Common liens are for property/lot cleanup, etc., and will attach to the property.

Lets say your market value is wrong and it sells for 160K and you need a Realtor to sell and the fees are 6% thats $9,600 cost prorated taxes and attorneys fees, mortgage costs, water and sewer, clean up and related sales costs make it very hard to insure that you will actually walk away with a profit.

I just redid a place some trashy tenants did a number on, and had it rented the day it was ready (they waited and I gave them a couple of days free rent to clean up after the repairmen).  

Have him file a claim and let the title attorneys clean up the mess.  

Whatever they left is yours to clean up. 

Issues:-conventional mortgage or HELOC aren't going to fly (aka I wouldn't be approved for them), as I've had zero income for the past year-savings are depleted from biz capital expenditures:  had a huge setback in April that tore through a lot of it, but I'm finally coming out of the nosedive in the last month and am on track to have the fist breakeven month of the company this December.  

If they are NCE then they are add back to your income (depreciation, depletion, amortization, etc).

Looks like I've jumped out of the frying pan into the fire though since now I get paid to clean up other people's problems now instead of my own!

The good thing is that he can use his license to buy A/C parts wholesale (about 50% off) and HVAC can do not only A/C but plumbing, usually pretty good with appliances and can do electrical.You may also need a valet or laborer because the best way to get a good licensed HVAC guy to quit is to make him clean up a place after a cat has puked all over it.

I have met the client at the property and they are planning on doing some clean-up before the property is listed on the MLS.