How to Remove a Property Lien from Your Home

If you’re a homeowner, you consider your home a sacred place to come home and relax in at the end of the day. That’s why there’s nothing scarier than learning your home has a property lien on it.

This is enough to strike fear in many people, leaving them unable to think about their next move. You don’t have to let fear take over; there is a way to get rid of the lien and reclaim your house.

Learn more about how situations involve a lien on a house and what you can do to prevent further problems.

Understand Why a Property Lien Gets Put on a House

Liens occur for various reasons. In many cases they’re preventable, but it helps to know why these occurred, to begin with.

If you have tax debt that you didn’t pay, the IRS can put a lien on your home as a way to recoup the money you owe. For people who attempt to dodge their taxes, this method ensures they pay in one way or another.

If you failed to pay property taxes, a lien can get placed on the home and property you owe for. It’s important to remember that even if your own something if you owe money, the lien can get placed on your home or property as a form of collateral.

Liens are sometimes used as a way to ensure the other party gets what’s owed to them. Among the various types of liens are those that are used when a job is performed, such as a mechanic’s lien.

Know that whatever the case, having a lien normally means the company wants their payment. It can still get removed as long as you know what steps to take.

Know About the Different Types of Liens

There are various liens that you’ll come across depending on what you have and why the lien was put on your property.

Home loans are one of the most common ways to get a lien. If you don’t make payments, you’ll get a lien in the form of foreclosure.

Auto loans operate in a similar manner. Instead of foreclosing, the lender takes the car away, commonly known as repossession.

Mechanic’s liens are when contractors perform work on your home. If you’re unable to pay, expect them to file a lien at the county recorder’s office.

Judgment liens occur when someone takes you to court because you failed to make payments. When these companies can’t get their money, they can put a property lien on your home or anything else that you owe to collect their debt.

Not all liens result in having your home or property taken away, but it’s still important to be aware of what’s going on.

In cases such as these, it’s important to seek help from professionals with experience helping clients through these issues. A Tacoma Real Estate Attorney can assist you in figuring out what’s going on with your property and how the effects of the lien can get reserved.

Take the Steps to Get Rid of Your Lien

Regardless of what happened, the process of dealing with a lien sounds overwhelming and scary to many people. Some hesitate to deal with it, thinking doing so brings about more problems.

In all cases, it’s important to deal with the problem head-on, rather than letting it build up and become a bigger issue. Step back and figure out what type of lien you’re dealing with.

As if that wasn’t enough, there are liens that know as a quiet title and safety involuntary liens.

In addition to the types of liens listed above, there are other ones known as a quiet title and an involuntary lien. In the case of a quiet title, it’s because a lien was incorrectly placed on your property.

You’ll need to go to court to show that you aren’t liable for this lien and it was put in incorrectly. With the help of a lawyer, you can easily prove this, and get your property restored to a lien-free state.

If you’re selling a home, it’s typical to deal with a safety involuntary lien. In this case, it’s not a judgment against you, but having one does scare buyers off, making your home that much more difficult to sell.

It’s in your best interest to pay off the remaining amount and not have to deal with lien. You’ll encounter fewer problems and questions once you do so with both the buyers and their closing attorney.

If you have any other types of liens, look at what they are and figure out your options. You essentially have four ways of handling property lien issues.

You can choose to pay off the lien. If you have the money and know this debt is yours, this is the best choice and the quickest way to make the problem disappear.

If you don’t have money but think there’s a way to come to an agreement, make an attempt to settle. You’ll sometimes need to go to court for this, but it’s better than not addressing the problem and most companies work with people.

If the lien was never yours, have it corrected. Get ready to show proof that you aren’t responsible, and you shouldn’t experience major problems.

Finally, if you don’t agree, you have the choice to dispute. This often requires some extra legal help, but it’s a worthwhile choice if you don’t believe you should pay the full amount the lienholder is asking for.

Learn More About Liens

Property liens sound scary to anyone, no matter how long they’ve been a homeowner. There’s always a solution if you’re willing to work through and learn what type of lien you’re dealing with and what you need to do.

If you’re looking for help with an issue regarding foreclosure on your property, make sure not to go it alone. Get help from a qualified attorney who’s experienced and knows how to manage these situations.

Check out our blog post and learn more about the importance of using an attorney rather than trying to do it all on your own.