Lien
Also called: liens, mechanic's lien, tax lien, encumbrance
A lien is a legal claim against a property securing a debt, which must be cleared before clean title can transfer. Mortgages are voluntary liens; tax liens, judgment liens and contractor's liens are imposed. Priority decides who gets paid from a sale, and tax liens generally jump ahead of everything including the mortgage — which is what the title search exists to uncover.