Norfolk County Register Of Deeds Speaks To Needham COA

NEEDHAM, MA — The Needham Council on Aging was treated to a hot breakfast and a visit from the Norfolk County Register of Deeds on Wednesday. Register William 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 8 million land documents dating back to 1793.

O’Donnell 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,” O’Donnell said.

He also reminded attendees about the importance of filing a mortgage discharge after their mortgage has been paid off. “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. A discharge is a document (typically one-two pages) issued by the lender, usually with a title such as “Discharge of Mortgage” or “Satisfaction of Mortgage,” O’Donnell said.

O’Donnell expressed his appreciation for being invited to speak before the Council on Aging.

“I want to first of all thank those who attended. The audience was engaged and asked excellent questions. Additionally, I want to thank LaTanya Steele, Director of Aging Services, Aicha Kelley, Program Coordinator of the Needham Council on Aging and the entire team at the Center At The Heights who do an outstanding job serving the elderly community of Needham.”