Last updated December 9, 2022
What is a Deed of Trust?
A Deed of Trust, also known as a trust deed, is
a document used during financed real estate
transactions, meaning a buyer borrows money from a lender to buy a property.
It transfers the property’s legal title to a neutral
third party, the trustee, who holds it until the buyer pays back the lender.
Once repayment is complete, the trustee
reconveys
the legal title to the buyer, and the transaction is complete. In
many cases, the trustee can
foreclose
on the property if the buyer doesn’t pay back the loan.
In some states, Deeds of Trust are used instead of
mortgages.
Parties to a Deed of Trust
A Deed of Trust always involves three parties: a trustor,
beneficiary, and trustee. In some cases, a Deed of Trust also has a
guarantor.
Who is the trustor?
The trustor is the borrower buying real property.
Who is the beneficiary?
The beneficiary is the lender providing financing
to the trustor. The trustee holds the title for the lender’s
benefit.
Who is the trustee?
The trustee is the neutral third party who holds
the legal title as security until the trustor pays back the
beneficiary.
Neither the borrower nor the lender can be a trustee. A trustee is
typically an attorney, a title company, or an
escrow agent. A trustee is often the beneficiary’s lawyer.
Who is the guarantor?
The guarantor is the person that is jointly liable for the loan
if the trustor defaults. A lender may require a borrower to have a guarantor because they
want more options to collect loan repayment should the trustor
default.
What is the purpose of a Deed of Trust?
Most buyers must borrow or take out a mortgage to
purchase real estate. In these cases, lenders must protect their interests if a buyer
defaults on their loan. This is where a Deed of Trust becomes
useful.
Using a Deed of Trust allows lenders to ensure they will be
reimbursed even if the buyer cannot pay them back. If the buyer defaults on their loan, the trustee can take full
control because the Deed of Trust gives them the legal title.
If you
lend someone money to
buy real estate without using a Deed of Trust and
they default on their loan, you may have a
harder time getting your money back.
How does a Deed of Trust work?
First, a lender has to agree to give a borrower money to buy real
property, meaning immovable property like land or a house. Usually,
the parties will use a
Promissory Note
to outline this arrangement.
Next, the parties use a Deed of Trust to secure the loan and protect
the lender’s interests. The Deed of Trust transfers a
property’s legal title to an independent trustee.
Throughout the repayment period,
the trustee holds the legal title, and the borrower holds the
equitable title
of the property. The
equitable title
is the right to use and enjoy the property.
When the loan is fully repaid, the lender directs the trustee to use
a
Deed of Reconveyance
to transfer the property’s legal title to the borrower.
If the borrower doesn’t repay the loan, the property can
be put up for sale
as long as the Deed of Trust contains a
power of sale clause and proper notice and deadline
requirements are met. Typically, lenders require Deeds of Trust to
include a power of sale clause.
Deed of Trust versus mortgage
Even though Deeds of Trust and mortgages are similar in function,
there are some important distinctions between them. Let’s
explore their key similarities and differences.
Similarities
Here are some similarities between Deeds of Trust and mortgages:
1. Basic purpose
Deeds of Trust and Mortgage Agreements serve the same basic
purpose. They’re both agreements that empower lenders to foreclose
on borrowers' property if they don’t pay. With both documents,
a property’s title is essentially collateral (security) for
the loan.
2. Option for guarantor
Both Deeds of Trust and mortgages can involve a
guarantor, the person jointly liable for the loan if the trustor defaults.
Having a guarantor is not necessarily a requirement, although a
lender may require a borrower to have one.
3. State governed
State laws decide which type of contract the parties have to
use. In some states, you must use a mortgage. In others, you have to
use a Deed of Trust. Some states allow you to use either.
Differences
Here are some differences between Deeds of Trust and mortgages:
1. Number of parties
A mortgage is between two parties, the borrower and
the lender. A Deed of Trust has three parties, the
borrower, lender, and trustee.
2. Foreclosure process
When a Deed of Trust includes a power of sale clause and the
borrower defaults, the lender has the right to foreclose on the
property.
Deeds of Trust have a non-judicial foreclosure process, meaning the lender does not have to go through the court system
to
sell the property.
Alternatively, if a borrower has a mortgage and is facing
foreclosure, the case might need to go through the court process
because
mortgages often have a judicial foreclosure process.
Going through the court system takes much more time and money for
both the borrower and the lender. Therefore, using a Deed of Trust
may be preferable for lenders in states where you can use either a
Deed of Trust or a
Mortgage Agreement.
Unsure which deed is right for you?
Let our Which Type of Real Estate Deed Do I
Need? tool recommend the best deed for your unique
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Deed of Trust versus Warranty Deed
A
Warranty Deed
guarantees that a property’s title is free from
encumbrances
while transferring its ownership. A Deed of Trust transfers a
property’s ownership to a trustee, guaranteeing that a lender
will get paid back during financed real estate transactions.
How to get a Deed of Trust
Use our
Deed of Trust template
to quickly and easily create your document. Our template is
customized to your state’s laws and will ask you for the
following information:
-
The borrower, lender, and trustee’s names and addresses
- The property address
- The amount being borrowed
- The interest rate
- The interest adjustment date
- The frequency of principal and interest payments
- The payment amounts and due dates
- The due date of the final payment
The loan repayment terms should match those outlined in the initial
Promissory Note.
In your Deed of Trust, there are also options to include an annual
prepayment of principal and a prepayment of entire principal.
The annual prepayment of principal option allows
the borrower to prepay a percentage of the principal amount each
year before the payment is due.
The prepayment of entire principal option allows
the borrower to prepay the entire remaining principal of the trust
before the end of the term.
If your state requires you to use a mortgage instead, our template
will direct you to our
Mortgage Agreement template.
Deed of Trust states
In the following table, check out which states allow you to use a
Deed of Trust.
State
|
Uses Deeds of Trust
|
Uses Mortgage Agreements
|
Alabama |
✓
|
✓
|
Alaska |
✓
|
|
Arizona |
✓
|
✓
|
Arkansas |
✓
|
✓
|
California |
✓
|
|
Colorado |
✓
|
|
Connecticut |
|
✓
|
Delaware |
|
✓
|
District of Columbia
|
✓
|
|
Florida |
|
✓
|
Georgia |
✓
|
|
Hawaii |
✓
|
|
Idaho |
✓
|
|
Illinois |
✓
|
✓
|
Indiana |
|
✓
|
Iowa |
|
✓
|
Kansas |
|
✓
|
Kentucky |
✓
|
✓
|
Louisiana |
|
✓
|
Maine |
✓
|
|
Maryland |
✓
|
✓
|
Massachusetts |
✓
|
|
Michigan |
✓
|
✓
|
Minnesota |
✓
|
|
Mississippi |
✓
|
|
Missouri |
✓
|
|
Montana |
✓
|
✓
|
Nebraska |
✓
|
|
Nevada |
✓
|
|
New Hampshire |
✓
|
|
New Jersey |
|
✓
|
New Mexico |
✓
|
✓
|
New York |
✓
|
✓
|
North Carolina
|
✓
|
|
North Dakota |
|
✓
|
Ohio |
|
✓
|
Oklahoma |
|
✓
|
Oregon |
✓
|
|
Pennsylvania |
|
✓
|
Rhode Island |
✓
|
|
South Carolina
|
|
✓
|
South Dakota |
✓
|
✓
|
Tennessee |
✓
|
|
Texas |
✓
|
|
Utah |
✓
|
|
Vermont |
|
✓
|
Virginia |
✓
|
|
Washington |
✓
|
|
West Virginia |
✓
|
|
Wisconsin |
|
✓
|
Wyoming |
✓
|
|
Notarizing and recording a Deed of Trust
To execute a Deed of Trust properly,
the parties need to
sign in the presence of a notary public. Signing with a notary public ensures that the parties understand
the nature of the agreement. It also guarantees that the signatures
are authentic.
The deed of trust must be recorded as evidence of and security
for the debt. Generally, this means going to the recorder or local county
clerk’s office where the property is located. The borrower,
lender, and trustee should all keep a copy of the recorded document.
What happens when a Deed of Trust is paid off?
When a buyer fully repays their loan, the lender should direct the
trustee to use a
Deed of Reconveyance
to transfer the property’s legal title to the buyer.