A lien is a creditor’s legal right or claim to your property. The purpose of a lien is to hold a property item — it doesn’t have to be a house — as collateral for a loan or debt. If you don’t pay off ...

You’ve just bought your dream home. Now it’s time to outfit the place, meet the neighbors and settle in. But your new space holds an expensive secret: The title search missed a $10,000 lien placed on ...