A mortgaged property is sold to satisfy unpaid debts. Which of the following will generally be paid first?

While mortgage liens are significant claims against a property, they are subordinate to tax liens. Tax liens are prioritized because they represent the government's right to collect taxes, which supersedes the rights of mortgage lenders. Therefore, if a property is sold, any outstanding real estate taxes must be settled before the mortgage lien is addressed.

The timing of lien filings is important; however, it does not eclipse the priority of real estate tax liens. Even if a first lien is filed before a tax lien, the tax lien will still be paid first in most cases. This is because tax liens are designed to protect public revenue and have a higher legal standing in the hierarchy of lien priority.

Attorney's liens are subordinate to tax liens and often to mortgage liens as well, depending on the situation. They are typically claims for unpaid legal fees but do not have the same level of priority as tax liens. Therefore, if there are outstanding real estate taxes, those will be paid before any attorney's lien is considered.