The Buyer's Due Diligence Checklist

Start with a general home inspection by a licensed Arizona inspector. Add specialty inspections based on what you find or what the property requires: pool, sewer scope, HVAC service report, roof by a roofing contractor if the inspector flags concerns, structural engineer if there are foundation questions.

Do not skip the termite/wood-destroying organism inspection. Some loan programs require it, and Arizona has active termite populations. A WDO report from a licensed pest control company is standard in most transactions.

If the property is in an HOA, the seller is required to provide a resale certificate package. Read it. The CC&Rs tell you what you can and cannot do with the property. The financials tell you whether the HOA is solvent and adequately funded for future repairs. Pending litigation is disclosed here as well.

Note any upcoming special assessments that would hit you after closing. Ask whether there are any pending rule changes that could affect your intended use of the property.

The title company runs a search on the public record during escrow. Review the preliminary title report when it arrives. Look for any liens, easements, or encumbrances that are not expected. An easement across the backyard for a utility company is different from an ownership dispute, but both need to be understood.

Pull the property's permit history through Maricopa County Development Services (or the relevant city if it is an incorporated municipality). Unpermitted additions, converted garages, or pool additions without permits can affect your financing and your future ability to sell. I check permit history on every transaction.

Drive the neighborhood at different times of day and week. Check proximity to flight paths (especially near Luke AFB or Phoenix Sky Harbor approach corridors), major roads, industrial uses, and any planned development nearby. Maricopa County's GIS system has zoning and parcel data publicly available.

Review the Seller Property Disclosure Statement (SPDS) carefully. Arizona sellers are required to disclose known material facts. Read every answer and ask follow-up questions on anything vague or marked unknown.