Agreement under which a borrower (the trustor) conveys the right of ownership of his/her property to a trustee as a security for a loan from a lender (the beneficiary of the trust). If the loan is paid back as agreed, the trustee re-conveys the title to the trustor, i.e releases the deed of trust. If not, the trustee has the legal power to sell (liquidate) the property at a public sale to repay the lender.