Legal Question in Real Estate Law in California

1. Homestead only protects up to a certain amount of equity. If the equity in the home is greater than the legal maximum homestead value, a creditor can claim the rest. 2. Homestead does not protect against a lien, only against enforcement of the lien against the equity within the homestead amount. Creditors are free to place the lien and then wait for property values to rise enough that they can collect.