A common question we get is how long after a foreclosure has taken place can the owner of the property expect to stay in the home? The answer can be found in the RCW:

The purchaser at the trustee’s sale shall be entitled to possession of the property on the twentieth day following the sale, as against the borrower and grantor under the deed of trust and anyone having an interest junior to the deed of trust, including occupants who are not tenants, who were given all of the notices to which they were entitled under this chapter. The purchaser shall also have a right to the summary proceedings to obtain possession of real property provided in chapter 59.12 RCW.

61.24.060. Rights and remedies of trustee’s sale purchaser–Written notice to occupants or tenants, WA ST 61.24.060

After the 20 days have run, the party attempting to gain possession of the property must then follow the procedures contained in RCW 59.12. This statute covers the rules and procedures to evict someone from a property. If you include the statutory time it takes to execute the actual eviction, a property owner might expect to stay in the property for another several days. A smart strategy would be to negotiate a payment from the new owner of the property. Under the right circumstances, they may be willing to pay a modest relocation payment so as to avoid the hassle of having to try and push through the eviction procedures.