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.Enforcing Judgment Liens in California. A judgment lien is a courtsanctioned claim imposed on a debtor's property when they lose a case and owe money to the plaintiff. How can I find out if liens are filed against me? Prepare an Abstract of Judgment to place a lien on real estate and enforce debt payment with our step-by-step guides. A judgment lien affects real estate you own in the county where the creditor records the lien, or where the court enters the judgment. If your equity is below the homestead declaration protected amount party desiring to collect cannot record a lien, or it has to be removed. This means the creditor, or the person owed money, can place a judgment lien on the debtor's real estate or personal property. You are not specific about what the payments are for, which is necessary information.