You can put a lien on that property so that if they ever sell or refinance the property you might get paid. To do this, you first need an Abstract of Judgment.The following is a timeline for a typical California Nonjudicial Foreclosure. Before beginning foreclosure, the lender must conduct a title search to identify liens and other encumbrances that affect title to the real property. A judgment lien is a courtsanctioned claim imposed on a debtor's property when they lose a case and owe money to the plaintiff. A judgment lien affects real estate you own in the county where the creditor records the lien, or where the court enters the judgment. Buying Foreclosure Property? What Title Information Can you Rely on? The best solution would be to negotiate a settlement with San Jose. In California, if you're the person owed money (the creditor), you can place a judgment lien on the debtor's real estate or personal property.