If you or your attorney has a recorded a deed related to your property recently, you may have received an official looking notice titled “PROPERTY RECORDS” or “RECORDED DEED NOTICE.” Both offer to provide a copy of your deed and honestly say that they are “not associated with any governmental agency.”
However, the forms look very much like governmental forms and contain ample information about the property in question, including its address, assessed value and the year the property was constructed. They ask for a fee to provide the copy of the deed, $123 and $121.50 in two recent examples. And they create urgency by printing a please respond date.
Here’s an example of one of these notices:
Maybe it’s an exaggeration to all this a “scam” because the cost is not huge and these companies do appear to deliver what they promise. But it’s a totally unnecessary service for two reasons:
First, you don’t need a copy of your deed. And if you want one, the attorney who drafted it for you will no doubt send it to you.
Second, deeds are available on-line for no charge. All you have to do is go to the website for your Registry of Deeds, which can find here (https://www.masslandrecords.com/) and search for your name. Everything recorded at the registry in that county in your name will appear.
So, throw out these notices and don’t worry about your deed.