How long do I have after an Arizona notice of default?

In Arizona, you have 90 days from the date of the notice of default to reinstate your loan by paying all past-due amounts, plus fees. If you don't reinstate, the lender can schedule a trustee's sale as early as 91 days after the notice is recorded. Arizona uses non-judicial foreclosure, which moves faster than court-supervised foreclosures in other states.

The clock starts when the notice of trustee's sale is recorded with your county recorder and mailed to you. This is your official warning that foreclosure proceedings have begun.

If you just received this notice, you do not have to navigate it alone. AvoidAZForeclosure.com is our free Arizona resource that walks homeowners through every option to stop a trustee's sale before the 90 days run out.

What happens during the 90-day reinstatement period

The 90-day window is your opportunity to catch up on missed payments and stop the foreclosure. You can reinstate by paying:

• All past-due loan payments
• Late fees and penalties
• Trustee's fees (typically $400 to $800)
• Legal fees the lender has incurred
• Recording costs

The lender or trustee must provide a reinstatement quote showing the exact amount needed. This number changes daily as interest accrues.

During these 90 days, you can still live in the home. The property remains yours until the trustee's sale is completed and a new deed is recorded.

When the trustee's sale gets scheduled

After the 90-day reinstatement period expires, the trustee can schedule the sale. Arizona law requires:

• The sale must occur between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. on a business day
• It must be held at the location specified in the notice (often the county courthouse steps)
• The sale must be advertised in a local newspaper once a week for four consecutive weeks before the sale date

From recording the notice of trustee's sale to the actual auction, the entire process typically takes 120 to 150 days. The 90-day reinstatement window is the first portion of that timeline.

Real Phoenix-area example timeline

A homeowner in Chandler misses mortgage payments in March, April, and May. The lender records a notice of trustee's sale on June 15.

• June 15: Notice recorded. The 90-day reinstatement period begins.
• June 20: Homeowner receives the notice by mail.
• September 13: The 90-day reinstatement window closes. The homeowner needed to pay roughly $18,000 to $22,000 (three missed payments of about $2,200 each, plus $6,000 in accrued interest, late fees of $300, trustee's fees of $600, and legal costs of $1,500).
• October 18: Trustee's sale scheduled after required newspaper ads run for four weeks.
• October 18, 10 a.m.: Property auctioned at Maricopa County Superior Court.

If the homeowner had reinstated by September 13, the foreclosure would have stopped immediately.

Your options during and after the 90 days

You have several paths before the trustee's sale occurs:

Reinstatement: Pay the full amount owed within 90 days. Your loan returns to normal status.

Loan modification: Negotiate new terms with your lender. This can extend past the 90 days if the lender agrees to pause the sale.

Short sale: Sell the home for less than you owe, with lender approval. You avoid foreclosure on your credit report, but you need time to find a buyer.

Deed in lieu: Voluntarily transfer the property to the lender. This is faster than foreclosure and less damaging to your credit.

Bankruptcy: Filing Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 triggers an automatic stay that temporarily stops the foreclosure. Chapter 13 can give you three to five years to catch up on payments.

Not sure which path fits your situation? You can compare your foreclosure options side by side at AvoidAZForeclosure.com, where we break down how each one affects your timeline, your credit, and how much equity you keep.

What happens if you miss the deadline

After 90 days, you lose the right to reinstate. The lender can proceed to the trustee's sale. You can still pay off the entire loan balance (not just the past-due amount) up until the moment the auction begins, but most homeowners can't access that kind of cash quickly.

Once the property sells at auction, you have no automatic right to remain in the home. The new owner can begin eviction proceedings immediately. In Maricopa County, this process typically takes 30 to 60 days.

Arizona has no post-sale redemption period. In states like Illinois or Michigan, you can buy back your home after foreclosure. Arizona doesn't offer this.

How Arizona's non-judicial process affects your timeline

Arizona Revised Statutes Title 33, Chapter 6.1 governs non-judicial foreclosure. The lender doesn't need to file a lawsuit or get a court order. A trustee (often a title company or law firm) handles the process.

This makes Arizona foreclosures faster than judicial states. In Florida or New York, foreclosures can take two to three years. In Arizona, the entire process from first missed payment to completed sale typically runs six to eight months.

The 90-day reinstatement window is your primary protection in this system. Use it.

People also ask

Can I sell my house after receiving a notice of default in Arizona?

Yes. You can list and sell your home any time before the trustee's sale. You'll need to pay off the full loan balance at closing, plus any fees and penalties. If you owe more than the home is worth, you'll need lender approval for a short sale. Many Phoenix-area agents work with distressed sellers to close quickly, sometimes in 30 to 45 days.

Does a notice of default show up on my credit report?

No. The notice of default itself doesn't appear on your credit report. However, the missed payments that led to the notice do show up, and they severely damage your score. A completed foreclosure will appear on your report and remain for seven years, dropping your score by 100 to 200 points or more.

Can the lender pursue a deficiency judgment in Arizona after foreclosure?

It depends. If your home is a single-family residence or duplex on 2.5 acres or less and you lived there, Arizona law (A.R.S. 33-814(G)) prohibits deficiency judgments after a non-judicial trustee's sale. The lender cannot sue you for the difference between what you owed and what the property sold for. Investment properties and larger parcels don't have this protection.

Bottom line

You have 90 days from the recording date on your Arizona notice of trustee's sale to reinstate your loan. After that, the lender can schedule an auction, and you'll lose the property within weeks. If you're facing foreclosure in the Phoenix Metro area, act fast. Talk to your lender about modification options, consult a foreclosure attorney, or reach out to a local Realtor who understands distressed sales. The earlier you move, the more options you have.

Facing a notice of trustee's sale in the Phoenix Metro area? Get free, no-pressure help understanding your options at AvoidAZForeclosure.com, or reach out to Ryan Melville with KW Realty directly. The sooner you act, the more options you have to protect your home and your equity.

Featured photo by Walls.io on Unsplash.