08/10/2026
We just published the most complete guide anywhere on selling a California house with a lien β judgment liens, HOA, child support, code enforcement, even what happens when the company that recorded the lien doesn't exist anymore.
That last one isn't hypothetical. We bought a house in Bakersfield with bail bond liens recorded 40 years ago by a company that vanished decades back. No one left to call, no one to sign a release. Our attorneys tracked down the records, proved no claimant remained, and cleared title in about 4 weeks. The seller paid nothing for any of it.
If a lien is standing between you and selling, start here:
Most liens are paid from your sale proceeds at closing, not before. How judgment, tax, HOA, and code liens clear, and what to do when the lien holder no longer exists.