what does it mean when a house is in lien pending?

Lis Pendens means pending litigation. That could be a default, building violations, unpaid water bill, or numerous other suits brought against a property usually to satisfy an outstanding or past due debt. You can always check http://www.ccrd.info and/or http://www.cookcountyclerkofcourt.org/. Web Reference: http://about.me/markilemons