It prevents the seller from trying to sell to a different buyer and the title company will catch it. 

We found that the pipes were getting clogged because of tree roots that had spread into our yard.

How complicated is the process of removing a lien, and should I focus on preventing it instead?

Moving forward blindly on that deal would have put our investors money at risk, which isn't an option, so WE took a $60k haircut to prevent that.

My educational background is in science, but my personal background is rooted in the Midwest where I grew up on a farm and gained a skillset in everything mechanical. 

With a number of those rehabbed units now complete, our income and our occupancy is now increasing (and continued to be strong in July and August), even during a pandemic that prevents people from coming out to get tours.

This contract includes an exclusivity clause to prevent your clients from bypassing you and going straight to the lenders to cut out your commission. 

These rules are designed to prevent borrowers from repeatedly using FHA loans for investing.

Technically speaking a buyer and a seller being in a dispute on what happens with their earnest money isn't something that would prevent the seller from entering into another contract and selling their property to a different buyer. 

Water is the root of all evil.