Voluntary liens (the owner agreed to them):
• Mortgage / deed of trust: the lender's lien securing the home loan; the first thing paid at closing from the seller's proceeds. Priority determined by recording date.
• HELOC (home equity line of credit): a second voluntary lien; subordinate to the first mortgage if recorded later.

Involuntary liens (imposed without owner agreement):
• Property tax lien: attaches automatically every year; holds super-senior priority over mortgages in all states; delinquent taxes accumulate silently.
• Mechanic's lien: filed by contractors, subcontractors, or material suppliers for unpaid construction work; state-specific recording requirements and deadlines; can attach even if the owner paid the general contractor (unpaid subs can still lien).
• Judgment lien: a court judgment against the property owner attaches to real property in the county where recorded; turns a money judgment into a property claim.
• IRS federal tax lien: attaches to all property of the taxpayer nationwide when filed; carries a 120-day post-foreclosure redemption right; must be paid or discharged for clear title.
• HOA lien: for unpaid assessments; super-priority in approximately 20 states (including Florida) for 6-12 months of assessments; survives first-mortgage foreclosure in those states.

Priority rule: "first in time, first in right" for most private liens — earlier recording date = paid first. Tax liens and government liens trump this rule and have statutory priority regardless of recording date.

The closing process when liens exist:

1. The title company orders a title search, which reveals all recorded liens against the property
2. The title company requests payoff statements from each lienholder — the exact amount required to release the lien as of the closing date
3. At closing, the settlement statement (Closing Disclosure) itemizes every lien payoff
4. Closing proceeds from the buyer's loan and cash fund the lien payoffs directly to each creditor
5. Each lienholder issues a recorded release (or satisfaction) confirming their lien is paid
6. The deed recording proceeds once all lien releases are in order

What happens when a lien is missed: if a lien is not discovered in the title search (because it was recorded but not indexed yet, or because of a recording error), it does not automatically disappear. The buyer takes title subject to the undiscovered lien — legally obligated to pay or resolve it. This is exactly what owner's title insurance covers: a claim arising from a lien that existed before closing but wasn't found in the search.

The closing delay scenario: a mechanic's lien filed by an unpaid contractor is discovered in the title search at the 11th hour. Closing cannot proceed until the lien is resolved. The seller must pay the lien, negotiate a release, or the parties must escrow funds pending resolution. Unresolved title issues are among the most common causes of delayed closings.

Mechanic's liens are the most buyer-relevant lien in two contexts:

New construction: the builder hired subcontractors who must be paid from the construction draws. If the builder used your draws for other projects, subcontractors can lien your property even though you never contracted with them directly. The protection: conditional lien releases from the builder AND all subcontractors/suppliers at each draw disbursement; a final lien release from all parties at closing.

Recent seller renovations: a seller who had work done in the 6-12 months before closing may have unpaid contractors who haven't filed their lien yet — most states give 60-90+ days after completing work to file. The lien attaches to the property, not the owner, meaning you could buy the home today and receive a lien filing next month from a contractor who worked there last quarter.

Protection: (1) ask about any recent construction or renovation work in the seller's disclosure; (2) request lien waivers or releases from any known contractors; (3) owner's title insurance covers post-closing lien surprises from pre-closing work (with proper policy terms); (4) some title companies require construction lien affidavits from sellers at closing — this is especially common in Florida, where construction lien law is aggressive.