DC Foreclosure Guide
The District of Columbia uses non-judicial foreclosure for deeds of trust. DC has one of the most complex tax sale systems in the country — delinquent real property taxes result in a tax certificate sale (third-party investors may purchase certificates), and the owner then has six months to redeem. DC also has a unique right-of-first-refusal law for certain occupied properties being sold.
Process Type
Non-Judicial
Typical Timeline
60–90 days
Sale Method
Trustee sale
DC Title Risk Articles
State-specific articles coming soon — check back as our foreclosure title guide library grows.
County-Level Exceptions Investors Should Know
Statewide rules only tell part of the story. These county-level quirks catch out-of-state investors off guard.
District of Columbia
DC's Tenant Opportunity to Purchase Act (TOPA) gives current tenants of residential rental properties a right of first refusal when the property is sold — including at a foreclosure sale. Buyers who fail to comply with TOPA notification requirements can have the sale voided up to one year later.
District of Columbia
The DC Office of Tax and Revenue conducts a tax certificate sale each year. Certificates are sold to third-party investors, who can then foreclose their tax lien in a separate judicial action. Both the mortgage foreclosure chain and the tax certificate chain must be searched.
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