Trust & estate real estate
Selling a House in a Trust in Arizona
Maybe you're the successor trustee now. Maybe the house is in your own trust and it's time to move. Either way, the trust decides who signs, and the house still has to be valued, prepped, and sold the right way. I'm Landon Ball, a Phoenix REALTOR® serving the Greater Phoenix area. I handle the real estate side and work alongside your attorney and title company.
Call 623-462-1146 · Text Landon · Ask about your trust property →
No pressure. No obligation. Just answers.
First, Is the House Actually in the Trust?
Having a trust doesn't automatically mean the house is in it. What matters is the most recent recorded deed. If it names the trust (something like "Jane Smith, Trustee of the Smith Family Trust"), the trustee can usually handle the sale without probate court. If it names a person, the house may need probate or another transfer method, even though a trust exists.
Find the latest deed at the Maricopa County Recorder (free search)
Not sure what you're looking at? Send me the address and I'll help you pull the public records for you and your attorney.
House not in the trust? Probate, small estates & beneficiary deeds →
How a probate sale works, step by step →
Which One Sounds Like You?
After a death: you're the successor trustee
When the person who made the trust passes away, the trust usually names who takes over. If the named trustee dies, resigns, or can't serve, Arizona law sets the order: a person the trust designates, then a person all the qualified beneficiaries agree on, then a person the court appoints (A.R.S. § 14-10704). Once you accept, you generally have 60 days to notify the qualified beneficiaries, and you have to keep them reasonably informed (A.R.S. § 14-10813).
While you're living: the house is in your own trust
Lots of Phoenix-area homeowners hold their house in a revocable living trust. If you're downsizing, moving closer to family, or moving into care, the sale works much like any other. You just sign as trustee instead of in your own name. While a trust is still revocable, the trustee's duties are owed to the person who made it, not to the future beneficiaries (A.R.S. § 14-10603).
Downsizing or a big life change? →
How a Trust Sale Usually Goes
Confirm authority. Your attorney confirms who the acting trustee is and what the trust allows. Arizona law gives trustees the power to sell trust property (A.R.S. § 14-10816), subject to the trust's own terms.
Line up the paperwork early. Instead of handing over the whole trust, a trustee can usually give the title company a certification of trust. It's a short document showing that the trust exists, who the trustee is, and what the trustee can do, and it doesn't have to say who inherits what (A.R.S. § 14-11013). Title companies may also ask for a death certificate or other documents. Ask yours what it needs before we list.
Value the house and pick a path. Sell now, prep and sell, sell as-is, keep it for a beneficiary, or rent it. I'll give you a realistic value range and what each path could net.
Prep, only if it pays. Cleanout, cleaning, small repairs. Trustees usually want written quotes on file, and I'll help collect them. Cleanouts & property prep →
List, market, and sell. You sign the listing agreement and the contract as trustee. I keep you, your attorney, and any beneficiaries you want included updated on showings, offers, and timing.
Close and document. Title and escrow handle the closing and loan payoffs. The proceeds go where the trust and your attorney direct. You get a clean file of the marketing, the offers, and the final numbers for your records.
Real estate guidance, not legal or tax advice. Every trust is different. Confirm your steps with an Arizona attorney.
Keeping Everyone in the Loop
Most of the friction in a trust sale isn't about the house. It's about information. A clear value range, the same updates for everyone, and a documented marketing process make a trustee's job easier. I'm happy to send the same updates to every beneficiary you want included, wherever they live.
Disagreements about the trust itself are legal questions. I'll tell you when we've reached that line.
Who Does What
Me (your REALTOR®)
Value the house and lay out your options: sell, prep, as-is, keep, or rent
Plan the prep and coordinate vendor access, including for out-of-state trustees
Price, market, and show the home, negotiate offers, and manage the sale through closing
Send consistent updates to the trustee and the beneficiaries they choose
Share names of local pros if you want them
Other professionals
Trust or estate attorney: who the trustee is, what the trust allows, notices to beneficiaries, disputes
CPA or tax professional: taxes on the trust and on the sale
Title company: certification of trust, title, escrow, and recording
Estate-sale company, cleanout crews, and licensed contractors: belongings and physical work
I'm not an attorney, CPA, estate liquidator, or contractor, and I won't pretend to be.
A Word From a Client
"Landon did an excellent job marketing our home as well as negotiating the the final contract. Landon was friendly, communicative, knowledgable and patient with all of our questions and concerns. Landon kept us informed every step of the way."
— nncybrbr, Zillow review, 7/9/2026 · Sold a Single Family home in 2026 in Litchfield park, AZ.
Common Questions About Trust Sales
Does a house in a trust have to go through probate in Arizona?
Usually not, if the deed is in the trust's name. The trustee manages and sells it under the trust and Arizona's trust code (A.R.S. § 14-10816). If the deed is still in the person's own name, probate or another transfer method may be needed. Your attorney will confirm.
Can a successor trustee sell the house without the beneficiaries signing?
Often the trust gives the trustee that power, but the trustee still has to follow the trust's terms and keep the qualified beneficiaries reasonably informed (A.R.S. § 14-10813). Many trustees share the value and the plan with everyone before listing. Ask your attorney what your trust requires.
Do I have to give the title company the whole trust?
Usually not. Arizona lets a trustee provide a certification of trust instead, and it doesn't need to show who inherits what. The title company may ask for the pages that name you trustee and give you the power to sell (A.R.S. § 14-11013).
Can I sell a house in my own living trust while I'm alive?
Generally, yes. While the trust is revocable and you're the trustee, you sign as trustee instead of in your own name. I'll make sure the title company knows how the house is titled from day one.
Are there taxes when a trust sells a house?
That's a question for a CPA, and the answer depends on the trust and the timing. Your CPA may ask for an estimate of the home's value around the date of death. I can give you a market analysis (it isn't an appraisal), and your CPA will tell you if a formal appraisal is needed.
What if the house is full of belongings or needs a lot of work?
Very common. We'll compare a cleanout and light prep against selling as-is, with real numbers, before the trust spends anything. Cleanouts & prep · Selling as-is
I live out of state. Can you still help?
Yes. I can coordinate access, vendors, and showings locally and send photo and video updates. How documents get signed depends on the title company. I work across Goodyear, Buckeye, Avondale, Litchfield Park, Surprise, Glendale, Peoria, and Phoenix.
Do you buy houses from trusts?
No. I'm a REALTOR® with West USA Realty, not a home-buying company. If an investor or cash sale makes sense, I can help you compare those offers against a market sale.
Tell Me About the Trust Property
A few sentences is plenty: the city, whether you're the trustee, and where things stand. I'll personally get back to you, usually within one business day. Prefer to talk? Call or text 623-462-1146.
When Real Estate Gets Complicated, Call Ball.
Call 623-462-1146 · Text Landon
Inherited property & probate · Probate sales, step by step · Resources & official links
Real estate guidance, not legal or tax advice.