How do you deal with existing liens that a seller has?

Question

I am new to investing but nevertheless... How do you go about buying a property that has liens? Do you just not deal with them?

Donald Robers · Answer

There are many types of liens.  Some may be easily corrected, such as a contractors lien that has been satisfied but was never removed from the record.  A phone call can clear those up.  Other liens, such as bank, tax or HOA liens are very serious and need to be addressed before a seller can deliver marketable title to a buyer.

You would want to consult a RE attorney, but I guess you could either make your offer contingent on the lien being cleared or buy at an appropriate discount and pay the lien yourself.

Ignoring a lien against the property is not a solution.