Trustor

In depth

The trustor (sometimes called the grantor in deed of trust contexts) is the party borrowing money and giving the deed of trust. In seller financing through a deed of trust, the buyer is the trustor. The trustor retains all real-world ownership rights, including possession, use, and sale (subject to lender consent or payoff). Misconception: trustor is not synonymous with grantor in all contexts; in trust law generally, the grantor creates a trust by transferring assets, while in deed of trust real estate, the trustor is the borrower. Practically, the trustor's responsibilities mirror those of any borrower: timely payments, taxes, insurance, and property maintenance. Default triggers the trustee's power-of-sale obligations.