For your convenience, we have compiled the relevant laws related to foreclosing on a deed of trust in the state of Washington. If you are interested in researching the laws pertaining to a judicial foreclosure, please see RCW 61.12.

In the state of Washington, lenders secure home loan obligations through a deed of trust, rather than a traditional mortgage. The deed of trust authorizes a trustee to sell a home or other property without having to file a lawsuit and pursue the foreclosure sale in the courts.

Below you will find the black letter law on the lender requirements that must be fulfilled before your home can be sold in foreclosure at a public auction.

 RCW 61.24.005 - Definitions

The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.

     (1) "Grantor" means a person, or its successors, who executes a deed of trust to encumber the person's interest in property as security for the performance of all or part of the borrower's obligations.

     (2) "Beneficiary" means the holder of the instrument or document evidencing the obligations secured by the deed of trust, excluding persons holding the same as security for a different obligation.

     (3) "Affiliate of beneficiary" means any entity which controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with a beneficiary.

     (4) "Trustee" means the person designated as the trustee in the deed of trust or appointed under RCW 61.24.010(2).

     (5) "Borrower" means a person or a general partner in a partnership, including a joint venture, that is liable for all or part of the obligations secured by the deed of trust under the instrument or other document that is the principal evidence of such obligations, or the person's successors if they are liable for those obligations under a written agreement with the beneficiary.

     (6) "Guarantor" means any person and its successors who is not a borrower and who guarantees any of the obligations secured by a deed of trust in any written agreement other than the deed of trust.

     (7) "Commercial loan" means a loan that is not made primarily for personal, family, or household purposes.

     (8) "Trustee's sale" means a nonjudicial sale under a deed of trust undertaken pursuant to this chapter.

     (9) "Fair value" means the value of the property encumbered by a deed of trust that is sold pursuant to a trustee's sale. This value shall be determined by the court or other appropriate adjudicator by reference to the most probable price, as of the date of the trustee's sale, which would be paid in cash or other immediately available funds, after deduction of prior liens and encumbrances with interest to the date of the trustee's sale, for which the property would sell on such date after reasonable exposure in the market under conditions requisite to a fair sale, with the buyer and seller each acting prudently, knowledgeably, and for self-interest, and assuming that neither is under duress.

     (10) "Record" and "recorded" includes the appropriate registration proceedings, in the instance of registered land.

     (11) "Person" means any natural person, or legal or governmental entity.

 RCW 61.24.010 - Trustee, qualifications - Successor trustee

(1) The trustee of a deed of trust under this chapter shall be:

     (a) Any domestic corporation incorporated under Title 23B RCW, 30 RCW, 31 RCW, 32 RCW, or 33 RCW of which at least one officer is a Washington resident; or

     (b) Any title insurance company authorized to insure title to real property under the laws of this state, or its agents; or

     (c) Any attorney who is an active member of the Washington state bar association at the time the attorney is named trustee; or

     (d) Any professional corporation incorporated under chapter 18.100 RCW, any professional limited liability company formed under chapter 25.15 RCW, any general partnership, including limited liability partnerships, formed under chapter 25.04 RCW, all of whose shareholders, members, or partners, respectively, are either licensed attorneys or entities, provided all of the owners of those entities are licensed attorneys, or any domestic corporation wholly owned by any of the entities under this subsection (1)(d); or

     (e) Any agency or instrumentality of the United States government; or

     (f) Any national bank, savings bank, or savings and loan association chartered under the laws of the United States.

(2) The trustee may resign at its own election or be replaced by the beneficiary. The trustee shall give prompt written notice of its resignation to the beneficiary. The resignation of the trustee shall become effective upon the recording of the notice of resignation in each county in which the deed of trust is recorded. If a trustee is not appointed in the deed of trust, or upon the resignation, incapacity, disability, absence, or death of the trustee, or the election of the beneficiary to replace the trustee, the beneficiary shall appoint a trustee or a successor trustee. Upon recording the appointment of a successor trustee in each county in which the deed of trust is recorded, the successor trustee shall be vested with all powers of an original trustee.

 RCW 61.24.020 - Deeds subject to all mortgage laws - Foreclosure - Recording and indexing - Trustee and beneficiary, separate entities, exception

Except as provided in this chapter, a deed of trust is subject to all laws relating to mortgages on real property. A deed conveying real property to a trustee in trust to secure the performance of an obligation of the grantor or another to the beneficiary may be foreclosed by trustee's sale. The county auditor shall record the deed as a mortgage and shall index the name of the grantor as mortgagor and the names of the trustee and beneficiary as mortgagee. No person, corporation or association may be both trustee and beneficiary under the same deed of trust: PROVIDED, That any agency of the United States government may be both trustee and beneficiary under the same deed of trust. A deed of trust conveying real property that is used principally for agricultural purposes may be foreclosed as a mortgage. Pursuant to *RCW 62A.9-501(4), when a deed of trust encumbers both real and personal property, the trustee is authorized to sell all or any portion of the grantor's interest in that real and personal property at a trustee's sale.

 RCW 61.24.030 - Requisites to trustee's sale

It shall be requisite to a trustee's sale:

     (1) That the deed of trust contains a power of sale;

     (2) That the deed of trust contains a statement that the real property conveyed is not used principally for agricultural purposes; provided, if the statement is false on the date the deed of trust was granted or amended to include that statement, and false on the date of the trustee's sale, then the deed of trust must be foreclosed judicially. Real property is used for agricultural purposes if it is used in an operation that produces crops, livestock, or aquatic goods;

     (3) That a default has occurred in the obligation secured or a covenant of the grantor, which by the terms of the deed of trust makes operative the power to sell;

     (4) That no action commenced by the beneficiary of the deed of trust is now pending to seek satisfaction of an obligation secured by the deed of trust in any court by reason of the grantor's default on the obligation secured: PROVIDED, That (a) the seeking of the appointment of a receiver shall not constitute an action for purposes of this chapter; and (b) if a receiver is appointed, the grantor shall be entitled to any rents or profits derived from property subject to a homestead as defined in RCW 6.13.010. If the deed of trust was granted to secure a commercial loan, this subsection shall not apply to actions brought to enforce any other lien or security interest granted to secure the obligation secured by the deed of trust being foreclosed;

     (5) That the deed of trust has been recorded in each county in which the land or some part thereof is situated;

     (6) That prior to the date of the notice of trustee's sale and continuing thereafter through the date of the trustee's sale, the trustee must have a street address in this state where personal service of process may be made; and

     (7) That at least thirty days before notice of sale shall be recorded, transmitted or served, written notice of default shall be transmitted by the beneficiary or trustee to the borrower and grantor at their last known addresses by both first class and either registered or certified mail, return receipt requested, and the beneficiary or trustee shall cause to be posted in a conspicuous place on the premises, a copy of the notice, or personally served on the borrower and grantor. This notice shall contain the following information:

     (a) A description of the property which is then subject to the deed of trust;

     (b) Each county in which the deed of trust is recorded and the document number given to the deed of trust upon recording by each county auditor or recording officer;

     (c) That the beneficiary has declared the borrower or grantor to be in default, and a concise statement of the default alleged;

     (d) An itemized account of the amount or amounts in arrears if the default alleged is failure to make payments;

     (e) An itemized account of all other specific charges, costs, or fees that the borrower, grantor, or any guarantor is or may be obliged to pay to reinstate the deed of trust before the recording of the notice of sale;

     (f) The total of (d) and (e) of this subsection, designated clearly and conspicuously as the amount necessary to reinstate the note and deed of trust before the recording of the notice of sale;

     (g) That failure to cure the alleged default within thirty days of the date of mailing of the notice, or if personally served, within thirty days of the date of personal service thereof, may lead to recordation, transmittal, and publication of a notice of sale, and that the property described in (a) of this subsection may be sold at public auction at a date no less than one hundred twenty days in the future;

     (h) That the effect of the recordation, transmittal, and publication of a notice of sale will be to (i) increase the costs and fees and (ii) publicize the default and advertise the grantor's property for sale;

     (i) That the effect of the sale of the grantor's property by the trustee will be to deprive the grantor of all their interest in the property described in (a) of this subsection; and

     (j) That the borrower, grantor, and any guarantor has recourse to the courts pursuant to RCW 61.24.130 to contest the alleged default on any proper ground.

 RCW 61.24.040 - Foreclosure and sale - Notice of sale

A deed of trust foreclosed under this chapter shall be foreclosed as follows:

     (1) At least ninety days before the sale, the trustee shall:

     (a) Record a notice in the form described in RCW 61.24.040(1)(f) in the office of the auditor in each county in which the deed of trust is recorded;

     (b) To the extent the trustee elects to foreclose its lien or interest, or the beneficiary elects to preserve its right to seek a deficiency judgment against a borrower or grantor under RCW 61.24.100(3)(a), and if their addresses are stated in a recorded instrument evidencing their interest, lien, or claim of lien, or an amendment thereto, or are otherwise known to the trustee, cause a copy of the notice of sale described in RCW 61.24.040(1)(f) to be transmitted by both first class and either certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the following persons or their legal representatives, if any, at such address:

     (i) The borrower and grantor;

     (ii) The beneficiary of any deed of trust or mortgagee of any mortgage, or any person who has a lien or claim of lien against the property, that was recorded subsequent to the recordation of the deed of trust being foreclosed and before the recordation of the notice of sale;

     (iii) The vendee in any real estate contract, the lessee in any lease, or the holder of any conveyances of any interest or estate in any portion or all of the property described in such notice, if that contract, lease, or conveyance of such interest or estate, or a memorandum or other notice thereof, was recorded after the recordation of the deed of trust being foreclosed and before the recordation of the notice of sale;

     (iv) The last holder of record of any other lien against or interest in the property that is subject to a subordination to the deed of trust being foreclosed that was recorded before the recordation of the notice of sale;

     (v) The last holder of record of the lien of any judgment subordinate to the deed of trust being foreclosed; and

     (vi) The occupants of property consisting solely of a single-family residence, or a condominium, cooperative, or other dwelling unit in a multiplex or other building containing fewer than five residential units, whether or not the occupant's rental agreement is recorded, which notice may be a single notice addressed to "occupants" for each unit known to the trustee or beneficiary;

     (c) Cause a copy of the notice of sale described in RCW 61.24.040(1)(f) to be transmitted by both first class and either certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the plaintiff or the plaintiff's attorney of record, in any court action to foreclose a lien or other encumbrance on all or any part of the property, provided a court action is pending and a lis pendens in connection therewith is recorded in the office of the auditor of any county in which all or part of the property is located on the date the notice is recorded;

     (d) Cause a copy of the notice of sale described in RCW 61.24.040(1)(f) to be transmitted by both first class and either certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to any person who has recorded a request for notice in accordance with RCW 61.24.045, at the address specified in such person's most recently recorded request for notice;

     (e) Cause a copy of the notice of sale described in RCW 61.24.040(1)(f) to be posted in a conspicuous place on the property, or in lieu of posting, cause a copy of said notice to be served upon any occupant of the property;

 RCW 61.24.050 - Interest conveyed by trustee's deed - Sale is final if acceptance is properly recorded - Redemption precluded after sale

When delivered to the purchaser, the trustee's deed shall convey all of the right, title, and interest in the real and personal property sold at the trustee's sale which the grantor had or had the power to convey at the time of the execution of the deed of trust, and such as the grantor may have thereafter acquired. If the trustee accepts a bid, then the trustee's sale is final as of the date and time of such acceptance if the trustee's deed is recorded within fifteen days thereafter. After a trustee's sale, no person shall have any right, by statute or otherwise, to redeem the property sold at the trustee's sale.

The purchaser at the trustee's sale shall be entitled to possession of the property on the twentieth day following the sale, as against the grantor under the deed of trust and anyone having an interest junior to the deed of trust, including occupants and tenants, who were given all of the notices to which they were entitled under this chapter. The purchaser shall also have a right to the summary proceedings to obtain possession of real property provided in chapter 59.12 RCW.

 RCW 61.24.060 - Rights and remedies of trustee's sale purchaser

The purchaser at the trustee's sale shall be entitled to possession of the property on the twentieth day following the sale, as against the grantor under the deed of trust and anyone having an interest junior to the deed of trust, including occupants and tenants, who were given all of the notices to which they were entitled under this chapter. The purchaser shall also have a right to the summary proceedings to obtain possession of real property provided in chapter 59.12 RCW.

 RCW 61.24.070 - Trustee's sale, who may bid at - If beneficiary is purchaser - If purchaser is not beneficiary

(1) The trustee may not bid at the trustee's sale. Any other person, including the beneficiary, may bid at the trustee's sale.

(2) The trustee shall, at the request of the beneficiary, credit toward the beneficiary's bid all or any part of the monetary obligations secured by the deed of trust. If the beneficiary is the purchaser, any amount bid by the beneficiary in excess of the amount so credited shall be paid to the trustee in the form of cash, certified check, cashier's check, money order, or funds received by verified electronic transfer, or any combination thereof. If the purchaser is not the beneficiary, the entire bid shall be paid to the trustee in the form of cash, certified check, cashier's check, money order, or funds received by verified electronic transfer, or any combination thereof.

 RCW 61.24.080 - Disposition of proceeds of sale - Notices - Surplus funds

The trustee shall apply the proceeds of the sale as follows:

(1) To the expense of sale, including a reasonable charge by the trustee and by his or her attorney: PROVIDED, That the aggregate of the charges by the trustee and his or her attorney, for their services in the sale, shall not exceed the amount which would, by the superior court of the county in which the trustee's sale occurred, have been deemed a reasonable attorney fee, had the trust deed been foreclosed as a mortgage in a noncontested action in that court;

(2) To the obligation secured by the deed of trust; and

(3) The surplus, if any, less the clerk's filing fee, shall be deposited, together with written notice of the amount of the surplus, a copy of the notice of trustee's sale, and an affidavit of mailing as provided in this subsection, with the clerk of the superior court of the county in which the sale took place. The trustee shall mail copies of the notice of the surplus, the notice of trustee's sale, and the affidavit of mailing to each party to whom the notice of trustee's sale was sent pursuant to RCW 61.24.040(1). The clerk shall index such funds under the name of the grantor as set out in the recorded notice. Upon compliance with this subsection, the trustee shall be discharged from all further responsibilities for the surplus. Interests in, or liens or claims of liens against the property eliminated by sale under this section shall attach to the surplus in the order of priority that it had attached to the property. A party seeking disbursement of the surplus funds shall file a motion requesting disbursement in the superior court for the county in which the surplus funds are deposited. Notice of the motion shall be personally served upon, or mailed in the manner specified in RCW 61.24.040(1)(b), to all parties to whom the trustee mailed notice of the surplus, and any other party who has entered an appearance in the proceeding, not less than twenty days prior to the hearing of the motion. The clerk shall not disburse such surplus except upon order of the superior court of such county.

 RCW 61.24.090 - Curing defaults before sale - Discontinuance of proceedings - Notice of discontinuance - Execution and acknowledgment - Payments tendered to trustee

(1) At any time prior to the eleventh day before the date set by the trustee for the sale in the recorded notice of sale, or in the event the trustee continues the sale pursuant to RCW 61.24.040(6), at any time prior to the eleventh day before the actual sale, the borrower, grantor, any guarantor, any beneficiary under a subordinate deed of trust, or any person having a subordinate lien or encumbrance of record on the trust property or any part thereof, shall be entitled to cause a discontinuance of the sale proceedings by curing the default or defaults set forth in the notice, which in the case of a default by failure to pay, shall be by paying to the trustee:

     (a) The entire amount then due under the terms of the deed of trust and the obligation secured thereby, other than such portion of the principal as would not then be due had no default occurred, and

     (b) The expenses actually incurred by the trustee enforcing the terms of the note and deed of trust, including a reasonable trustee's fee, together with the trustee's reasonable attorney's fees, together with costs of recording the notice of discontinuance of notice of trustee's sale.

     (2) Any person entitled to cause a discontinuance of the sale proceedings shall have the right, before or after reinstatement, to request any court, excluding a small claims court, for disputes within the jurisdictional limits of that court, to determine the reasonableness of any fees demanded or paid as a condition to reinstatement. The court shall make such determination as it deems appropriate, which may include an award to the prevailing party of its costs and reasonable attorneys' fees, and render judgment accordingly. An action to determine fees shall not forestall any sale or affect its validity.

     (3) Upon receipt of such payment the proceedings shall be discontinued, the deed of trust shall be reinstated and the obligation shall remain as though no acceleration had taken place.

     (4) In the case of a default which is occasioned by other than failure to make payments, the person or persons causing the said default shall pay the expenses incurred by the trustee and the trustee's fees as set forth in subsection (1)(b) of this section.

     (5) Any person having a subordinate lien of record on the trust property and who has cured the default or defaults pursuant to this section shall thereafter have included in his lien all payments made to cure any defaults, including interest thereon at eight percent per annum, payments made for trustees' costs and fees incurred as authorized, and reasonable attorney's fees and costs incurred resulting from any judicial action commenced to enforce his or her rights to advances under this section.

     (6) If the default is cured and the obligation and the deed of trust reinstated in the manner provided, the trustee shall properly execute, acknowledge, and cause to be recorded a notice of discontinuance of trustee's sale under that deed of trust. A notice of discontinuance of trustee's sale when so executed and acknowledged is entitled to be recorded and shall be sufficient if it sets forth a record of the deed of trust and the auditor's file number under which the deed of trust is recorded, and a reference to the notice of sale and the auditor's file number under which the notice of sale is recorded, and a notice that the sale is discontinued.

     (7) Any payments required under this section as a condition precedent to reinstatement of the deed of trust shall be tendered to the trustee in the form of cash, certified check, cashier's check, money order, or funds received by verified electronic transfer, or any combination thereof.

 RCW 61.24.100 - Deficiency judgments - Foreclosure - Trustee's sale - Application of chapter

(1) Except to the extent permitted in this section for deeds of trust securing commercial loans, a deficiency judgment shall not be obtained on the obligations secured by a deed of trust against any borrower, grantor, or guarantor after a trustee's sale under that deed of trust.

     (2)(a) Nothing in this chapter precludes an action against any person liable on the obligations secured by a deed of trust or any guarantor prior to a notice of trustee's sale being given pursuant to this chapter or after the discontinuance of the trustee's sale.

     (b) No action under (a) of this subsection precludes the beneficiary from commencing a judicial foreclosure or trustee's sale under the deed of trust after the completion or dismissal of that action.

     (3) This chapter does not preclude any one or more of the following after a trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan executed after June 11, 1998:

     (a)(i) To the extent the fair value of the property sold at the trustee's sale to the beneficiary or an affiliate of the beneficiary is less than the unpaid obligation secured by the deed of trust immediately prior to the trustee's sale, an action for a deficiency judgment against the borrower or grantor, if such person or persons was timely given the notices under RCW 61.24.040, for (A) any decrease in the fair value of the property caused by waste to the property committed by the borrower or grantor, respectively, after the deed of trust is granted, and (B) the wrongful retention of any rents, insurance proceeds, or condemnation awards by the borrower or grantor, respectively, that are otherwise owed to the beneficiary.

     (ii) This subsection (3)(a) does not apply to any property that is occupied by the borrower as its principal residence as of the date of the trustee's sale;

     (b) Any judicial or nonjudicial foreclosures of any other deeds of trust, mortgages, security agreements, or other security interests or liens covering any real or personal property granted to secure the obligation that was secured by the deed of trust foreclosed; or

     (c) Subject to this section, an action for a deficiency judgment against a guarantor if the guarantor is timely given the notices under RCW 61.24.042.

     (4) Any action referred to in subsection (3)(a) and (c) of this section shall be commenced within one year after the date of the trustee's sale, or a later date to which the liable party otherwise agrees in writing with the beneficiary after the notice of foreclosure is given, plus any period during which the action is prohibited by a bankruptcy, insolvency, moratorium, or other similar debtor protection statute. If there occurs more than one trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan or if trustee's sales are made pursuant to two or more deeds of trust securing the same commercial loan, the one-year limitation in this section begins on the date of the last of those trustee's sales.

     (5) In any action against a guarantor following a trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan, the guarantor may request the court or other appropriate adjudicator to determine, or the court or other appropriate adjudicator may in its discretion determine, the fair value of the property sold at the sale and the deficiency judgment against the guarantor shall be for an amount equal to the sum of the total amount owed to the beneficiary by the guarantor as of the date of the trustee's sale, less the fair value of the property sold at the trustee's sale or the sale price paid at the trustee's sale, whichever is greater, plus interest on the amount of the deficiency from the date of the trustee's sale at the rate provided in the guaranty, the deed of trust, or in any other contracts evidencing the debt secured by the deed of trust, as applicable, and any costs, expenses, and fees that are provided for in any contract evidencing the guarantor's liability for such a judgment. If any other security is sold to satisfy the same debt prior to the entry of a deficiency judgment against the guarantor, the fair value of that security, as calculated in the manner applicable to the property sold at the trustee's sale, shall be added to the fair value of the property sold at the trustee's sale as of the date that additional security is foreclosed. This section is in lieu of any right any guarantor would otherwise have to establish an upset price pursuant to RCW 61.12.060 prior to a trustee's sale.

     (6) A guarantor granting a deed of trust to secure its guaranty of a commercial loan shall be subject to a deficiency judgment following a trustee's sale under that deed of trust only to the extent stated in subsection (3)(a)(i) of this section. If the deed of trust encumbers the guarantor's principal residence, the guarantor shall be entitled to receive an amount up to the homestead exemption set forth in RCW 6.13.030, without regard to the effect of RCW 6.13.080(2), from the bid at the foreclosure or trustee's sale accepted by the sheriff or trustee prior to the application of the bid to the guarantor's obligation.

     (7) A beneficiary's acceptance of a deed in lieu of a trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan exonerates the guarantor from any liability for the debt secured thereby except to the extent the guarantor otherwise agrees as part of the deed in lieu transaction.

     (8) This chapter does not preclude a beneficiary from foreclosing a deed of trust in the same manner as a real property mortgage and this section does not apply to such a foreclosure.

     (9) Any contract, note, deed of trust, or guaranty may, by its express language, prohibit the recovery of any portion or all of a deficiency after the property encumbered by the deed of trust securing a commercial loan is sold at a trustee's sale.

     (10) A trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan does not preclude an action to collect or enforce any obligation of a borrower or guarantor if that obligation, or the substantial equivalent of that obligation, was not secured by the deed of trust.

     (11) Unless the guarantor otherwise agrees, a trustee's sale shall not impair any right or agreement of a guarantor to be reimbursed by a borrower or grantor for a deficiency judgment against the guarantor.

     (12) Notwithstanding anything in this section to the contrary, the rights and obligations of any borrower, grantor, and guarantor following a trustee's sale under a deed of trust securing a commercial loan or any guaranty of such a loan executed prior to June 11, 1998, shall be determined in accordance with the laws existing prior to June 11, 1998.

 RCW 61.24.135 - Consumer protection act - Unfair or deceptive acts or practices

It is an unfair or deceptive act or practice under the consumer protection act, chapter 19.86 RCW, for any person, acting alone or in concert with others, to offer, or offer to accept or accept from another, any consideration of any type not to bid, or to reduce a bid, at a sale of property conducted pursuant to a power of sale in a deed of trust. However, it is not an unfair or deceptive act or practice for any person, including a trustee, to state that a property subject to a recorded notice of trustee's sale or subject to a sale conducted pursuant to this chapter is being sold in an "as-is" condition, or for the beneficiary to arrange to provide financing for a particular bidder or to reach any good faith agreement with the borrower, grantor, any guarantor, or any junior lienholder.

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