| 2010:
On December 17,
the Registry of Deeds kicked off it's 1st Annual two week food
drive to benefit Saint Joseph's Food Pantry in Salem by having
Employee Dress Down Day. All employees donated can goods
for the pantry! Customers and the public were invited to
join us during the holiday season by making a contribution to
the pantry or by donating a few nonperishable or canned
goods. Register of Deeds John O'Brien felt that this
event followed the spirit of our Registry, and emphasized our
motto: How May We Help You!
Pictured:
Kevin Harvey, Veann Campbell, Register John O'Brien,
Baine
Malekakis, Greg Barry, Joe Gentleman
On December 16, Salem
News Editorial reports avoiding another Mortgage mess. Click
here to read the article
On December 16, Coakley
to investigate O'Brien's charges against MERS. Click
here to read the article
On December 6, Register
O'Brien urges National Association of Registers to join battle
against MERS, O'Brien wants seat at the table for DC solution.
Click
here to read the article
On December 6, Secretary
Galvin to file bill requiring court approval on foreclosurers,
Register O'Brien agrees. Click
here to read the Boston Globe Article
On November 30, CNBC
Senior Editor John Carney reports MERS Wars Heat up in MA. Click
here to read the article
On November 29, CNBC
Senior Editor John Carney reports 'A Salem Trial for MERS. Click
here to read the article
On November 29, The
Huffington Post, Register O'Brien questions MERS. Click
here to read the article
On November 23, The Lynn
Daily Item reports: Banks accused of failing to pay fees;
Register of Deeds requests investigation. Click
here to read the article
On November 23, The
Salem News reports: Dealing with Registry of Deeds directly
can save you money. Click
here to read the article
On November 23, The
Salem News reports: Register questions role of mortgage
servicing firm. Click
here to read the article
On November 16, Register
John O'Brien's Consumer Alert regarding Homeowner's Discharge
fee. Lynn
Daily Item 11/16/2010
On September 26,
The Lynn Daily Item reports that foreclosure rates are slowly
rising in Lynn. Click
here to read the article.
On June 22, Astro Fuel Releases
Mechanics Liens. Click
here to make sure your lien has been discharged.
On June 1, The Gloucester Times
reports that more residents are filing for Homestead
protection. Click
here to read the article.
On April 15, The Office
of the Comptroller of the Currency has issued a Consumer
Advisory with tips for avoiding Mortgage Modification Scams
and Foreclosure Rescue Scams. Click
here to read the advisory
Click
here to visit their website for more information.
On March 24,
Register John O'Brien alerted the residents of Essex County to
a scam offering to provide citizens with a certified copy of
your deed for a cost of $69.50. The alert was published
in many local newspapers, click on the name of each periodical
to reach the articles. Salem News;
Lynn Daily Item,
Beverly Citizen,
Banker & Tradesman,
Georgetown Record,
North Andover Citizen,
Tri-Town Transcript,
Cape Ann Beacon,
Swampscott Reporter,
Marblehead Reporter
On March 11, Injunction
granted against Oil Dealer. Click here to read the Salem News
article.
On March 5,
the Attorney General sues a local Oil Firm over bills and
liens that Register of Deeds John O'Brien immediately
suspected of fraud. Click
here to read the Salem News article.
2009:
In December, the
Southern Essex District Registry of Deeds alerts the residents
of Essex County to a potential fraudulent mortgage
scheme. Click here
to read the Salem News article, and click
here to read the Boston Globe article.
In July, Register
John O'Brien alerts Essex County Residents to Rental
Scam. Click
here to read the Salem News article from 7/28/09, and click
here to read the Salem News article from 7/29/09.
In June, Register O'Brien's Letter
to the Editor: "'JUMBO' Loan Interest Rate is
Unfair" The
Eagle-Tribune 6/5/2009
In May, Homestead-Declaration scam
puts Registry on High Alert. MA
Lawyers Weekly Story 5/18/2009
In April, Mayor Kim Driscoll, Representative John Keenan,
and Register of Deeds John O'Brien kickoff April as "Homestead Month" in
Salem. Click here to
view the photo. Click Here
for a Homestead Form. For any questions please contact our Customer
Service Department at 978-542-1704 or via email at southernessexcustomerservice@sec.state.ma.us
In March, Register
John O'Brien warns about a Homestead Form Scam in the Salem
News. Click here to
read the article.
In February, for our
customers convenience the recording
hours for the Southern Essex District Registry of Deeds has been changed to 8:00 am to 4:00
pm.
2008:
On November 24, Register John L. O'Brien
published a Letter to the Editor in the Salem News and Lynn
Item about his solution to the foreclosure crisis. Click
here to read the letter.
In November, Freddie Mac suspended
all foreclosure sales of occupied homes from the day before
Thanksgiving until January 9, 2009.
Click
here for more information.
Federal Housing Administration Hope for
Homeowners Resource Center Click
Here For Information
On September 29, Register John L. O'Brien
announced his 2008 Homestead Protection Outreach Program.
Click
here for more information.
May 27th, The Registry of Deeds
moved into its new location at Shetland Park, 45 Congress St.
Suite 4100, Salem, MA 01970.
2007: In
March: There are companies offering
to provide you with a Certified copy of your Deed for a cost
of $59.00. Please be aware that
you may print a copy of your deed online for Free
if you have purchased your home after 1983. Should you
need a Certified Copy of your Deed, you may contact our
Customer Service Department at (978) 741-0201, extension 258
or 253 for assistance. The charge for a certified copy is
$1.00 per page (most Deeds are one page).
2005::
Engineering
Department:
The Engineering Department was moved from the 4th floor of the
Registry to the 1st floor and combined with the Planning
Department. By accomplishing this, the public now has more
access to this department.
2004:
Registered Land department was moved from the 1st floor to the
2nd, which allowed the department to be in one area instead of
being spread out. All documents are housed in a 'State of the
Art' document retrieval system improving public access to
these documents.
2001:
Register O'Brien and Secretary of State, William Galvin entered into a lease agreement for more registry space.
2000: Register
John O’Brien receives the National Association of County
Recorders Election Officials and Clerks “Public Official of
the Year” award for the Registry’s innovative use of
technology to better service his constituents.
"O'Brien Brings Registry Office into High-Tech Age.
Awarded "Public Official of the Year" by the
National Association of County Recorders and Clerks." Lynn
Item.
"Registries Seeking to Bring Online Records to the
Public." Salem Internet Site a Nationally Recognized
Model; Plans to test paperless transactions considered. Banker
& Tradesman.
http://www.thewarrengroup.com
Editorial: "Looking Ahead to e-filing." Massachusetts
Lawyers Weekly, December 2000.
"County Registry of Deeds Pioneers Electronic
Filing." Lynn Item, October
18, 2000.
"Southern Essex Registry of Deeds Tests Electronic
Signatures." Banker & Tradesman,
October 9, 2000
1999: Register
of Deeds, John O'Brien is awarded the Computerworld
Smithsonian Award, honoring innovative use of information
technology to benefit society. Click
here to see the award
Registry
embarked on a program to convert its computer system to an open
system thereby allowing Registered Land and the Planning Department
to provide information on the World Wide Web. In addition, we
implemented a program where the first 20 record books, dating
back to 1639, will be on the Web for historical viewing with
more volumes to follow. We developed an Oracle-based GIS information
system for the 30 communities served by the Essex Registry to
allow mapping, zoning, etc. on the World Wide Web.
Register O’Brien was awarded the Banker & Tradesman 125 award
for his vision and leadership in making the South Essex District
Registry of Deeds the first deeds office in the nation to provide
both document images and indexes on the Internet free of charge
for public viewing 24 hours per day.
Magazine cites Register O'Brien with the prestigious Banker &
Tradesman 125 award. Lynn Item.
"Southern Essex Registry on Electronic Frontier." The
Boston Globe.
"Galvin Stumping for Online Records in State Registries." Secretary
of State William Galvin explains his proposal for an online
registry of deeds system to the realtors at a conference in
Newton, using the Southern Essex District Registry of Deeds'
website (www.salemdeeds.com) as a model. This will bring information
such as zoning bylaws, topographical maps & recent assessments
online. Banker & Tradesman.
Southern Essex County Registry of Deeds honored for historic
website. Lynn Item.
"Essex Registry First to Put Images on World Wide Web." On January
11th, the Southern Essex District Registry of Deeds became the
first Registry in the U.S. to provide both document images and
indices for public viewing on the World Wide Web. Salem
News.
"Networked attached Storage: Essex County First with Land Records
on the Web." Unisys Corporation. Storage Management Solutions,
Volume 3, Issue 6 Click
here
1998: Registry
launched its website and became the first Registry of Deeds
to provide both document images and indices for public viewing,
24 hours a day, free of charge on the World Wide Web. Registry
was nominated (for the second time) for the 1998 Computerworld
Smithsonian Award. This prestigious award recognizes innovative
uses of technology that benefit society.
Registry of Deeds system attracts out-of-state attention. State
officials in Georgia want to replicate the high-tech document
imaging system to provide images on the World Wide Web. Register
O'Brien and his Assistant Michael T. Miles were invited to Atlanta.
Lynn Item.
Deeds and land documents now on Web. Salem News.
"Essex County Registry Makes Land Records Available on the Internet,"
Unisys Corporation White Paper: Network Attached Disk
Architectures.
1995: Nominated
for the Computerworld
Smithsonian Award as an innovator of image technology in
a government agency.
Document Witchcraft . Access to county land records expanded.
INFORMATION WEEK.
1993: Registry
imaging system featured at the AIIM (Association for Information
& Imaging Management) conference in Chicago.
1988: Registry
received the National
Association of Counties Award for providing off-site access
to indices to the Association of Realtors and Essex County Bar
Association. This was the first in the nation.
1987: Registry
received National Association of Counties Award for restoration
of 3000 record books.
1986: Registry
received National Association of Counties Award for Automation
of Land Records.
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