Likewise, if you bought a home with your spouse but later got divorced, your own divorce decree might give your ex a lien on the home for half the proceeds. That lien can hinder your ability to sell the home if your ex refuses to release it. Community association liens. At the closing, often the title company or lender will receive a certificate of payment from the association to assure that this is not the case. Unpaid child support .
Some states slap a lien on the property of divorced parents who fail to pay child support.
That lien would have to be paid off before the property could be sold. In many cases the lien is tied to each child-support payment, so the property can be sold if the parent is current in his or her payments. A homeowner who gets into financial trouble might wind up with a court order to pay a given debt, secured by a lien on his property. Again, the debt would have to be paid and the lien removed before the property could be sold. If you discover a lien on your property, see your lawyer immediately to determine your best course of action.