STEP 1
Filing the Petition
Weeks 1 to 4. Probate begins when someone, usually the executor named in the will or a close family member if there is no will, files a petition with the Maricopa County Superior Court. This officially opens the estate and asks the court to appoint a Personal Representative.
Who Files
The executor named in the will, or a close family member if there is no will.
What It Means for the House
Nothing can be sold or transferred yet. The property sits in limbo until the court grants authority.
STEP 2
Appointment of the Personal Representative
Weeks 3 to 6. Arizona offers two paths here. Informal probate is faster and more common when there’s no dispute. Formal probate involves a judge and is used when there’s a contest, an unclear will, or a family disagreement.
Informal Probate
Faster and more common. Used when there’s no dispute over the will or the appointment.
Formal Probate
Involves a judge. Used when there’s a contest, an unclear will, or a family disagreement.
What this means for the house: once appointed, the Personal Representative can begin managing the property, paying the mortgage, insurance, and taxes, and eventually listing it for sale.
STEP 3
Notice to Creditors & Heirs
Months 1 to 4. The estate must notify known creditors and publish a notice to unknown creditors. Arizona gives creditors a window, generally four months from the date of first publication, to file claims against the estate.
What This Means for the House
The property usually cannot be fully distributed or the estate closed until this claims period runs, though a sale can often proceed during this window with court or beneficiary approval.
STEP 4
Inventory & Appraisal
Months 2 to 5. The Personal Representative must inventory the estate’s assets, including the real property, and often obtain a formal appraisal. This appraised value matters. It can establish the stepped-up basis used to calculate capital gains if the property is later sold.
Evaluate Your Options
This is where most families start seriously evaluating their options: sell as is, renovate and sell, or keep and rent.
Independent Appraisal
A qualified, independent appraisal gives every heir a defensible, third-party number everyone can trust, and sets the stepped-up basis accurately for tax purposes later.
How A2B Invest Invest Helps
Our team includes a licensed appraiser with years of Maricopa County valuation experience, so families we work with get an accurate, defensible number without having to search for someone qualified during an already difficult time.
STEP 5
Selling the Property
Timing Varies. If the decision is to sell, the Personal Representative can typically list and sell the house once appointed, sometimes with court confirmation required, depending on whether probate is informal or formal, and depending on the terms of the will.
Why Sell?
This is usually the fastest way to convert a property nobody wants to manage into funds the family can actually use, especially when the house needs repairs, has multiple heirs with different priorities, or sits vacant and uninsured.
STEP 6
Closing the Estate
Months 6 to 12, Sometimes Longer. Once debts are paid, the creditor period has closed, and remaining assets are distributed to heirs, the Personal Representative files a final accounting and petitions to close the estate.
What This Means for the House
If the house was sold earlier in the process, this step is just paperwork. If it wasn’t, this is often when pressure builds to make a decision quickly.
The Two Things Most Families Don’t Know
Stepped-Up Basis
When you inherit property, your cost basis resets to the fair market value at the date of death, not what the original owner paid. This can eliminate most or all capital gains tax if you sell soon after inheriting. Most heirs don’t know this exists, and it changes the math significantly.
The Insurance Gap
Standard homeowner’s policies are often voided or restricted once a property sits vacant, sometimes after as little as 30 to 60 days. A vacant, underinsured house sitting through a 6 to 12 month probate process is a real risk that catches families off guard.
You Don’t Have to Navigate This Alone
Every year, hundreds of families across Phoenix and Scottsdale find themselves managing a house they didn’t ask for, during one of the hardest stretches of their lives. There’s a decision to make, and it doesn’t have to be complicated.
Deep Experience
A2B Invest Invest was built by two partners who bring decades of combined real estate, valuation, and finance experience to families going through exactly this.
Proven Track Record
Between us, that means hands-on experience with hundreds of transactions, a licensed appraiser on the team, and a deep understanding of what a probate sale actually requires, not just in theory but in practice, deal after deal, in the Phoenix market.
Local Roots
A2B Invest Invest is a Scottsdale-based real estate investment company with deep roots in real estate, valuation, and finance. We help Phoenix-area families navigate inherited property, from probate questions to a fast, fair cash offer when selling is the right move.
Get the Free Guide
“The House They Left Behind”
Written by Drew Grunwald, A2B Invest Invest’s co-founder. A short, practical read on what nobody tells you when a loved one leaves you real estate, and how to make the right call for your family.
No obligation. No pressure. Just answers.