Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell appeared this past Thursday, May 22nd as a guest speaker before members of the Foxborough Historical Society.
Register O’Donnell spent considerable time discussing with the historical society a recently concluded initiative undertaken by the Registry to transcribe hand written land documents dating from 1793-1900. The Register noted, “The transcription project, which was the first such project undertaken in the state, represented a special effort by the Registry to have an accurate representation of these handwritten land documents available to the public. Transcribing these documents has helped the public, and real estate professionals, perform historical, genealogical and land record research. These documents, both original and transcribed images, are available for viewing online via our website www.norfolkdeeds.org. I am proud of the Registry’s transcription project which was truly an effort by the Registry to make history come alive.”
In addition to focusing on how Registry information can enhance historical research, the Register also spent a few minutes alerting attendees about an ongoing deed scam being perpetrated against Norfolk County homeowners. O’Donnell stated, “We have received reports of Norfolk County residents receiving direct-mail solicitations offering them a certified copy of their deed for a fee of $86.00. While the practice may be legal, it’s certainly not ethical. These direct mail companies are preying upon the innocent assumptions of Norfolk County residents, many of them first-time homebuyers. Consumers are interpreting these notices as a bill, since they have a due date printed. I urge Norfolk County citizens not to fall prey to these types of misleading deed scam advertisements.
“Providing a certified copy of a property deed is a service provided by the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds for a charge of only $1.00 per page plus an additional $1.00 for postage in the case of a request received by mail. Average Registry fee for providing a certified copy of a deed is usually $2.00. Don’t spend $86.00 for something you can normally get for $2.00.”
Concluding his remarks, Register O’Donnell stated, “I want to thank Joan Stafford, Paul Godin and the members of the Foxborough Historical Society for their generosity in allowing us to speak. The society does a tremendous job preserving the rich history of Foxborough. These outreach events allow us to bring the Registry directly to the citizens of Foxborough and we are most appreciative of the opportunity.”
To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at facebook/com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and Instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds.
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.
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