What type of lien would a mortgage most likely fall under?

A mortgage most likely falls under the category of a specific lien. Specific liens are directly tied to a specific property and affect only that property. When a homeowner takes out a mortgage, they are securing that loan with the property itself, meaning if the homeowner defaults on the loan, the lender has the right to initiate foreclosure proceedings on that specific property to recover the amount owed.

This is in contrast to general liens, which can apply to any property owned by the individual regardless of its type or location, and would encompass a wider range of assets than just the mortgaged property. Statutory liens are established by law, such as tax liens, and can apply in various contexts but do not specifically relate to the mortgage relationship. Ad valorem liens are typically property tax liens assessed based on the value of the property, again, different from the specific obligation that a mortgage entails. Thus, the nature of a mortgage as being directly related to a specific property confirms its classification as a specific lien.