08/31/2026
🏠 Arizona Property Owners: Protect Your Home From Real Estate Fraud
Imagine discovering that someone has filed documents claiming to own your property, listed your home for sale, or even started a transaction without your knowledge.
Unfortunately, property fraud can happen, and by the time an owner discovers it, valuable time may have already been lost.
That’s why we want to make Arizona property owners aware of a free resource from the Arizona Department of Real Estate: the Early Real Estate Sales Alert System.
🔔 What does it do?
You can register your property at earlyalert.azre.gov and provide an email address or mobile number where you want to receive notifications.
If an escrow officer later submits a pending sale that matches your registered property, you can receive an email or text alert before the sale is finalized.
If you don’t recognize the transaction, the alert provides a way to report it as unauthorized.
🆓 Registration is free
You don't need an account or documents to register. You can search using:
• Property owner's name
• Parcel number (APN)
• Property address
• A combination of the above
• An LLC or trust name, when applicable
Helpful tip: If you have a common last name, the Department recommends registering by parcel number and property address instead of relying on your name alone. This can help prevent alerts for unrelated properties.
When entering your APN, remember to remove any dashes or spaces.
🛡️ Add another layer of protection
After registering, the Department also provides information about free property alert programs available through Arizona county recorders.
We recommend signing up for your county's alert system as well. Having multiple notification systems gives you another layer of protection.
Who should pay particular attention?
This is especially important for owners of:
🏡 Vacant properties
🏘️ Rental or investment properties
🌵 Arizona properties owned by people who live out of state
📄 Properties held in an LLC or trust
👨👩👧👦 Properties being handled after an owner's death
These types of properties can be attractive targets for fraud because the legitimate owner may not be regularly checking the property or public records.
Arizona is also implementing additional safeguards. Beginning September 12, 2026, Arizona notaries will be required to obtain a thumbprint from individuals signing deeds, and people recording documents in person at a county recorder's office will be required to present valid photo identification. Forging or recording fraudulent property documents can also carry serious criminal penalties.
A simple step that can help protect your investment
If you own property in Arizona, take a few minutes to register your property for free:
👉 earlyalert.azre.gov
Then check with your county recorder to see whether a separate free property-alert service is available.
At HomePros Management, we believe property management is about more than collecting rent and coordinating repairs. It's also about helping property owners protect and manage one of their most valuable investments.
Have questions about protecting your rental or investment property? Drop them in the comments or send us a message.
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