The lien is a powerful tool at your disposal to increase your ability to get paid. As an encumbrance, or a hold on real property, it creates a cloud over the legal title preventing the sale or refinance of the property. When you place a lien on a piece of property that you have improved through your work, ownership can’t generally be transferred while you are owed payment. A lien usually constitutes a technical default on a mortgage, and that gets the attention of the mortgage company. A lien may also be considered a default on a prime construction contract.
Now that we know what a lien is and how they work, board certified construction lawyer Alex Barthet will explain how to use a lien to get paid.
Alexander Barthet is a board certified construction attorney in Florida and holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering. He manages The Barthet Firm, a ten lawyer construction law firm in Miami, and maintains a construction law blog at www.TheLienZone.com. He can be reached at 305-347-5295 or alex@barthet.com.
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