Oregon · contract for deed
Oregon contract for deed, explained.
A plain-English guide to contract for deed (also called land contract) in Oregon — statute, recording, default remedies, interest caps, and where deals actually happen.
ORS 93.905-93.945 (land sale contract statutes); ORS 88.010 et seq. (foreclosure if treated as mortgage)
ORS 93.910 requires the seller to record the land sale contract (or a memorandum) within 15 days of execution in the county recording office where the land is located. Failure to record can expose seller to statutory penalties.
Hybrid. Seller may pursue strict foreclosure, judicial foreclosure, or specific performance; pure forfeiture is heavily disfavored, with courts requiring grace periods and equitable redemption when buyer has substantial equity.
Is contract for deed legal in Oregon?
Recognized and codified as 'land sale contracts' under ORS 93.905 et seq. Oregon law expressly addresses recording, assignment, and remedies.
How do you record a contract for deed agreement in Oregon?
ORS 93.910 requires the seller to record the land sale contract (or a memorandum) within 15 days of execution in the county recording office where the land is located. Failure to record can expose seller to statutory penalties.
What happens if the buyer defaults?
Hybrid. Seller may pursue strict foreclosure, judicial foreclosure, or specific performance; pure forfeiture is heavily disfavored, with courts requiring grace periods and equitable redemption when buyer has substantial equity.
What is the maximum interest rate?
9% per annum default (ORS 82.010); parties may contract up to higher rates depending on loan type. Most seller-carry transactions fall under exemptions.
What disclosures are required?
Seller's Property Disclosure Statement (ORS 105.464 et seq.) for residential 1-4 unit; lead-paint federal disclosure; recording obligation under ORS 93.910 itself functions as a transparency requirement.
Who's protected — buyer vs. seller
Buyer protections
Mandatory recording (ORS 93.910); equitable redemption; protection against forfeiture without judicial process where significant equity exists; statutory grace periods.
Seller protections
Strict-foreclosure remedy is available and faster than judicial foreclosure; statutory recognition of contract; specific-performance remedy; ability to recover possession.
Where in the state do these deals happen?
Common for rural land east of the Cascades, timber and agricultural parcels, recreational properties, and owner-financed rural homes.
Oregon cities
Per-city market notes for contract for deed buyers and sellers.
Notable case law
Blondell v. Beam, 243 Or. 293 (1966); research needed for most recent strict-foreclosure precedent.
Looking at a Oregon deal?
Send the parcel and the terms — we'll walk through whether contract for deed fits, how to record it, and what the cure period looks like if things go sideways.
Talk to WyattEducational content only. Statute citations are public-record research, not legal advice. Oregon contracts and remedies are fact-specific — consult a licensed Oregon real-estate attorney before signing anything.