Electronic recording (e-recording) of deeds, mortgages and other title instruments has been available in Massachusetts for almost 5 years now, and is finally gaining widespread acceptance within the conveyancing community. E-recording is now fully operational in Berkshire, Bristol, Essex, Hampden, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth and Worcester North and South registries of deeds. (Suffolk, please hurry up!). Legislation has recently been filed to require that all registries have electronic recording capabilities by July 2014. (Thank you Attorney Hugh Fitzpatrick, a newly appointed member of the Registry of Deeds Modernization and Efficiency Commission, for your efforts!).
E-recording is proving to be less expensive and faster than the traditional method of recording by sending a title examiner down to the registry of deeds. It also eliminates the need to fight traffic and hold closings at Cambridge or other hard-to-get-to registries.
Indeed, if we have the deed, mortgage and homestead signed at the beginning of the closing, we can be “on record” halfway through the closing! Music to seller, buyer and Realtor’s ears…
The process of e-recording is pretty easy.
- Sign up with one of the registry’s authorized electronic recording vendors (Simplifile, Erxchange,Ingeo/CSC, or New England Title/Escrow)
- Conduct closing
- Scan original document to create an electronic image (pdf)
- Log on to the secure website and enter data about the document and upload the document image
- Perform a quick online title run-down to ensure no title issues have arisen since the first title exam
- Press “send to the registry” button
- The registry verifies the quality of the image and the accuracy of your data
- Once accepted by the registry, the document is official on record with recording data and document image immediately available on the registry website
- The filer immediately gets an electronic receipt with all recording information along with an electronic copy of the recorded document.
- Fees are paid by electronic funds transfer from the closing attorney, and we can avoid the usual $35 rundown fee. E-recording fees run about $4-5 per document.
E-recording is legal and binding, and accepted by Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and virtually every major lender. It is a major benefit to all parties involved with a real estate closing, and I’m well-versed in how to use the system to ensure a faster and more convenient closing. Please contact me at [email protected] for more information.
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