John Pelose, adjutant for Braintree American Legion Post 86, Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell, Alfred Varraso, past Post Commander, and John Bourne current Post Commander pose for a photo during a speaking event at Braintree American Legion Post 86 March 1, as part of the Register’s ongoing efforts to bring the Registry of Deeds directly to the residents of Norfolk County.
Braintree, MA- Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O'Donnell met with the Veterans and Veteran Family Members of Braintree American Legion Post 86 to share some of the programs and services that are available through the Registry of Deeds during Braintree Post 86’s Veterans Coffee Hour Friday, March 1.
“It was very much appreciated that the Register could visit Post 86 and provide the members with some of the services offered at the Registry of Deeds,” said John Pelose, adjutant for Braintree's American Legion post.
Register O’Donnell gave an overview of the Registry of Deeds, which is the principal office for real property records in Norfolk County, cataloging and housing more than 10 million land documents dating back to 1793. Register O’Donnell and registry staff were also on hand to assist Post 86 members with questions or concerns regarding real property records or land documents.
“It was very good to see the Register here today, the issues he talked about were really informative,” said James Gullage.
Veterans Coffee Hour at American Legion Post 86 in Braintree is held weekly on Fridays, where members, Veterans, and those interested can learn about post happenings, Veteran events, and information that may be useful to Veterans and Veteran Family Members.
“It is an honor just to be invited to meet with the Veterans and Veteran Family members of Braintree American Legion Post 86, and if I can be of any help by bringing some of the services that the Registry of Deeds has directly to them, then I am grateful for the opportunity," said Register O'Donnell.
During the visit, Register O’Donnell discussed the advantages of the Massachusetts Homestead Act. The Homestead Act is an important consumer protection tool for homeowners, as it provides limited protection against the forced sale of an individual’s primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000.
“Homeowners can have peace of mind knowing that with a Declaration of Homestead recorded at the Registry of Deeds, their primary residence cannot be forcibly sold to satisfy most debts. This is especially important when you consider that for most of us, a home is our most valuable asset,” said O’Donnell.
Register O’Donnell also reminded attendees about the importance of filing a mortgage discharge after their mortgage has been paid off. A discharge is a document (typically one or two pages) issued by the lender, usually with a title such as “Discharge of Mortgage” or “Satisfaction of Mortgage.” When a mortgage has been paid off, a mortgage discharge document needs to be recorded with the Registry of Deeds to clear a homeowner’s property title relative to that loan.
Registry staff were also able to provide certified copies of land documents, including deeds, and were also able to look up property records to address any concerns attendees at Braintree Post 86’s Coffee Hour may have had.
“I want to thank Braintree Post 86 Commander John Bourne and Adjutant John Pelose for allowing me the opportunity to share some information about the Registry of Deeds during the Veterans Coffee hour. I also want to thank those who attended, it is always an honor to spend time with our Veterans and their family members,” said O’Donnell.