Phoenix Evictions Stay Near Record Even as Rents Fall
Published by Cash Flow Deals · Last updated 2026-08-04
Metro Phoenix landlords filed roughly 84,000 evictions in 2025, the second-highest total on record and just below 2024's all-time high of 87,197. Rents fell for 11 straight months at the same time filings stayed near record levels. If you own a rental property, that combination means your legal costs stay high while rental income growth stalls out. If you decide to sell, you choose between the Fast Cash Offer, where we buy your house as-is and close, and the Premium Cash Offer, where a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you.
| Factor | Traditional Listing | Cash Flow Deals |
|---|---|---|
| Tenant still in the property | Landlord has to manage move-out or lease-end timing before the home can list | A sale can be structured around the current lease and vacancy timeline |
| Repair costs after years of tenant wear | Landlord fronts repair costs before buyers will make an offer | With either the Fast Cash Offer or the Premium Cash Offer, the number is agreed before any work starts, and it changes only if you agree. The one exception: if something structural surfaces that was not visible or disclosed before we signed — foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring, cast-iron drain failure — we re-cost it and bring the number back to you. You decide. You can walk away. We disclose what we know at offer time so this almost never happens. |
| Certainty of closing | Buyer financing can fall through 30 to 45 days into a contract | A real FHA or conventional buyer whose own lender funds the purchase |
What the Numbers Show
Maricopa County justice courts recorded 87,197 eviction filings in 2024, the county's all-time record and more than 3,500 above the prior record set in 2005. December 2024 alone saw 7,339 filings, the busiest December on record. 2025 filings were tracking at roughly 84,000, about 4% below the 2024 peak but still the second-highest total the county has ever logged.
Why Falling Rents and High Filings Are Both Landlord Problems
Courtney LeVinus, president and CEO of the Arizona Multihousing Association, called it a strong renter's market. Owners are trying to work with residents to keep them in their units rather than push them out. Rents in the Valley have fallen for 11 to 12 straight months, with some complexes now offering two months of free rent on a 12-month lease. That's a landlord cutting effective income to compete for tenants, while eviction courts stay nearly as busy as they were during the record year before it.
The Legal Reality Behind the Filing Numbers
Judge Anna Huberman, whose Avondale precinct was the county's busiest for December evictions, put the legal math simply: there are very few legitimate defenses to nonpayment of rent, and most of them are only technical. Financial hardship isn't a legal defense under Arizona law. Roughly 30% of filed cases actually result in an eviction writ. The rest get dismissed or resolved through payment arrangements, which still costs a landlord in filing fees, court time, and vacancy risk even when the tenant stays.
What a Maricopa County Landlord Can Do
If your property generates repeat turnover, legal fees, and rent concessions in the same year, it may not be cash flowing the way it looks on paper. You can compare the Fast Cash Offer, where we buy your house as-is and close, with the Premium Cash Offer, where a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you. You choose. We cover repair costs, and we figure out a way, so nothing comes out of your pocket. With Premium, only what the buyer's lender requires gets fixed, with costs settled from the sale proceeds out of our share; with Fast Cash, you make no repairs. The number is agreed before any work starts, and it changes only if you agree. The one exception: if something structural surfaces that was not visible or disclosed before we signed — foundation issues, hidden moisture, old wiring, cast-iron drain failure — we re-cost it and bring the number back to you. You decide. You can walk away. We disclose what we know at offer time so this almost never happens.
Common questions
How many evictions were filed in Maricopa County in 2025?
Roughly 84,000, the second-highest total on record, just below 2024's all-time record of 87,197 filings.
Why are Valley rents falling even though eviction filings stayed near record levels?
Landlords are competing for a shrinking pool of tenants who can afford rent, so many are cutting effective rent through concessions like free-rent months while still filing on nonpaying tenants.
Does a high filing count mean most renters actually get evicted?
No. About 30% of filed cases end in an actual eviction writ; the rest are dismissed or resolved through payment arrangements.
Is financial hardship a legal defense against eviction in Arizona?
No. Courts have confirmed there are very few legitimate defenses to nonpayment of rent under Arizona law, and hardship alone isn't one of them.
What can a landlord do if a rental keeps generating turnover and legal costs?
You can compare the Fast Cash Offer and the Premium Cash Offer before scoping repairs or continuing to absorb concessions and filing costs. With Fast Cash, we buy your house as-is and close. With Premium, a pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have, ready to go, pays more and buys directly from you. You choose. If the buyer's loan falls through, that is our problem, not yours, and you can still take the Fast Cash Offer at its own number alongside your Premium Cash Offer choice.
Keep reading
Related reading
- Metro Phoenix Eviction Filings Hit 7,579 In October, Near 2024's Record Pace ›
- Arizona Foreclosure Filings Jump 48% Even As Maricopa Scores Lowest Risk ›
- Maricopa County Foreclosures Fall As National Filings Climb 18% ›
- Phoenix Luxury Real Estate Sees Record Price Cuts ›
- Maricopa County Foreclosure Filings Are Climbing in 2026 -- Here's What It Means for Phoenix and Mesa Sellers ›
- Greater Phoenix Home Sales Rise for a 12th Straight Month ›
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What this means for your options
When more landlords list rental property at the same time, buyer attention splits across more listings. Properties that don't compete on the open market close faster.
Wait and see
Keep the property as-is and hope conditions improve. The mortgage, insurance, and upkeep keep costing money while you wait, with no set date for things to turn around.
List with a traditional agent
Standard MLS listing, typically 5-6% in commission, and a financed buyer whose deal depends on appraisal, inspection, and lender approval — any of which can fall through after weeks on market.
Sell to Cash Flow Deals
Two offers for your house, Fast Cash or Premium Cash, and you choose. Cash: Cash Flow Deals buys the house as-is and closes. Premium: More money. A pre-approved FHA or conventional buyer we already have buys directly from you.
See both offers before you decide anything.