Buying and Investing
🏡 Buying & investing
Buying a home or an investment property — areas, financing, inspection and closing.
What this stage is about
Questions people ask most
- What are the steps to buy a home in Arizona, from offer to closing?
- Can a foreign buyer get a US mortgage, and what down payment is expected?
- How is property tax calculated in Maricopa County, and when is it paid?
- What should a home inspection cover in Arizona — roofs, AC, pools, termites?
- What rental yields and holding costs should I expect for an investment property in Phoenix?
- How do I verify a real estate agent's license and what do buyer agents charge?
- How does renting out a property work if I live abroad — management, taxes and rules?
- What disclosures and checks matter in Arizona — water supply, HOA documents, flood zones?
- Where do I find current Phoenix housing market statistics — prices, inventory, days on market?
- Show me homes for sale in Scottsdale or Arcadia within my budget.
Trusted sources for this stage
Official and reference pages SEEKael has verified. Links are checked automatically; the date shows the last check.
Buying a home
- Officialazre.govArizona Department of Real Estate ↗
Regulator of real estate licensees: verify a broker or salesperson license, consumer information on buying and selling, public reports for subdivisions, and how to file a complaint.
checked Sep 12, 2026 · verify manually
- Officialazleg.govArizona Revised Statutes — Title 33 (Property) ↗
The statute text itself for property law: landlord–tenant, condominiums and planned communities (HOAs), deeds, liens and disclosures. Primary legal source; not a plain-language guide.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- Officialroc.az.govArizona Registrar of Contractors ↗
Verify a contractor's license before hiring for repairs or renovations, check complaint history, learn when a license is required, and file a complaint or Residential Recovery Fund claim.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- Officialhud.govU.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) ↗
Fair housing rights and how to report discrimination, HUD-approved housing counselling agencies, home-buying guides and FHA loan basics.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- Officialconsumerfinance.govConsumer Financial Protection Bureau ↗
Plain-language guides to mortgages (shopping, closing disclosures, escrow), credit reports and scores, bank accounts and complaints against financial companies.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- Officialmcassessor.maricopa.govMaricopa County Assessor ↗
Parcel search with assessed values, property class and ownership history for any address in the county; the valuation side of the property-tax bill, plus rental-property registration.
checked Sep 12, 2026
Housing
- Officialphoenix.govCity of Phoenix — Planning & Development ↗
Building permits, zoning lookup, inspections, short-term rental registration and development rules for properties inside Phoenix city limits.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- Officialarmls.comARMLS — Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service ↗
The MLS used by Phoenix-area brokers: monthly market statistics (median price, inventory, days on market) and how listing data flows to public sites. Access to listings requires a licensed member.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- Officialaaronline.comArizona REALTORS® ↗
The state REALTOR® association: standard Arizona purchase contract and disclosure forms, buyer/seller advisories and how to find a member agent.
checked Sep 12, 2026 · verify manually
- Mediaazcentral.comThe Arizona Republic / azcentral ↗
Arizona's largest newspaper: local news, real estate and housing market coverage, business and politics. Time-sensitive; some articles are behind a paywall.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- SEEKael guideseekael.comSEEKael — Phoenix neighborhood living guides ↗
Our guides to eight Phoenix-metro neighbourhoods (Arcadia, Downtown Phoenix, Old Town Scottsdale, Tempe, Gilbert, Chandler, Paradise Valley, Glendale): walkability, schools, climate, median prices, property tax and rental yield notes for cross-border buyers.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- SEEKael guideseekael.comSEEKael — Phoenix homes for sale ↗
Current listings on SEEKael, filterable by city, neighbourhood, price, bedrooms and property type, with six-language descriptions.
checked Sep 12, 2026
Banking & finance
- Officialdifi.az.govArizona Department of Insurance and Financial Institutions ↗
Regulator of insurers, banks, mortgage brokers and lenders operating in Arizona: license lookup, consumer complaints, and guidance on auto, home and health insurance.
checked Sep 12, 2026 · verify manually
- Officialirs.govIRS — Taxpayer Identification Numbers (SSN, ITIN, EIN) ↗
Which identification number a person or company needs (SSN, ITIN for those not eligible for an SSN, EIN for businesses), how to apply and how long it takes — the prerequisite for tax filing and often for opening accounts.
checked Sep 12, 2026
Taxes
- Officialazdor.govArizona Department of Revenue ↗
State tax authority. Individual income tax, transaction privilege tax (Arizona's sales tax, "TPT"), property tax overview, forms, e-filing (AZTaxes) and residency rules for people who move into the state part-way through the year.
checked Sep 12, 2026 · verify manually
- Officialirs.govInternal Revenue Service (IRS) ↗
Federal taxes: individual and business filing, the substantial presence test and residency status for tax purposes, treaties, deadlines, payments and the international taxpayers section.
checked Sep 12, 2026
- Officialtreasurer.maricopa.govMaricopa County Treasurer ↗
Property tax bills and payments: look up a parcel's current tax, due dates (two halves per year), payment methods and delinquent-tax rules.
checked Sep 12, 2026
Legal
- Officialrecorder.maricopa.govMaricopa County Recorder ↗
Recorded documents — deeds, deeds of trust, liens and HOA CC&Rs — searchable by name or parcel; also voter registration and early voting for the county.
checked Sep 12, 2026 · verify manually
Insurance
- Officialfema.govFEMA — Federal Emergency Management Agency ↗
Disaster preparedness and assistance, and the National Flood Insurance Program with flood maps that matter when buying in wash/flood zones.
checked Sep 12, 2026