Definition
The order in which liens against a property are paid from a sale — which determines whether an HOA lien gets satisfied.
Lien priority determines the order in which claims against a property are paid when it's sold or foreclosed. A first mortgage typically has high priority, and where an HOA lien falls affects how likely the association is to recover unpaid assessments.
Some states grant HOA liens a limited "super-priority" over the first mortgage for a portion of the debt. Because the rules are technical and state-specific, boards pursuing liens usually rely on legal counsel.