Continuing his efforts of bringing the Registry of Deeds directly to the citizens of Norfolk County, Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell appeared November 8th as guest speaker before the Walpole Council on Aging.
Register O’Donnell gave an overview of the Registry of Deeds which is the principal office for real property records in Norfolk County cataloguing and housing more than 6 million land documents dating back to 1793.
O’Donnell spent time warning seniors about a deed scam being perpetrated against citizens of Norfolk County, both young and old. “Right now there are marketing scams ongoing,” noted the Register, “where Norfolk County residents continue to receive direct-mail solicitations offering them a certified copy of their property deed for an exorbitant fee ranging from $59.50 to $83.00. Some of these mailings look like a bill. Don’t fall victim to it. If a consumer knew that the Registry would provide them a certified copy of a property deed for only $1.00 per page, plus an additional $1.00 for postage, they would never agree to pay such an outrageous fee. The average price for a mailed homeowner’s deed by the Registry, usually two pages, is $3.00.”
O’Donnell also spent time discussing 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,” stated O’Donnell.
Concluding his remarks, Register O’Donnell expressed his appreciation for being allowed to speak before the Council on Aging. “I want to thank Walpole Attorney Joanne DiPietro for coordinating the appearance with the council, Kerri McManama, Walpole Council on Aging Director, the members of the board and other staff who do an outstanding job serving the elderly community of Walpole.”
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/or 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 [email protected].
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