A tax lien is a legal claim against real property for unpaid municipal charges, such as property taxes, housing maintenance, water, sewer, demolition, etc. Generally, constitutional provisions and statutes on homesteads provide that a judgment is unenforceable against the homestead property of the judgment debtor."In rem" means that the court is exercising jurisdiction over the property, but not over you personally. The Motion asserts that the Imondi Lien impairs the exemption in the property allowed to him under the Bankruptcy Code. Action in rem is a type of legal proceeding used to decide a property's title, as well as the rights granted to parties listed in the title. A judgment lien is security for the judgment debt. This represents a problem for any judgment debtor who is trying to sell property out of his own name, including homestead property. When a court rules you owe a debt in NY, creditors can place a judgment lien on your nonexempt property. If you owe property taxes or other property-related charges for an extended period of time, your property can become subject to an In Rem Foreclosure. In rem lien – affects only property where work performed, unless property is a condo.