The State of the Registry of Deeds

By William P. O’Donnell, Norfolk County Register of Deeds

This past year saw some enhancements to the resources available to the public at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds as well as some significant Registry milestones. In the spring and summer of 2024, we were pleased to bring the Registry of Deeds office hours and talks as part of our Community Outreach Program to nearly every Norfolk County community. Also, in June 2024 The Registry opened its new Genealogy Research and Resource Center. This center is open and available to the public at the Registry of Deeds Building located at 649 High Street in Dedham. There are research tools including Ancestry.com available for those interested in genealogical research.

The Registry office hours were held in various town halls in communities throughout Norfolk County, bringing the Registry of Deeds directly to the residents. My outreach team and I assisted residents in locating their property records and provided them with certified copies of land documents, such as deeds and mortgage discharges. We were also able to take documents that needed to be recorded back to the Registry of Deeds in Dedham, saving many individuals a trip to our main office. Our most common comment from residents was how convenient it is for them to get Registry of Deeds services without needing to travel outside of town. One of our missions is to bring the Registry records and services to the communities of Norfolk County.

Under the Registry of Deeds’ “History Comes Alive” program, the Genealogy Research and Resource Center was created, a new resource offering a dedicated bank of computers available for free genealogical use to the public. The genealogical workstations at the Registry contain the popular databases Ancestry.com and American Ancestors. These databases are accessible to help residents discover their roots by gaining access to records across the world, wherever their families may originate. The information available includes census records, marriage records, draft cards, and prison records.

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 13.1 million land documents dating back to 1793. These land documents and the integrated Registry indexes to these land documents, 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 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. Folks in need of services from our Customer Service Center can also come by the Registry of Deeds Building located at 649 High Street in downtown Dedham across from the gold domed Norfolk Superior Court.

In calendar year 2024, the Registry collected approximately $ 54.3 million in revenue. Out of that money, more than $ 48.5 million was apportioned to the Commonwealth, and more than $5.7 million was disbursed to Norfolk County in the form of deeds excise taxes, recording fees, and surcharges. There was $4,934,850 collected pursuant to the Community Preservation Act (CPA). In 2024 there were 103,165 documents recorded at the Norfolk County Registry of Deeds, a 1% increase from 2023.

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. Electronic recording was crucial to remaining operational during the coronavirus pandemic. This year saw a record number of electronic recording filers, approximately 2,906. Nearly eighty percent of document volume is recorded electronically by these users.

In 2024, we shelved Registry of Deeds Book 42162. At the end of 2024, we were processing the documents for Book 42189. For the sake of security and redundancy, we store our documents in three different ways: hard copy, electronically, and on microfiche. There is a state law mandating that recorded documents be microfilmed.

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 Norfolk County Registry of Deeds also has a Genealogy Research and Resource Center where patrons can come in to use our free databases such as Ancestry.com, and American Ancestors.

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, a monthly column for various Norfolk County newspapers and their online websites is written. We also distribute a weekly information release to alert residents of the latest happenings as well as to remind them of our consumer services. If you are interested in receiving a Registry newsletter please sign up on the Registry’s website.

The Registry’s free Consumer Anti Property Fraud 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. Over 2,100 Norfolk County residents have signed up for this free service. For more information, please see our website at: www.norfolkdeeds.org.

In 2024 we continued our partnerships with, among others, Interfaith Social Services of Quincy, Father Bill’s & MainSpring of Quincy, the Veterans Affairs Boston Healthcare System Voluntary Service Program, Needham Community Council, Circle of Hope in Needham, United Parish’s Thrifty Threads, St. Vincent de Paul in Plainville, St. Francis House in Boston, Suits and Smiles in Jamaica Plain, InnerCity Weightlifting, New Life Furniture Bank of Massachusetts in Walpole, The Office of Youth Employment and Opportunity of Boston, and Mass Hire South West. The mission of “Suits for Success” is to collect donations of suitable clothing to be distributed to individuals and nonprofit organizations who are in need of appropriate attire and clothing.

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 our local food pantries have a need for donations throughout the year. It was a privilege to partner up with the United States Marine Corps on our 17th 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 these programs 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.