Alabama uses which security instrument?

Deeds of trust are not the exclusive or even primary security instrument used in Alabama; while some states like Virginia and California rely almost entirely on deeds of trust, Alabama's statutory and practice framework is built around the mortgage instrument.

While it is technically possible to use a deed of trust in Alabama, it is not the standard practice, and describing Alabama as a state that uses 'both mortgages and deeds of trust' overstates the role of deeds of trust in routine Alabama real estate transactions, where mortgages overwhelmingly predominate.

Land contracts (also called contracts for deed or installment sales contracts) are a financing mechanism that delays transfer of legal title until the purchase price is paid, and while they are used in some Alabama transactions, they are not the primary security instrument for conventional real estate financing in the state.