As the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic lessened in 2022, the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds was able to fully resume normal operations and increase its community outreach efforts. I am especially proud of our staff, who worked tirelessly every workday throughout the pandemic, allowing the Registry to remain operational.

            The year 2022 saw some changes in the Registry’s operations, some positive, some not. Despite the increase in the Registry’s reliance on its information technology structure due, among other things, to a marked increase in the electronic filing of documents, the Norfolk County Commissioners decided to consolidate the Registry IT staff with the County and eliminate the direct-report, on-site Registry IT Department.

            I greatly appreciate the voices and efforts of so many attorneys, real estate brokers, assessors, trade organizations, and just regular citizens who were concerned about the title to their homes becoming compromised and recognized the value in keeping the Registry IT Department as it had been for over 35 years. Technology drives so much of what goes on at the Norfolk Registry of Deeds, but you have to accept decisions, and I and my Registry senior staff are cooperating with the County to envision a plan that will not negatively impact Registry operations and services due to the elimination of its on-site direct report IT staff.

            The Registry of Deeds is the principal office for real property records in Norfolk County. The Registry receives and records hundreds of thousands of documents annually. It houses more than 8.5 million land documents dating back to 1793. These land documents and the integrated Registry indexes to these land documents, dating back to 1793, are available to the public for on-line research at www.norfolkdeeds.org. The Registry is a primary and indispensable resource for title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipal officials, homeowners, title examiners, real estate attorneys, genealogists, and others with a need for land record information.

            The Registry operates under my supervision and management as the elected Register. I have held the position since 2002. In continuous operation for nearly two hundred and twenty-four years, dating back to President George Washington’s administration, the Registry’s mission has remained the same: to maintain and provide for accurate, reliable, and accessible land records to all residents and businesses of Norfolk County. The modernization initiatives implemented during my administration have created a sound business operation oriented toward quality customer service at the Norfolk Registry of Deeds.

            The Registry of Deeds Customer Service and Copy Center continues to provide residents and businesses with quality service. These requests included the filing of Homesteads, accessing deeds, verifying recorded property documents, and assisting those in need of obtaining a mortgage discharge notice. Customers can contact the Customer Service and Copy Center at 781-461-6101, Monday through Friday, between the hours of 8:30AM to 4:30PM.

            In calendar year 2022, the Registry collected approximately $67.3 million in revenue. Out of that money, more than $57.4 million was apportioned to the Commonwealth, and more than $9.9 million was disbursed to Norfolk County in the form of deeds excise taxes, recording fees, and surcharges. There was $5,635,350 collected pursuant to the Community Preservation Act (CPA). In 2022 there were 130,051 documents recorded at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, a 33% decrease from 2021.

            The Norfolk Registry of Deeds was the first registry in Massachusetts to electronically record registered land documents in the Land Court section of the Registry of Deeds in 2017 and was crucial to remaining operational during the coronavirus pandemic. This year saw a record number of electronic recording filers, approximately 2,600.

            In 2022, we shelved Registry of Deeds Book 40401. At the end of 2022, we were processing the documents for Book 41000. For the sake of security and redundancy, we store our documents in three different ways: hard copy, electronically, and on microfiche.

            The internet library of images, accessible to the public through the Registry of Deeds’ online research system at norfolkdeeds.org, continues to expand. Today, all documents dating back to the first ones recorded in 1793 are available for viewing. This digital collection also consists of more than 450,000 handwritten documents recorded between 1793 and 1900 that were transcribed and are available to the public for viewing and research.

            Our website includes a genealogy page and a section highlighting land records of notable people, including United States Presidents, military heroes, noted authors, and leaders in their fields of education, environment, and law.

            The Registry’s website, www.norfolkdeeds.org, routinely updates the public on such news as real estate statistics, answers to frequently asked questions, along with detailing of our consumer programs. Additionally, we also write a monthly column for various Norfolk County newspapers and their online websites. We also distribute a weekly press release to alert residents of the latest happenings as well as to remind them of our consumer services.

            The Registry’s free Consumer Notification Service allows any county resident to opt in to this free notification service and be alerted when any land document – fraudulent or otherwise – is recorded against their name. Nearly 2,000 Norfolk County residences have signed up for this free service. For more information, please see our website at: www.norfolkdeeds.org.

            In 2022, we continued our partnerships with Interfaith Social Services of Quincy, Father Bill’s & MainSpring of Quincy, the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System Voluntary Service Program, Circle of Hope in Needham, United Parish’s Thrifty Threads, Suits and Smiles in Jamaica Plain, InnerCity Weightlifting, and New Life Furniture Bank of Massachusetts in Walpole on our ‘Suits for Success’ program to assist those who are in need of clothing as well as household items.

                       Our Annual Holiday Food Drive continues to support food pantries in Norfolk County. On our website, there is a list of Norfolk County food pantries, as they have a need all year. It was a privilege to partner up with the United States Marine Corps on our 15th Annual Christmas Toys for Tots campaign at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds. Thank you to all of the residents and staff who helped make this program a success.

            It is a privilege for me and my fine Staff to serve each and every one of you. Be well and healthy in this new year.