Real Estate
Attorney in Phoenix, AZ
Residential real estate law in Phoenix covers the contracts, deeds, and leases behind buying, selling, building, renting, and investing in homes. A Phoenix real estate attorney reviews and drafts those documents under Arizona law, so you know what you're signing before your money or your property is on the line.
Maybe you're buying your first home, selling to a family member, carrying the note on an owner-financed sale, or renting out a property for the first time. Francisca F. Manchac has handled thousands of real estate transactions, and she gives each client one-on-one attention from the first question to the final signature. Every matter carries a flat fee starting at $500. Call (832) 263-0935 to schedule a free consultation.
Francisca F. Manchac, Esq., Managing Attorney | Licensed in Arizona and Texas | Last Updated: October 2026
Key Takeaways
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Arizona caps residential security deposits at one and a half months' rent, and landlords must return the balance within 14 business days after move-out and a tenant's request.
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In Arizona, generally only a contractor with a written contract directly with the homeowner can place a lien on an owner-occupied home.
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Arizona landlords must register residential rental properties with the county assessor.
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The firm handles landlord-tenant problems before court, but it does not file or defend eviction cases.
Who Needs a Real Estate Attorney in Phoenix?
You need a real estate attorney when a property deal has terms the standard forms don't cover or risks you can't easily undo. A real estate mistake is often permanent once the deed records or the inspection period ends, so the time to ask is before you sign. The firm handles transactional and pre-litigation work only, and it refers lawsuits and eviction cases to trusted litigation counsel.
Buyers & Sellers
Get custom terms, a family sale, or a sale without an agent done right from contract to escrow.
Homeowners Building or Remodeling
Review builder and renovation contracts and protect your home from contractor liens.
Landlords
Use Arizona-compliant leases, notices, and deposit rules for one rental or a growing portfolio.
Investors
Buy, sell, finance, or exchange rental and short-term rental properties with the right structure.
Residential Real Estate Law Services in Phoenix
Residential real estate work in Phoenix falls into three areas: buying and selling, building and renovating, and renting. Each service below is handled under Arizona law for a flat fee.
Buyer & Seller Representation in Phoenix
Buyer and seller representation means having your own attorney protect your interests from offer to deed transfer. Francisca reviews the contract, contingencies, disclosures, and title commitment, then explains each one in plain language. For sellers, she drafts special terms and reviews the disclosures you give buyers. For buyers, she spots red flags while you can still negotiate or walk away. In Arizona, an escrow company handles most closings, so her role is making sure the paperwork matches your deal.
Purchase Agreements & Closing Guidance
A purchase agreement sets the price, deadlines, and conditions of a home sale, and closing guidance makes sure nothing slips between contract and keys. Most Phoenix resale deals use the Arizona Association of REALTORS purchase contract. The form is only as good as how it's filled in: the inspection period, financing deadlines, appraisal terms, and who pays for repairs. Francisca reviews each one against your goals, then walks you through the title commitment, closing statement, and deed before you sign at escrow. If a late issue appears, such as a lender delay or a repair dispute, she explains your options before a deadline passes.
Real Estate Contract Drafting & Review in Phoenix
Real estate contract drafting and review gives you terms that hold up when the deal gets tested. Francisca drafts and negotiates contracts for sales between family members, unique properties, and deals that don't fit a standard form. She also reviews contracts someone else wrote, including builder contracts and renovation agreements. A standard form isn't required in Arizona, so a custom contract is always an option.
Real Estate Contract Addendums
A contract addendum adds or changes terms in a real estate contract without rewriting the whole agreement. Common Phoenix examples include selling furniture with the house, letting a seller stay after closing, a buyer moving in early, repair credits, and special terms about a pool, solar panels, or a tenant in place. Solar deserves extra care, since leased panels often come with their own transfer paperwork. Each addendum needs to match the main contract's deadlines and say exactly who pays for what. Francisca drafts addendums that fit your deal, and she can review an addendum the other side proposes before you sign it.
Builder & New Construction Contracts
A builder contract controls the price, timeline, materials, and warranties on a new Phoenix-area home, and builders usually write it to protect themselves. Francisca reviews the contract before you sign, flagging allowances that run short, open-ended price increases, delay terms, and warranty limits, then negotiates changes where she can. She also explains Arizona's purchaser dwelling action rules. Before suing over a construction defect, a homeowner must give the seller written notice and a chance to inspect and offer repairs. Knowing that process up front helps you document problems the right way.
Renovation & Subcontractor Agreements in Phoenix
Renovation and subcontractor agreements set the scope, price, schedule, and payment terms for remodeling work, and they protect your home from liens. In Arizona, residential contractors are licensed by the Registrar of Contractors. Arizona also limits liens on an owner-occupied home: generally, only a contractor with a written contract directly with the homeowner can record one. Francisca drafts payment schedules, change-order rules, and lien releases.
1031 Exchange Support
A 1031 exchange lets an investor defer capital gains tax by selling one investment property and buying another of like kind. The deadlines are strict: you must identify replacement property within 45 days of the sale and close within 180 days. A qualified intermediary must hold the sale proceeds, because touching the money can disqualify the exchange. Francisca coordinates the legal side with your intermediary and CPA. She reviews both purchase contracts so their deadlines fit the exchange timeline, and she checks that title is held the same way on both sides of the trade.
Roommate Agreements
Investment property transactions cover buying, selling, and restructuring rental homes and small portfolios, including homes bought with tenants in place and short-term rentals. Each deal raises questions a typical home sale doesn't: existing leases and deposits, rent rolls, city licensing for short-term rentals, financing from private lenders, and how title should be held. Francisca reviews and drafts the contracts, assigns existing leases and deposits to the buyer, and prepares the deeds. She also coordinates with LLC and entity structuring so your holdings are organized to limit risk.
Deeds & Owner Financing in Phoenix
Deeds and owner-financing documents transfer property and set the terms when a seller acts as the lender. Francisca prepares deeds for sales, gifts, and transfers to an LLC or trust, with the required Affidavit of Property Value. She also drafts owner-finance packages using a promissory note and deed of trust, or an agreement for sale, Arizona's version of a contract for deed. Arizona sets forfeiture timelines for agreements for sale based on how much the buyer has paid.
Title Issue Guidance
Title issue guidance helps you clear problems that could stop a sale or cloud your ownership. Common Phoenix examples include an old lien that was paid but never released, a missing heir from a prior owner, a boundary or survey conflict, and a deed with the wrong legal description. A title company lists these issues in the title commitment as requirements to close. Francisca reviews the commitment, explains what each item means, and prepares the curative documents, such as releases, affidavits, and corrective deeds, needed to clear them, so your sale or refinance can move forward.
Landlord Document Packages & Compliance in Phoenix
A landlord document package gives you the leases, notices, and templates to run your rentals with confidence, whether you own one property or 100. Francisca builds each Arizona package around your properties, with forms for move-in, late rent, repairs, lease violations, and move-out. Arizona also requires landlords to register residential rentals with the county assessor, and she reviews that step along with deposit and notice rules.
Landlord-Tenant Dispute Help in Phoenix
Landlord-tenant dispute help resolves conflicts over rent, repairs, deposits, and move-outs before anyone goes to court. Francisca advises landlords and tenants on their rights under Arizona law. She prepares the required notices, writes demand letters, and negotiates lease terminations, move-out terms, and cash-for-keys agreements that avoid an eviction filing. This work is pre-litigation only.
Custom Lease Agreements in Phoenix
A custom lease agreement sets clear rules for a residential rental, written for your property instead of copied from a generic form. Francisca drafts leases that cover rent and late fees, repairs, pets, pools, HOA rules, and how the lease ends. Every lease should match the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, including its deposit and notice rules. She drafts leases for landlords and reviews them for tenants.
Investment Property Transactions
A roommate agreement sets the rules for people who share a home but aren't a couple. It covers rent shares, utilities, deposits, guests, chores, and what happens when one roommate wants to leave early. Most leases make every tenant responsible for the full rent, so if one roommate stops paying, the landlord can come after the others. A written agreement gives roommates a clear way to settle that among themselves. Francisca drafts roommate agreements for renters and for homeowners renting a room. For romantic partners who live together, a cohabitation agreement is usually the better fit.
Why Choose The Law Offices of Francisca Manchac, PLLC for Real Estate Law
Francisca has handled thousands of transactions, from first-home purchases to multi-lot subdivisions and speculative construction. That volume means she has seen how deals go wrong and writes documents to prevent it. You work with her directly, not a rotating set of associates, and Bitsy Deubler, the firm's client experience specialist, keeps each matter moving.
Her practice also covers business law, asset protection, and estate planning. One attorney can connect your rental's lease, the LLC that owns it, and the estate plan that passes it to your family. She's licensed in Arizona and Texas, which helps investors with property in both states. She received the Avvo Clients' Choice Award 2026.
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I just bought my first rental property. I am so glad I was referred to Francisca. Her Landlord's Package was everything I needed to confidently lease and manage my property without wondering what I should do next.
Katie · Landlord client
Why Hiring a Real Estate Attorney Matters
Real estate deals run on deadlines, and most mistakes can't be undone once they pass. The details that decide the outcome are set when you sign.
What Goes Wrong Alone
A missed inspection deadline, an owner-finance deal that ignores Arizona's rules, a remodel without a written contract, or a generic lease.
What Experience Adds
An attorney tracks every deadline, drafts terms that fit Arizona law, and catches title and lien problems before closing.
How Outcomes Differ
A clear contract settles a disagreement with an email. A bad one can put your property or your deposit in limbo for months.
Who This Process Involves
Most Arizona real estate deals involve several professionals, each with a defined job. Francisca handles the legal side and keeps it coordinated with everyone else.
Francisca F. Manchac
Reviews and drafts contracts, deeds, and leases, and explains each one in plain language.
You
Make the decisions on price, terms, and timing, then review and sign.
Your Real Estate Agent
Markets or finds the property, shows homes, and negotiates price.
Escrow and Title Officer
Holds the funds, issues the title commitment, and handles closing and recording.
Lender or Contractor
Funds the purchase or performs the construction work under a written agreement.
What Your Real Estate Engagement Includes
A finished engagement gives you signed, Arizona-specific documents that fit your property and your goals. You also leave with clear answers: your deadlines, your exit options, and what each signature commits you to.
What You Receive
- Transaction Documents: A reviewed or drafted purchase contract, addendums, and closing review notes.
- Ownership Documents: Deeds with Affidavits of Property Value, owner-finance notes, and curative title documents.
- Construction Documents: Builder contract reviews, renovation and subcontractor agreements, and lien releases.
- Rental Documents: Custom leases, Arizona notices, and a landlord package for each stage of a tenancy.
What You Avoid
- Missed Deadlines: Losing your earnest money or your exit because an inspection window closed.
- Title Surprises: Liens or ownership problems that stall closing day.
- Contractor Liens: Paying twice for the same remodeling work.
- Deposit Disputes: Fights with tenants over deductions, notices, and move-out terms.
Arizona Rules That Shape Your Real Estate Plans
Arizona gives buyers, sellers, and landlords specific rules that advice from other states often misses. These three come up most for Phoenix clients.
1.5 Months' Rent: Security Deposit Cap
Under the Arizona Residential Landlord and Tenant Act, a landlord can't collect a security deposit or prepaid rent above one and a half months' rent. After move-out and the tenant's request, the landlord has 14 business days to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions. Any nonrefundable fees must be stated in writing in the lease.
5 Days: Notice for Unpaid Rent
When rent is late, an Arizona landlord generally must give a written five-day notice to pay or the lease ends. Other lease violations usually call for a ten-day notice, with shorter periods for serious health and safety issues. A notice that's wrong in form or timing can force a landlord to start over.
2 Signatures: Selling Community Property
Arizona is a community property state. To sell or borrow against community real property, both spouses generally must sign, even if only one is on title. A missing signature can stall escrow or cloud the title later, so it's worth checking how a home is held before you list it or sign a loan.
What Happens After You Call The Law Offices of Francisca Manchac, PLLC
Your matter moves through four steps, from a free video consultation to documents you can rely on, with the flat fee quoted up front.
01
Free Virtual Consultation
Book a Real Estate consultation and complete the intake form at least 24 hours ahead. Upload your contract, lease, or title commitment, and note any deadlines.
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Engagement and Flat Fee
You receive your flat fee before work begins. Representation starts when you sign an engagement agreement.
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Review, Drafting, or Negotiation
Francisca reviews your documents, drafts what you need, or negotiates with the other side while keeping your deadlines in view.
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Signing and Closing Support
Francisca walks you through every final document. For sales, she coordinates with escrow so the closing documents match your deal.
Common Questions About Real Estate Law in Phoenix
Something else on your mind? Call or text (832) 263-0935.
How much does a real estate attorney cost in Phoenix?
Francisca handles residential real estate work for a flat fee, starting at $500. You'll know the full fee before work begins, so there's no hourly meter running while you ask questions. The price depends on the work, such as a single contract review, an owner-finance package, or a full landlord document package. That's often far less than the cost of fixing a bad contract or a title problem after closing. Your first step is free: a 30-minute virtual consultation where Francisca reviews your situation and quotes your fee.
How long does the process take?
Real estate work runs on your deal's deadlines, so Francisca plans around them from the first call. A contract review often needs to finish inside a short inspection period. Deeds and owner-finance packages move as fast as you can gather the property details and agree on terms. Landlord packages depend on how many properties and lease types you have. [CONFIRM: typical turnaround for a contract review and a deed.] Send documents as soon as you sign, and note any deadline on the intake form.
Is an online form or DIY document enough?
An online lease or contract form can work for a simple deal, but it only protects you if it fits Arizona law and your property. Generic leases often miss Arizona's security deposit cap, notice rules, and required disclosures. Online deed forms can leave out the Affidavit of Property Value or use the wrong legal description, which stalls recording. Owner-financing templates rarely handle Arizona's forfeiture rules. A small drafting mistake can cost you a deposit, a closing date, or months in a dispute.
What does a real estate attorney do for a buyer or seller?
A real estate attorney protects your legal and financial position in a property deal. For a buyer, that means reviewing the contract, explaining the inspection period and contingencies, checking the title commitment, and flagging problems before closing. For a seller, it means reviewing disclosures, drafting special terms, and making sure the deal closes as agreed. In Arizona, an escrow or title company usually handles the closing. The attorney makes sure the documents you sign at escrow say what you think they say.
Do I need a real estate attorney if I already have a realtor?
Many Phoenix deals close without one, but an attorney fills gaps a realtor can't. Arizona agents usually work from standard association forms and can't give legal advice. When your deal needs custom terms, owner financing, a home under construction, a title problem, or a spouse who won't sign, you need legal advice. An attorney doesn't replace your agent. Agents market and show homes and negotiate price. Francisca handles the legal side for a flat fee.
Can I sell my house without a realtor in Arizona?
Yes. Arizona law doesn't require a realtor to sell a home. Many owners sell to family, a neighbor, or a tenant without listing the property. In that case, Francisca drafts the purchase contract and any addendums, helps you prepare the seller disclosures, and coordinates with an escrow company to close. You save on commission but take on the legal work an agent's forms would normally cover, so professional drafting matters more. Owner-financed sales need extra care because of Arizona's forfeiture and recording rules.
Can I back out of a home purchase in Arizona?
Usually, if you act within the contract's deadlines. Most Arizona resale contracts include an inspection period, often 10 days, when a buyer can cancel or ask for repairs after inspections. Financing and appraisal terms can also give you a way out. Once those windows close, backing out gets much harder and can cost you your earnest money. Send your contract to Francisca as soon as you sign, so she can flag every deadline while you still have options.
Can the firm handle my eviction?
No. The firm does not file or defend eviction cases or appear at eviction hearings, which in Maricopa County take place in the justice courts. It handles everything before that point. Francisca prepares Arizona-compliant notices, writes demand letters, and negotiates move-out agreements, lease terminations, and cash-for-keys deals. Many disputes end at that stage. If a case does need to be filed or defended, the firm refers you to trusted litigation counsel and can coordinate the handoff.
Do I need a license to run a short-term rental in Phoenix?
Yes. The City of Phoenix requires short-term rental owners to obtain a city license, and Arizona requires a transaction privilege tax license for rental income. Owners also register the property with the county assessor and must follow city rules on neighbor notices and emergency contacts. HOA rules can add their own limits, so check them before you buy. Francisca can review your purchase, HOA documents, and rental agreements so your short-term rental starts on solid legal footing.
Can everything happen virtually?
Most of it can. The Law Offices of Francisca Manchac, PLLC is a virtual firm, so your consultation, document review, and drafting happen online. You upload contracts and photos, review drafts on screen in plain language, and text the office with questions. Closings usually happen through an escrow company, which handles signing and notarization, and many offer mobile or remote signing. The firm works with clients across Maricopa County, Pinal County, and the rest of Arizona.
Areas We Serve
The Law Offices of Francisca Manchac, PLLC serves Phoenix buyers, sellers, landlords, and investors across Maricopa and Pinal Counties, and clients anywhere in Arizona by video. Deeds are recorded with the county recorder where your property sits, such as the Maricopa County Recorder. Visit the Phoenix office page to see every service available to Arizona clients.
Speak With a Real Estate Attorney in Phoenix
The best time to call a real estate attorney is before you sign, not after a deadline passes. Start with a free 30-minute virtual consultation with Francisca. Call (832) 263-0935 or book online.