How to Buy a Home in Arizona
Buying a home in Arizona runs on a clear path: get your financing lined up, make an offer on the standard state contract, use your 10-day inspection window to investigate, clear the appraisal and loan, and close when the deed records — typically 30 to 45 days from accepted offer to keys. Here’s each step in plain English, what it costs, and where Chris and Dale fit in. First home or fifth, the process is the same; only the details change.
Buying in Arizona at a glance
| Down payment | Far less than 20% for most loans — see the first-time buyer guide |
| Earnest money | ~1% of price (negotiable), credited toward your costs at closing |
| Inspection period | 10 days (default) to investigate and send the BINSR |
| Buyer closing costs | ~2–5% of price, separate from the down payment |
| Typical timeline | ~30–45 days for a financed purchase |
| Who closes it | An escrow company — Arizona is an escrow state |
Figures as of 2026; verify current details with us and your lender.
The Arizona buying process, step by step
- Get pre-approved first. Before you shop, talk to a lender and get a real pre-approval (not just a pre-qualification) — it tells you your budget and makes your offer credible. Most buyers put down far less than 20%, and there’s down-payment help in the valley; we cover all of that in the first-time buyer guide. Paying cash? You’ll show proof of funds instead. We’re not lenders, but we’ll point you to good ones and help you read what they tell you.
- Find the right home. We start with your must-haves — budget, area, home type, single-story, schools, commute — line up showings that fit, and steer you away from the ones that don’t. Not sure where to look? Start with areas we serve.
- Make the offer. Offers in Arizona are written on the AAR Residential Resale Purchase Contract. It sets your price, earnest money, closing date, what conveys with the home, and your contingencies. A strong offer isn’t only price — terms and timing matter, and that’s where having someone who knows the contract earns its keep.
- Earnest money and escrow open. Once your offer’s accepted, you deposit earnest money — usually about 1% of the price — into escrow within a few days. It’s a good-faith deposit, and it’s credited toward your costs at closing, not an extra charge. Arizona is an escrow state: a neutral escrow company holds the funds and documents and runs the closing.
- The 10-day inspection period — your biggest protection. You have a default 10 days to inspect and investigate the home. If something turns up, you deliver a BINSR (Buyer’s Inspection Notice and Seller’s Response) before the period ends; the seller then has 5 days to respond, and you have 5 days to accept their response, keep negotiating, or cancel. Cancel within the contingency for a valid reason and your earnest money generally comes back. The clock is tight — we schedule inspections in the first day or two so nothing sneaks up on you.
- Appraisal and loan. If you’re financing, your lender orders an appraisal. The contract’s appraisal contingency protects you: if it comes in below the price, you can renegotiate or cancel and recover your earnest money. Your loan moves through underwriting in parallel, with final approval due a few days before closing.
- Review disclosures and title. You’ll review the seller’s SPDS (property disclosure), any HOA documents, and the title commitment. We read these with you and flag anything that deserves a question.
- Final walkthrough and closing. You do a final walkthrough, then sign. In Arizona the sale officially closes when the deed records with the county — that’s when the home is yours and you get the keys.
What buyers actually pay
Plan on closing costs of roughly 2–5% of the price, on top of your down payment. On a ~$450K home that’s about $9,000–$22,000. They cover lender fees, the appraisal and inspection, your share of escrow, the lender’s title policy, recording, and prepaids (property taxes, insurance, prepaid interest). Two things worth knowing: Arizona has no state transfer tax, which keeps costs lower than many states; and “cash to close” is more than closing costs — it’s your down payment plus closing costs plus prepaids, minus your earnest money and any credits. One more lever: it’s common here for sellers to contribute toward a buyer’s closing costs — negotiable, and something we’ll push for where it makes sense.
One thing that changed: the buyer-broker agreement
Since August 2024, buyers sign a written buyer-broker agreement before touring homes, and a buyer agent’s compensation is now openly negotiable — it can be paid by the seller, by you, or covered through concessions. We’ll lay out exactly how we’re compensated up front, in writing, before you’re committed to anything. No surprises.
Why buy with Chris and Dale
We’re a father-and-son team, and we split the work to your advantage: Dale leads on relationships and negotiation, Chris on the data, comps, and contracts. Two people who actually answer the phone, from your first showing to the day the deed records. Straight answers, real comparative market analysis, and no pressure.
Buyer FAQ
How much money do I need to buy a home in Arizona?
What is earnest money, and is it extra?
What's the 10-day inspection period?
Who pays closing costs when I buy?
Do I have to sign an agreement to work with an agent now?
How long does buying take?
Thinking about buying?
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Keep exploring: First-time buyer guide · Relocating to the valley · 55+ communities · Areas we serve