BILL REQ. #:  S-3907.1 



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SENATE BILL 6514
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State of Washington62nd Legislature2012 Regular Session

By Senators Hobbs, Fain, Kastama, Litzow, Hatfield, and Harper

Read first time 01/26/12.   Referred to Committee on Financial Institutions, Housing & Insurance.



     AN ACT Relating to publishing notice of owner-occupied real property foreclosure sales on the internet; and amending RCW 61.24.040.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

Sec. 1   RCW 61.24.040 and 2009 c 292 s 9 are each amended to read as follows:
     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 (f) of this subsection 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 (f) of this subsection 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 (f) of this subsection 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 (f) of this subsection 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 (f) of this subsection 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;
     (f) The notice shall be in substantially the following form:


               NOTICE OF TRUSTEE'S SALE



               I.


NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned Trustee will on the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . ., at the hour of . . . . o'clock . . . . M. at . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [street address and location if inside a building] in the City of . . . . . ., State of Washington, sell at public auction to the highest and best bidder, payable at the time of sale, the following described real property, situated in the County(ies) of . . . . . ., State of Washington, to-wit:

[If any personal property is to be included in the trustee's sale, include a description that reasonably identifies such personal property]


which is subject to that certain Deed of Trust dated . . . . . ., . . ., recorded . . . . . ., . . ., under Auditor's File No. . . . ., records of . . . . . . County, Washington, from . . . . . . . . ., as Grantor, to . . . . . . . . ., as Trustee, to secure an obligation in favor of . . . . . . . . ., as Beneficiary, the beneficial interest in which was assigned by . . . . . . . . ., under an Assignment recorded under Auditor's File No. . . . . [Include recording information for all counties if the Deed of Trust is recorded in more than one county.]


               II.


No action commenced by the Beneficiary of the Deed of Trust is now pending to seek satisfaction of the obligation in any Court by reason of the Borrower's or Grantor's default on the obligation secured by the Deed of Trust.

[If there is another action pending to foreclose other security for all or part of the same debt, qualify the statement and identify the action.]



               III.


The default(s) for which this foreclosure is made is/are as follows:

[If default is for other than payment of money, set forth the particulars]


Failure to pay when due the following amounts which are now in arrears:


               IV.


The sum owing on the obligation secured by the Deed of Trust is: Principal $ . . . . . ., together with interest as provided in the note or other instrument secured from the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . ., and such other costs and fees as are due under the note or other instrument secured, and as are provided by statute.


               V.


The above-described real property will be sold to satisfy the expense of sale and the obligation secured by the Deed of Trust as provided by statute. The sale will be made without warranty, express or implied, regarding title, possession, or encumbrances on the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . . The default(s) referred to in paragraph III must be cured by the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . . (11 days before the sale date), to cause a discontinuance of the sale. The sale will be discontinued and terminated if at any time on or before the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . ., (11 days before the sale date), the default(s) as set forth in paragraph III is/are cured and the Trustee's fees and costs are paid. The sale may be terminated any time after the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . . (11 days before the sale date), and before the sale by the Borrower, Grantor, any Guarantor, or the holder of any recorded junior lien or encumbrance paying the entire principal and interest secured by the Deed of Trust, plus costs, fees, and advances, if any, made pursuant to the terms of the obligation and/or Deed of Trust, and curing all other defaults.


               VI.


A written notice of default was transmitted by the Beneficiary or Trustee to the Borrower and Grantor at the following addresses:

. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .

by both first-class and certified mail on the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . ., proof of which is in the possession of the Trustee; and the Borrower and Grantor were personally served on the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . ., with said written notice of default or the written notice of default was posted in a conspicuous place on the real property described in paragraph I above, and the Trustee has possession of proof of such service or posting.


               VII.


The Trustee whose name and address are set forth below will provide in writing to anyone requesting it, a statement of all costs and fees due at any time prior to the sale.


               VIII.


The effect of the sale will be to deprive the Grantor and all those who hold by, through or under the Grantor of all their interest in the above-described property.


               IX.


Anyone having any objection to the sale on any grounds whatsoever will be afforded an opportunity to be heard as to those objections if they bring a lawsuit to restrain the sale pursuant to RCW 61.24.130. Failure to bring such a lawsuit may result in a waiver of any proper grounds for invalidating the Trustee's sale.

[Add Part X to this notice if applicable under RCW 61.24.040(((9))) (10)]

. . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . . . . . . . . ,Trustee
  . . . . . . . . . . . . |
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  . . . . . . . . . . . . Address
  . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . . . . . . . . }Phone

[Acknowledgment]

     (2) In addition to providing the borrower and grantor the notice of sale described in subsection (1)(f) of this section, the trustee shall include with the copy of the notice which is mailed to the grantor, a statement to the grantor in substantially the following form:


     NOTICE OF FORECLOSURE

                         Pursuant to the Revised Code of Washington,

                         Chapter 61.24 RCW



     The attached Notice of Trustee's Sale is a consequence of default(s) in the obligation to . . . . . ., the Beneficiary of your Deed of Trust and owner of the obligation secured thereby. Unless the default(s) is/are cured, your property will be sold at auction on the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . .
     To cure the default(s), you must bring the payments current, cure any other defaults, and pay accrued late charges and other costs, advances, and attorneys' fees as set forth below by the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . . [11 days before the sale date]. To date, these arrears and costs are as follows:



  Estimated amount
 Currently duethat will be due
 to reinstateto reinstate
 on. . . . . on. . . . .
 . . . . . . . . . . . .
  (11 days before
  the date set
  for sale)
Delinquent payments 
from. . . . . . ,  
. . . , in the  
amount of  
$. . . . /mo.:$. . . . $. . . .
Late charges in  
the total  
amount of:$. . . . $. . . .
   Estimated
   Amounts
Attorneys' fees:$. . . . $. . . .
Trustee's fee:$. . . . $. . . .
Trustee's expenses: 
(Itemization)
  
Title report$. . . . $. . . .
Recording fees$. . . . $. . . .
Service/Posting
of Notices

$. . . .

$. . . .
Postage/Copying
expense

$. . . .

$. . . .
Publication$. . . . $. . . .
Telephone
charges

$. . . .
$. . . .
Inspection fees$. . . . $. . . .
. . . . . . $. . . . $. . . .
. . . . . . $. . . . $. . . .
TOTALS$. . . . $. . . .


     To pay off the entire obligation secured by your Deed of Trust as of the . . . . . day of . . . . . . you must pay a total of $. . . . . in principal, $. . . . . in interest, plus other costs and advances estimated to date in the amount of $. . . . . . From and after the date of this notice you must submit a written request to the Trustee to obtain the total amount to pay off the entire obligation secured by your Deed of Trust as of the payoff date.
     As to the defaults which do not involve payment of money to the Beneficiary of your Deed of Trust, you must cure each such default. Listed below are the defaults which do not involve payment of money to the Beneficiary of your Deed of Trust. Opposite each such listed default is a brief description of the action necessary to cure the default and a description of the documentation necessary to show that the default has been cured.

DefaultDescription of Action Required to Cure and
Documentation Necessary to Show Cure
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . .


     You may reinstate your Deed of Trust and the obligation secured thereby at any time up to and including the . . . . day of . . . . . ., . . . [11 days before the sale date], by paying the amount set forth or estimated above and by curing any other defaults described above. Of course, as time passes other payments may become due, and any further payments coming due and any additional late charges must be added to your reinstating payment. Any new defaults not involving payment of money that occur after the date of this notice must also be cured in order to effect reinstatement. In addition, because some of the charges can only be estimated at this time, and because the amount necessary to reinstate or to pay off the entire indebtedness may include presently unknown expenditures required to preserve the property or to comply with state or local law, it will be necessary for you to contact the Trustee before the time you tender reinstatement or the payoff amount so that you may be advised of the exact amount you will be required to pay. Tender of payment or performance must be made to: . . . . . ., whose address is . . . . . ., telephone ( ) . . . . . . AFTER THE . . . . DAY OF . . . . . ., . . ., YOU MAY NOT REINSTATE YOUR DEED OF TRUST BY PAYING THE BACK PAYMENTS AND COSTS AND FEES AND CURING THE OTHER DEFAULTS AS OUTLINED ABOVE. The Trustee will respond to any written request for current payoff or reinstatement amounts within ten days of receipt of your written request. In such a case, you will only be able to stop the sale by paying, before the sale, the total principal balance ($ . . . . . .) plus accrued interest, costs and advances, if any, made pursuant to the terms of the documents and by curing the other defaults as outlined above.
     You may contest this default by initiating court action in the Superior Court of the county in which the sale is to be held. In such action, you may raise any legitimate defenses you have to this default. A copy of your Deed of Trust and documents evidencing the obligation secured thereby are enclosed. You may wish to consult a lawyer. Legal action on your part may prevent or restrain the sale, but only if you persuade the court of the merits of your defense. You may contact the Department of Financial Institutions or the statewide civil legal aid hotline for possible assistance or referrals.
     The court may grant a restraining order or injunction to restrain a trustee's sale pursuant to RCW 61.24.130 upon five days notice to the trustee of the time when, place where, and the judge before whom the application for the restraining order or injunction is to be made. This notice shall include copies of all pleadings and related documents to be given to the judge. Notice and other process may be served on the trustee at:

NAME: . . . . . . . . . . . .
ADDRESS: . . . . . . . . . . . .
  . . . . . . . . . . . .
TELEPHONE NUMBER: . . . . . . . . . . . .


     If you do not reinstate the secured obligation and your Deed of Trust in the manner set forth above, or if you do not succeed in restraining the sale by court action, your property will be sold. The effect of such sale will be to deprive you and all those who hold by, through or under you of all interest in the property;
     (3) In addition, the trustee shall cause a copy of the notice of sale described in subsection (1)(f) of this section (excluding the acknowledgment) to be published in a legal newspaper in each county in which the property or any part thereof is situated, once on or between the thirty-fifth and twenty-eighth day before the date of sale, and once on or between the fourteenth and seventh day before the date of sale;
     (4)(a) For owner-occupied properties, the trustee shall also cause a copy of the notice of sale described in subsection (1)(f) of this section (excluding the acknowledgement) to be published on an internet web site beginning on the thirty-fifth day before the date of sale and ending on the seventh day before the date of sale.
     (b) To qualify as an internet web site suitable for publishing a notice of sale, the internet web site must:
     (i) Be available to any person;
     (ii) Be completely free to the public for viewing and not require a subscription to the site;
     (iii) Be primarily used to advertise real property under foreclosure; and
     (iv) Be operated by a person who maintains a physical presence and address in the state, including telephone service at such address;
     (5)
On the date and at the time designated in the notice of sale, the trustee or its authorized agent shall sell the property at public auction to the highest bidder. The trustee may sell the property in gross or in parcels as the trustee shall deem most advantageous;
     (((5))) (6) The place of sale shall be at any designated public place within the county where the property is located and if the property is in more than one county, the sale may be in any of the counties where the property is located. The sale shall be on Friday, or if Friday is a legal holiday on the following Monday, and during the hours set by statute for the conduct of sales of real estate at execution;
     (((6))) (7) The trustee has no obligation to, but may, for any cause the trustee deems advantageous, continue the sale for a period or periods not exceeding a total of one hundred twenty days by (a) a public proclamation at the time and place fixed for sale in the notice of sale and if the continuance is beyond the date of sale, by giving notice of the new time and place of the sale by both first class and either certified or registered mail, return receipt requested, to the persons specified in subsection (1)(b)(i) and (ii) of this section to be deposited in the mail (i) not less than four days before the new date fixed for the sale if the sale is continued for up to seven days; or (ii) not more than three days after the date of the continuance by oral proclamation if the sale is continued for more than seven days, or, alternatively, (b) by giving notice of the time and place of the postponed sale in the manner and to the persons specified in subsection (1)(b), (c), (d), and (e) of this section and publishing a copy of such notice once in the newspaper(s) described in subsection (3) of this section, more than seven days before the date fixed for sale in the notice of sale. No other notice of the postponed sale need be given;
     (((7))) (8) The purchaser shall forthwith pay the price bid and on payment the trustee shall execute to the purchaser its deed; the deed shall recite the facts showing that the sale was conducted in compliance with all of the requirements of this chapter and of the deed of trust, which recital shall be prima facie evidence of such compliance and conclusive evidence thereof in favor of bona fide purchasers and encumbrancers for value, except that these recitals shall not affect the lien or interest of any person entitled to notice under subsection (1) of this section, if the trustee fails to give the required notice to such person. In such case, the lien or interest of such omitted person shall not be affected by the sale and such omitted person shall be treated as if such person was the holder of the same lien or interest and was omitted as a party defendant in a judicial foreclosure proceeding;
     (((8))) (9) The sale as authorized under this chapter shall not take place less than one hundred ninety days from the date of default in any of the obligations secured;
     (((9))) (10) If the trustee elects to foreclose the interest of any occupant or tenant of property comprised 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, the following notice shall be included as Part X of the Notice of Trustee's Sale:


               X.     

                              NOTICE TO OCCUPANTS OR TENANTS


The purchaser at the trustee's sale is entitled to possession of the property on the 20th day following the sale, as against the grantor under the deed of trust (the owner) and anyone having an interest junior to the deed of trust, including occupants who are not tenants. After the 20th day following the sale the purchaser has the right to evict occupants who are not tenants by summary proceedings under chapter 59.12 RCW. For tenant-occupied property, the purchaser shall provide a tenant with written notice in accordance with RCW 61.24.060;
     (((10))) (11) Only one copy of all notices required by this chapter need be given to a person who is both the borrower and the grantor. All notices required by this chapter that are given to a general partnership are deemed given to each of its general partners, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

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