Alaska Statutes
Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080 (2026)
Sale at public auction
✓ current as of July 2026
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Sec. 34.20.080. Sale at public auction.
(a) The sale authorized in AS 34.20.070 shall be made under the terms and conditions and in the manner set out in the deed of trust. The proceeds from a sale shall be placed in a trust account until they are disbursed. However, the sale shall be made
(1) at public auction held at the front door of a courthouse of the superior court in the judicial district where the property is located, unless the deed of trust specifically provides that the sale shall be held in a different place, except that a trustee may also accept bids by telephone, the Internet, and electronic mail if the trustee has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the bidding methods using the telephone, the Internet, or electronic mail are fair, accessible, and designed to result in money that is immediately available for disbursement; and
(2) after public notice of the time and place of the sale has been given in the manner provided by law for the sale of real property on execution.
(b) The attorney for the trustee or another agent of the trustee may conduct the sale and act in the sale as the auctioneer for the trustee. The trustee may set reasonable rules and conditions for the conduct of the sale. Sale shall be made to the highest and best bidder. The beneficiary under the trust deed may bid at the trustee's sale. Except as provided by (g) of this section, the trustee shall execute and deliver to the purchaser a deed to the property sold.
(c) The deed must recite the date and the book and page of the recording of default, and the mailing or delivery of the copies of the notice of default, the true consideration for the conveyance, the time and place of the publication of notice of sale, and the time, place, and manner of sale, and refer to the deed of trust by reference to the page, volume, and place of record or to the place of record and the serial number assigned to the deed of trust by the recorder.
(d) After the sale an affidavit of mailing the notice of default and an affidavit of publication of the notice of sale shall be recorded in the mortgage records of the recording district where the property is located.
(e) The trustee may postpone sale of all or any portion of the property by delivering to the person conducting the sale a written and signed request for the postponement to a stated date and hour. The person conducting the sale shall publicly announce the postponement to the stated date and hour at the time and place originally fixed for the sale. This procedure shall be followed in any succeeding postponement, but the foreclosure may not be postponed for more than 12 months unless a new notice of the sale is given under (a)(2) of this section. A sale may be postponed for up to 12 months from the sale date stated in the notice of default under AS 34.20.070(b) without providing a basis for challenging the validity of the foreclosure process because of the length of time the foreclosure has been pending.
(f) After delivery of a deed under (b) of this section, the trustee shall distribute any cash proceeds of the sale in the following order to
(1) the beneficiary of the deed of trust being foreclosed until the beneficiary is paid the full amount that is owed under the deed of trust to the beneficiary;
(2) the persons who held, at the time of the sale, recorded interests, except easements, in the property, that were subordinate to the foreclosed deed of trust; the distribution under this paragraph shall be made according to the priority of the recorded interest, and a recorded interest with a higher priority shall be satisfied before distribution is made to the recorded interest that is next lower in priority; however, if a person holds a recorded interest that is an assessment, the person is entitled only to the amount of the assessment that was due at the time of the sale; in this paragraph, “recorded interest” means an interest, including a lease, recorded under AS 40.17;
(3) the trustor in the trust deed if the trustor is still the owner of the property at the time of the foreclosure sale, but, if the trustor is not still the owner of the property at the time of the foreclosure sale, then to the trustor's successor in interest whose interest appears of record at the time of the foreclosure sale.
(g) The trustee may withhold delivery of the deed under (b) of this section for up to 10 days after the sale. If, during the 10 days, the trustee determines that the sale should not have proceeded, the trustee may not issue the deed but shall
(1) inform the beneficiary, the otherwise successful bidder, and the trustor of the trust deed or the trustor's successor in interest that the sale is rescinded; and
(2) return to the otherwise successful bidder money received from the otherwise successful bidder as a bid on the property; return of this money is the otherwise successful bidder's only remedy if the trustee withholds delivery of the deed under (b) of this section.
(h) If a trustee rescinds a sale under (g) of this section and the obligation secured by the deed of trust remains in default, the trustee may, at the request of the beneficiary, reschedule the sale for a date that is not less than 45 days after the date of the rescinded sale. Not less than 30 days before the rescheduled sale date, the trustee shall
(1) mail notice of the rescheduled sale date by certified mail to the last known address of each of the persons identified by AS 34.20.070(c); and
(2) publish and post the notice of the rescheduled sale date as provided by law for the sale of real property on execution.
(i) Unless a sale is rescinded under (g) of this section, the sale completely terminates the rights of the trustor of the trust deed in the property.
(j) If a sale is rescinded under (g) of this section, the deed of trust foreclosed in the rescinded sale is restored to the validity and priority it would have had as though the sale had not occurred.
(a) The sale authorized in AS 34.20.070 shall be made under the terms and conditions and in the manner set out in the deed of trust. The proceeds from a sale shall be placed in a trust account until they are disbursed. However, the sale shall be made
(1) at public auction held at the front door of a courthouse of the superior court in the judicial district where the property is located, unless the deed of trust specifically provides that the sale shall be held in a different place, except that a trustee may also accept bids by telephone, the Internet, and electronic mail if the trustee has taken reasonable steps to ensure that the bidding methods using the telephone, the Internet, or electronic mail are fair, accessible, and designed to result in money that is immediately available for disbursement; and
(2) after public notice of the time and place of the sale has been given in the manner provided by law for the sale of real property on execution.
(b) The attorney for the trustee or another agent of the trustee may conduct the sale and act in the sale as the auctioneer for the trustee. The trustee may set reasonable rules and conditions for the conduct of the sale. Sale shall be made to the highest and best bidder. The beneficiary under the trust deed may bid at the trustee's sale. Except as provided by (g) of this section, the trustee shall execute and deliver to the purchaser a deed to the property sold.
(c) The deed must recite the date and the book and page of the recording of default, and the mailing or delivery of the copies of the notice of default, the true consideration for the conveyance, the time and place of the publication of notice of sale, and the time, place, and manner of sale, and refer to the deed of trust by reference to the page, volume, and place of record or to the place of record and the serial number assigned to the deed of trust by the recorder.
(d) After the sale an affidavit of mailing the notice of default and an affidavit of publication of the notice of sale shall be recorded in the mortgage records of the recording district where the property is located.
(e) The trustee may postpone sale of all or any portion of the property by delivering to the person conducting the sale a written and signed request for the postponement to a stated date and hour. The person conducting the sale shall publicly announce the postponement to the stated date and hour at the time and place originally fixed for the sale. This procedure shall be followed in any succeeding postponement, but the foreclosure may not be postponed for more than 12 months unless a new notice of the sale is given under (a)(2) of this section. A sale may be postponed for up to 12 months from the sale date stated in the notice of default under AS 34.20.070(b) without providing a basis for challenging the validity of the foreclosure process because of the length of time the foreclosure has been pending.
(f) After delivery of a deed under (b) of this section, the trustee shall distribute any cash proceeds of the sale in the following order to
(1) the beneficiary of the deed of trust being foreclosed until the beneficiary is paid the full amount that is owed under the deed of trust to the beneficiary;
(2) the persons who held, at the time of the sale, recorded interests, except easements, in the property, that were subordinate to the foreclosed deed of trust; the distribution under this paragraph shall be made according to the priority of the recorded interest, and a recorded interest with a higher priority shall be satisfied before distribution is made to the recorded interest that is next lower in priority; however, if a person holds a recorded interest that is an assessment, the person is entitled only to the amount of the assessment that was due at the time of the sale; in this paragraph, “recorded interest” means an interest, including a lease, recorded under AS 40.17;
(3) the trustor in the trust deed if the trustor is still the owner of the property at the time of the foreclosure sale, but, if the trustor is not still the owner of the property at the time of the foreclosure sale, then to the trustor's successor in interest whose interest appears of record at the time of the foreclosure sale.
(g) The trustee may withhold delivery of the deed under (b) of this section for up to 10 days after the sale. If, during the 10 days, the trustee determines that the sale should not have proceeded, the trustee may not issue the deed but shall
(1) inform the beneficiary, the otherwise successful bidder, and the trustor of the trust deed or the trustor's successor in interest that the sale is rescinded; and
(2) return to the otherwise successful bidder money received from the otherwise successful bidder as a bid on the property; return of this money is the otherwise successful bidder's only remedy if the trustee withholds delivery of the deed under (b) of this section.
(h) If a trustee rescinds a sale under (g) of this section and the obligation secured by the deed of trust remains in default, the trustee may, at the request of the beneficiary, reschedule the sale for a date that is not less than 45 days after the date of the rescinded sale. Not less than 30 days before the rescheduled sale date, the trustee shall
(1) mail notice of the rescheduled sale date by certified mail to the last known address of each of the persons identified by AS 34.20.070(c); and
(2) publish and post the notice of the rescheduled sale date as provided by law for the sale of real property on execution.
(i) Unless a sale is rescinded under (g) of this section, the sale completely terminates the rights of the trustor of the trust deed in the property.
(j) If a sale is rescinded under (g) of this section, the deed of trust foreclosed in the rescinded sale is restored to the validity and priority it would have had as though the sale had not occurred.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in 18
cases (4 in the last 5 years), 1969–2025 · leading case: Alaska Tr., LLC v. Ambridge, 372 P.3d 207 (Alaska 2016).
Alaska Tr., LLC v. Ambridge, 372 P.3d 207 (Alaska 2016). “070(b) (requiring that notices of default be recorded); AS 34.20.080(a)(2) (requiring public notice before non-judicial foreclosure sale).”
Davin J. Anderson v. Alaska Hous. Fin. Corp., 462 P.3d 19 (Alaska 2020). “14 See AS 34.20.080(a) (“The sale authorized in AS 34.”
Rosenberg v. Smidt, 727 P.2d 778 (Alaska 1986). “However, there is little basis for asserting that the only persons not likely to get notice under Alaska's statutory scheme are "passive investors" of undeveloped property who do not list a permanent agent for service of notices upon their original execution of the recorded…”
Bibi v. Elfrink, 408 P.3d 809 (Alaska 2017). “The superior court concluded that under AS 34.20.080 and AS 34.20.090, Bibi’s interest in her former home had been extinguished and Elfrink was entitled to title and possession.”
Ostrow v. Higgins, 722 P.2d 936 (Alaska 1986). “In 1966, the legislature added subsection (e) to AS 34.20.080. See ch. 19, § 1, SLA 1966. The House Judiciary Committee report on the bill stated: “Rather than to rely on the variance in deeds of trust as to postponement of sale, Committee Substitute for House Bill No.”
Cook Schuhmann & Groseclose, Inc. v. Brown & Root, Inc., 116 P.3d 592 (Alaska 2005). “It alleged that Brown & Root failed to conduct a commercially reasonable sale, violated AS 34.20.080(e), and tortiously interfered with Cook's second deed of trust.”
McHugh v. Church, 583 P.2d 210 (Alaska 1978). “Alaska Statutes § 34.20.080 and § 09.35.-140 require that a Notice of Sale under a Deed of Trust be published in such a manner as to give thirty (30) days’ notice of the time and place of the sale.”
Farmer v. Alaska USA Title Agency, Inc., 336 P.3d 160 (Alaska 2014). “A construction of AS 34.20.080(e) as allowing sale by public declaration gives notice reasonably calculated to reach interested parties.”
Espeland v. OneWest Bank, FSB, 323 P.3d 2 (Alaska 2014). “070 and AS 34.20.080 provide the requirements for a sale by a trustee, and they do not require the loan instrument be present at the sale.”
Kuretich v. Alaska Tr., LLC, 287 P.3d 87 (Alaska 2012). “AS 34.20.080(a). See Cook Schuhmann & Groseclose, Inc.”
Mark Thomas v. Joseph P. Casteel Trust, 496 P.3d 403 (Alaska 2021). “’ ” (alteration in original) (quoting AS 34.20.080(e))). 47 Id. at 161-62 . 48 Id.”
Semlek v. Nat'l Bank of Alaska, 458 P.2d 1003 (Alaska 1969). “070(b) and AS 34.20.080(a) provide that the notice of default and the public notice shall state the amount of the obligation.”
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(a) — 3 cases
Davin J. Anderson v. Alaska Hous. Fin. Corp., 462 P.3d 19 (Alaska 2020). “14 See AS 34.20.080(a) (“The sale authorized in AS 34.”
Kuretich v. Alaska Tr., LLC, 287 P.3d 87 (Alaska 2012). “AS 34.20.080(a). See Cook Schuhmann & Groseclose, Inc.”
Semlek v. Nat'l Bank of Alaska, 458 P.2d 1003 (Alaska 1969). “070(b) and AS 34.20.080(a) provide that the notice of default and the public notice shall state the amount of the obligation.”
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(a)(2) — 3 cases
Alaska Tr., LLC v. Ambridge, 372 P.3d 207 (Alaska 2016). “070(b) (requiring that notices of default be recorded); AS 34.20.080(a)(2) (requiring public notice before non-judicial foreclosure sale).”
Rosenberg v. Smidt, 727 P.2d 778 (Alaska 1986). “However, there is little basis for asserting that the only persons not likely to get notice under Alaska's statutory scheme are "passive investors" of undeveloped property who do not list a permanent agent for service of notices upon their original execution of the recorded…”
Davin J. Anderson v. Alaska Hous. Fin. Corp., 462 P.3d 19 (Alaska 2020). “14 See AS 34.20.080(a) (“The sale authorized in AS 34.”
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(b) — 3 cases
Alaska Tr., LLC v. Ambridge, 372 P.3d 207 (Alaska 2016). “070(b) (requiring that notices of default be recorded); AS 34.20.080(a)(2) (requiring public notice before non-judicial foreclosure sale).”
Bibi v. Elfrink, 408 P.3d 809 (Alaska 2017). “The superior court concluded that under AS 34.20.080 and AS 34.20.090, Bibi’s interest in her former home had been extinguished and Elfrink was entitled to title and possession.”
Davin J. Anderson v. Alaska Hous. Fin. Corp., 462 P.3d 19 (Alaska 2020). “14 See AS 34.20.080(a) (“The sale authorized in AS 34.”
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(c) — 2 cases
Rosenberg v. Smidt, 727 P.2d 778 (Alaska 1986). “However, there is little basis for asserting that the only persons not likely to get notice under Alaska's statutory scheme are "passive investors" of undeveloped property who do not list a permanent agent for service of notices upon their original execution of the recorded…”
McIntyre v. Ticor Title Ins., 658 F. Supp. 944 (D. Alaska 1986).
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(e) — 7 cases
Ostrow v. Higgins, 722 P.2d 936 (Alaska 1986). “In 1966, the legislature added subsection (e) to AS 34.20.080. See ch. 19, § 1, SLA 1966. The House Judiciary Committee report on the bill stated: “Rather than to rely on the variance in deeds of trust as to postponement of sale, Committee Substitute for House Bill No.”
Cook Schuhmann & Groseclose, Inc. v. Brown & Root, Inc., 116 P.3d 592 (Alaska 2005). “It alleged that Brown & Root failed to conduct a commercially reasonable sale, violated AS 34.20.080(e), and tortiously interfered with Cook's second deed of trust.”
Davin J. Anderson v. Alaska Hous. Fin. Corp., 462 P.3d 19 (Alaska 2020). “14 See AS 34.20.080(a) (“The sale authorized in AS 34.”
Farmer v. Alaska USA Title Agency, Inc., 336 P.3d 160 (Alaska 2014). “A construction of AS 34.20.080(e) as allowing sale by public declaration gives notice reasonably calculated to reach interested parties.”
Mark Thomas v. Joseph P. Casteel Trust, 496 P.3d 403 (Alaska 2021). “’ ” (alteration in original) (quoting AS 34.20.080(e))). 47 Id. at 161-62 . 48 Id.”
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(f) — 2 cases
Bibi v. Elfrink, 408 P.3d 809 (Alaska 2017). “The superior court concluded that under AS 34.20.080 and AS 34.20.090, Bibi’s interest in her former home had been extinguished and Elfrink was entitled to title and possession.”
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(f)(1) — 2 cases
Bibi v. Elfrink, 408 P.3d 809 (Alaska 2017). “The superior court concluded that under AS 34.20.080 and AS 34.20.090, Bibi’s interest in her former home had been extinguished and Elfrink was entitled to title and possession.”
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(f)(2) — 1 case
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(f)(3) — 1 case
— Alaska Stat. § 34.20.080(i) — 1 case
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