Lien

A lien is a legal claim against a property that secures a debt and must be satisfied before clear title can transfer.

What Lien means

Mortgages create a voluntary first lien; tax, HOA, contractor, and judgment liens can attach involuntarily. Lien priority determines who gets paid first in a foreclosure or sale.

Florida example

A Florida home with an unpaid contractor's lien can't close until the lien is paid or released. The title company identifies all liens during the title search and arranges payoffs from the sale proceeds.

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