How to Read a Notice of Trustee's Sale (Line by Line)

A Notice of Trustee's Sale in Arizona is a public document recorded with the County Recorder. It looks formidable, but most of what you need to know fits on a single page if you know where to look. Here's the line-by-line read.

The first paragraph (the standing legal notice)

It says, in essence: "We're the trustee, we have power of sale under a recorded Deed of Trust, and we're going to sell this property unless you cure the default." This is boilerplate — confirm the trustee's name and the date it was recorded with the County Recorder. Both matter.

Property description

Two parts: the street address AND the legal description (lot/block/subdivision or metes and bounds). The legal description is what controls; if they recorded the wrong legal description, the sale can be challenged. Verify your APN matches.

Original principal balance

The original loan amount when it was first recorded — not what you owe now. This is sometimes lower than current payoff if you've capitalized arrears or done a modification; sometimes higher if you've paid down significantly. The current payoff is calculated separately.

Recording reference

A "Docket Number" or "Document Number" pointing back to the original Deed of Trust. Use this to look up your full original loan documents at recorder.maricopa.gov or pinalcountyaz.gov/recorder.

Sale date, time, location

The single most important line. Under A.R.S. § 33-807, the sale must be set at least 90 days after the Notice of Trustee's Sale was recorded. The location is typically the courthouse steps; for Maricopa County it's usually the front steps of the courthouse downtown at 9am.

Trustee contact info

Phone, address, and sometimes email. THIS is who you call for an official reinstatement quote — not the lender. The trustee's quote includes the trustee's own fees the lender doesn't see.

What's NOT on the document but you should look up

• Any junior liens (HOA, second mortgage, IRS, judgments) — a current title report is the only way to see these.
• Your current payoff (call the trustee, not the lender).
• Whether the trustee has scheduled any prior continuances (rare on first NTS).

If the document looks wrong — incorrect property, wrong owner name, missing signatures, recording date doesn't satisfy 90-day rule — that's a defect that can sometimes be challenged. Talk to a licensed AZ attorney before assuming the foreclosure is valid.