The Arizona home buying process, step by step.
Buying a home in Arizona follows a predictable path: get pre-approved, sign your buyer documents, tour homes, make an offer, deposit earnest money, complete the 10-day inspection period, appraise, and close through a title and escrow company. Chris has recorded a short video for nearly every step.
What are the steps to buying a home in Arizona?
Get pre-approved by a lender, sign a buyer-broker agreement with your agent, search and tour homes, write an offer, wire earnest money to the title company once the offer is accepted, use your 10-day inspection period, complete the appraisal and final loan approval, then do a final walkthrough and sign at the title company.
In Arizona there are usually no attorneys at the closing table. A neutral title and escrow company holds the money, follows the instructions of the agents and the lender, and makes sure the title is free and clear of liens before the home transfers to you.
Get pre-approved
A lender reviews your income, assets, and credit so sellers take your offer seriously.
Pre-approval guideSign buyer documents
The buyer-broker agreement, agency disclosure, and Buyer Advisory come before showings and offers.
Buyer documentsSet up your search
Chris builds a custom search around price, bedrooms, city, garage, pool, and must-have amenities.
Make the offer
Chris writes the offer, sends it by e-sign, and negotiates price, terms, and concessions.
Making an offerDeposit earnest money
Once accepted, you wire earnest money to the title company after voice-verifying the instructions.
Earnest moneyInspect & negotiate
Ten calendar days to inspect, review HOA documents, and request repairs through the BINSR.
Inspection periodAppraisal & approval
The appraisal is ordered after repairs are agreed; then the lender issues clear to close.
Closing guideWalkthrough & keys
Final walkthrough a few days before closing, sign at title, and get your keys once it records.
Closing day
Step one is the pre-approval.
Before touring homes, Chris connects buyers with a lender so everyone knows the real price range and the offer is backed by an approval.
In this video he explains why that order matters, and how it saves time and disappointment once you find the right house.
Does the Arizona purchase contract protect the buyer?
Yes. In Chris’s words, the Arizona residential purchase contract is set up to protect the home buyer. Once the inspection period is over and both sides have agreed to all terms and any repairs, the home is moving toward closing. A seller who backs out at that point without a valid reason can be pursued for breach of contract.
Chris has seen a seller fail to close only once in more than 25 years: an undisclosed second mortgage surfaced at the very end. The buyer got the earnest money back plus reimbursement for the inspection and appraisal, and went on to buy another home.
What your agent handles
- Custom home search set to your criteria
- Pre-offer documents sent for you to review
- Offer writing, e-sign, and negotiation
- Inspection, BINSR, and HOA document review
- Coordinating lender, title, and escrow through closing
Is buying from a company different from buying from a homeowner?
Often, yes. An individual seller fills out disclosure statements describing what they know about the home from living there: the age of the roof and air conditioning, pest treatments, storm damage, remodels, and more. A company that bought the home and never lived in it usually has very little to disclose.
That does not make it a bad buy. It makes your inspection, and the questions your agent asks, more important.
Every step, on video.
Short explainers Chris recorded for his own buyers. Click any video to play it here.
Your questions, answered.
What is the first step to buying a house in Arizona?
Getting pre-approved by a lender. Chris recommends doing it before you tour homes so you know your price range and sellers take your offer seriously.
How long is the inspection period in Arizona?
The standard Arizona purchase contract gives the buyer 10 calendar days after acceptance, weekends included, to complete inspections and other due diligence.
Are attorneys involved in an Arizona home purchase?
Usually not. A neutral title and escrow company holds the earnest money, follows the agents’ and lender’s instructions, and makes sure the title is clear before closing.
What happens if the seller backs out in Arizona?
Once the inspection period is over and all terms are agreed, a seller who backs out without a valid reason can be pursued for breach of contract. Talk with an attorney about your specific situation.
Do I need a buyer-broker agreement?
Yes. Arizona buyers now sign a buyer-broker agreement with their agent before touring homes. It explains what the agent does for you and how the agent is paid.
Keep learning.
Mortgage Pre-Approval in Arizona
What a pre-approval is, the documents a lender asks for, and what not to do once you are approved.
Read the guideStep 2 · OfferMaking an Offer on a Home in Arizona
How an offer comes together in Arizona: the pre-offer documents, earnest money, concessions, and multiple offers.
Read the guideStep 3 · Due diligenceThe Arizona Home Inspection Period
The 10-day inspection period, what the inspector checks, and how repair requests (the BINSR) work.
Read the guideStep 4 · ClosingClosing on a Home in Arizona
Appraisal, title and escrow, closing costs, wire-fraud safety, the final walkthrough, and signing day.
Read the guideAsk The Real Estate Guy.
Tell Chris where you are in the process and what you are trying to accomplish. He will reply with a practical next step for your Arizona purchase or sale.
- Chris Dunham, The Real Estate Guy™ · Brokers HUB Realty
- Buyers, sellers & investors across the Phoenix metro and Pinal County
- Email: [email protected]
Talk to Chris
Takes less than a minute.