A trustee's sale is the foreclosure sale conducted by the trustee named in a deed of trust after a borrower defaults, held without a court judgment. In Tennessee the trustee must advertise the sale, mail notice to the borrower, and sell the property publicly, usually to the highest bidder at the county courthouse.
Why it matters
A trustee's sale can happen without a judge ever reviewing the case, which is why the notice period is the real deadline.
In Tennessee: Tenn. Code Ann. § 66-8-101. This can work differently in another state.
General information, not legal or tax advice.