Tony and Agnes Quach owned rental homes in Arizona for more than 20 years. They live in the San Francisco Bay Area, where Tony is a CPA heading toward retirement. In 2026 they decided to cash out. I sold their rental in El Mirage in March and their rental on South Cholla Street in Gilbert in April. Tony never had to fly to Arizona, not once. Their third home, on Mariposa Drive in Gilbert, they chose to keep as a rental.
Why did Tony and Agnes sell their Arizona rentals?
They were tired of being landlords. Twenty years of tenants, repairs, and the ups and downs that come with them, all managed from another state. Tony is heading toward retirement, and they wanted the money working somewhere more stable. Selling the rentals let them move it into other investments and stop worrying about the next phone call from a tenant.
Can you sell an Arizona rental without flying in?
Yes. Tony never came to Arizona to get the homes ready. I lined up the contractors and the cleanings and met the crews at the properties for him. When one house got new exterior paint, I went over, checked the work, and sent Tony photos. When a block wall was repaired, I went and checked that too. Tony made the decisions from his phone. My job was to be his eyes on the ground.
That split works well for out-of-state owners. You decide what gets done and what it costs. I make sure it actually got done, and done right, before a buyer ever walks in.
How did the Gilbert and El Mirage sales go?
The El Mirage home closed on March 2, 2026. That one was simple. It was a rental, and they were cashing out.
The Cholla Street home in Gilbert sold to an investor using a DSCR loan. That is a loan based on the rent a home can bring in, not on the buyer's personal income. It went smoothly from contract to close, and it closed on April 10, 2026.
Why did they keep the Mariposa home?
We listed the Mariposa home too, and it did not sell. It needed major repairs, and buyers saw that. Tony did not want to take on that work, so he and Agnes kept it as a rental. Selling a group of rentals does not have to be all or nothing. You can sell the homes that are ready and make a separate call on the rest.
What do I tell out-of-state owners who want to sell?
Start with a plan for each home, not one plan for all of them. Every rental has its own lease date, its own condition, and its own buyer. Time each sale around the lease so the home is empty when it hits the market. A home with a tenant in it shows slower, and fewer buyers see it.
Then decide who will be your eyes in Arizona. Someone has to meet the painter, check the wall, and send you photos before you pay the bill. If you are thinking about selling a rental, see how I run the whole process on my page about how your home gets sold. You can also read how a Chandler landlord sold her former rental after a buyer repair request, or how I sold an inherited Chandler home without ever meeting the sellers.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need to be in Arizona to sell my rental?
No. Tony and Agnes sold two Arizona rentals from the Bay Area without a single trip. Contractors, cleanings, and inspections can all be handled locally. You sign documents electronically and approve the work from photos.
What is a DSCR buyer?
A DSCR buyer is usually an investor whose loan is based on the rent the home can earn, not on their personal income. The Cholla Street home sold to a DSCR buyer, and it closed without trouble.
Do I have to sell all my rentals at once?
No. Each home can be its own decision. The Quaches sold two and kept the third as a rental. Sell what is ready, and decide on the rest when the timing or the numbers make sense for you.
Ben Graham, REALTOR since 2011, serving Chandler, South Tempe, and South Chandler. More than 500 homes sold, including out-of-state owners selling rentals. Want to see how other sellers handled it? Read more closing stories.
