the homeowner

    Within five business days of recording the Notice, the trustee must mail a copy by certified or registered mail to the homeowner and to any other parties entitled to notice under Arizona law.

  4. 04
    Posting · Property and public place

    The Notice is posted for at least 20 days

    At least 20 days before the sale, the Notice of Trustee's Sale is physically posted on the property and in a conspicuous place at the courthouse or other public location designated for such postings.

  5. 05
    Newspaper publication · Four consecutive weeks

    Publication in a general-circulation newspaper

    The Notice is published once a week for four consecutive weeks in a newspaper of general circulation in the county where the property is located, with the last publication at least 10 days before the sale date.

  6. 06
    The sale date

    Public sale at the time and place stated in the Notice

    On the sale date, the trustee conducts a public auction at the time and location identified in the Notice. The property is sold to the highest qualified bidder, and the trustee's deed is issued to the purchaser after the sale is confirmed.

§ 02

Your options in pre-foreclosure.

The options below are presented as genuinely viable paths. Which one fits best depends on your equity position, the time you have available, and what you want the outcome to look like. Selling to a direct buyer (what we do) is one option among several.

For free, confidential help comparing these options, call a HUD-approved housing counselor at 1-800-569-4287.

  • 01
    Reinstate the loan with your lender
    If you can bring the past-due amount current (plus any fees and costs the servicer is entitled to charge), many loans can be reinstated at the lender's discretion. Contact your loan servicer directly to ask whether reinstatement is available for your situation and what the exact amount would be.
    Lender-dependent
  • 02
    Request a loan modification from your servicer
    A modification changes the terms of the existing loan (for example, the interest rate, the term, or how arrears are treated) to produce a more affordable payment. Only the lender or servicer can approve a modification. There should be no fee charged by any third party to help you request one from your own servicer.
    Servicer process
  • 03
    List your home with a licensed Arizona REALTOR
    A traditional listing with a licensed real estate broker often produces the highest sale price, especially if the home is in good condition and you have time before the sale date. Ask the broker about timeline, commission, repairs, and whether the expected net proceeds would satisfy your remaining loan balance.
    Market sale
  • 04
    Work with a HUD-approved housing counselor
    HUD-approved housing counselors provide free, confidential advice on loss-mitigation options, budgeting, and communication with your servicer. They do not sell you anything and they are not affiliated with us. You can reach a counselor at 1-800-569-4287 or at hud.gov/counseling.
    Free · Independent
  • 05
    Call the Homeowner's HOPE Hotline
    The Homeowner's HOPE Hotline, operated by the nonprofit Homeownership Preservation Foundation, offers free counseling to homeowners in financial distress. Counselors can help you evaluate options and coordinate with your servicer. Call 1-888-995-HOPE (4673).
    Free · Independent
  • 06
    Sell to a direct buyer
    A direct buyer (a private real estate investment company like ours) makes an offer to purchase the home, usually on a faster timeline than a traditional listing. If you have equity, this can convert that equity into proceeds at closing. If you owe close to what the home is worth, the economics may not work, and one of the options above will likely be a better fit. We'll be straightforward with you about which situation you're in.
    What we do
§ 03

If you choose to sell.

If you decide that a direct sale is the right option, after considering the alternatives above, here is what that looks like with us.

We make a written offer based on recent comparable sales and the condition of the property. Many of our closings complete within 30 days or less, subject to title and inspection. Even if you're behind on payments, we can still buy. Every transaction closes through a licensed Arizona title and escrow company, which handles the title search, lien payoffs, and funds disbursement as a neutral third party.

If we buy your home before the sale date, the foreclosure on this property ends at closing, because the loan is paid off at closing from the purchase proceeds and title passes to us. We describe this as the consequence of a completed sale, not as a service we perform.

We never ask you to stop making payments, transfer your deed in advance, or sign anything before a written purchase agreement is reviewed and signed by both parties. Any offer we make is non-binding until that happens.

§ 04  ·  Plainly stated

What we do, and what we do not do.

What we do

We make offers to purchase residential real estate in Maricopa County, Arizona.

What we do NOT do

We do not modify loans, negotiate with lenders or servicers on your behalf, stop foreclosure as a service, arrange forbearances, or perform short sales for compensation. If you want help modifying your loan or stopping a foreclosure sale, contact your loan servicer directly, or call a free HUD-approved housing counselor at 1-800-569-4287.

§ 05

Request a written offer.

Four fields. No obligation. We don't ask about your loan balance, lender, or sale date. We'll follow up within one to two business days.

If, after talking, selling isn't the right fit for your situation, we'll tell you so, and you can take what you learned to the option that is.

We respond within 1–2 business days.
§ 06

Frequently asked.

Short, direct answers to the questions we hear most often.

How fast can you close? +
Many of our closings complete within 30 days or less, subject to title and inspection. If you need a later close date, we can work with that too. The exact timing depends on the title company's findings, any existing liens or judgments, and your availability to sign.
Do I have to pay any fees? +
We do not charge sellers a service fee, listing commission, or consulting fee. Standard seller closing costs, such as title, escrow, and the payoff of any liens against the property, are handled at closing per Arizona custom. The title company provides a written settlement statement before closing so you can see exactly where each dollar goes.
What if I have other liens on the property? +
The title company performs a title search and identifies any recorded liens, judgments, or encumbrances. Most known liens are paid off from the sale proceeds at closing so that we receive clear title and you walk away with any remaining net proceeds. If a lien exceeds what the property is worth, we'll talk through what that means before you decide to move forward.
Can I stay in the home after closing? +
No. We buy the home outright. We do not offer leasebacks, rent-back arrangements, or any structure that keeps a former owner on title or in possession beyond the standard post-closing occupancy window customary in Arizona purchase agreements.
Is this a short sale? +
No. A short sale is a transaction in which a lender agrees to accept less than the full loan balance as payoff. We are a direct buyer, not a short-sale negotiator. If your loan balance exceeds the property's market value and a short sale is the right path, you will need a licensed real estate broker experienced in short-sale listings; we can't perform that service.
What information do you need from me to make an offer? +
A first name, phone, email, and the property address. That's it to start. As the conversation progresses, we may ask about the general condition of the home and when you'd want to close, but we do not ask about your loan balance, who your lender is, or when a sale is scheduled.
Do you represent me, the lender, or anyone else? +
We represent Total House Offer LLC as the prospective buyer. We do not act as your agent, your lender's agent, or anyone else's agent. You have the right to consult an attorney, HUD-approved housing counselor, or licensed Arizona real estate broker at any time, and we encourage you to do so if anything in the transaction is unclear.