Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell appeared as a guest speaker for the Norfolk Council on Aging as part of his ongoing efforts to bring the Registry of Deeds directly to the residents of Norfolk County.

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 13.1 million land documents dating back to 1793.

“I welcome any time I can get out into the community and have the opportunity to speak with people about some issues that homeowners might face,” he said. “I was impressed by the audience engagement and truly glad to see that so many individuals attended the seminar hosted by the Norfolk Council on Aging.”

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.

He explained, “In some cases discharges are filed directly by banks or settlement closing attorneys with the Registry as part of a property sale or as a result of a refinancing transaction. In other instances, the mortgage discharge is sent to the property owner, who then becomes responsible for making sure the document is recorded. Whether or not a discharge is recorded by the lending institution or the individual property owner, it is important that the property owner makes sure all necessary documents have been recorded at the Registry of Deeds.”

Register O’Donnell also described an ongoing deed scam being perpetrated against all citizens of Norfolk County, young and old. Norfolk County residents continue to receive direct-mail solicitations offering them a certified copy of their property deed for exorbitant fees. The average price for a mailed homeowner’s certified deed by the Registry, usually two pages, is $3.