Foxboro Loins Club will hold their annual can/bottle drive to benefit Foxboro boys and girls tennis team on April 27 from 9-12.
Curbside pickup starts at 9am, you can also bring your cans/bottles to Foxboro Town Hall between 9-12.
Thanks
Joe Morgan
Foxboro Loins Club.
Norfolk County Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell today reminded homeowners about the importance of filing for Homestead protection.
Under Massachusetts law, a Homestead recording provides for limited protection against the forced sale of an individual’s primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000.
“For most people, their home is the most important financial asset they have,” noted Register O’Donnell. “If you own a home, and it is your primary residence, one way to protect it is to file a Homestead. The Homestead law also allows for the filing of an Elderly Homestead application, which defines an elder as a person who is 62 years of age or older. This protection can be increased if the elderly couple files jointly.”
O’Donnell further stated, “The Homestead Law was significantly enhanced by an act of the Massachusetts Legislature back in 2011. Language in the new law states a valid Homestead cannot be terminated when refinancing a mortgage. Other changes include
wording which states that a Homestead can provide protections for a primary home even if it is kept in trust. The definition of a primary residence has been further expanded to include a manufactured or mobile home.”
While a Homestead provides important protections for homeowners, it is important to note there are certain debts that are exempted from protection under the Homestead Act. These include federal, state and local tax liens, as well as mortgages contracted for the purchase of a primary home and nursing home liens. Most other mortgages, debts, and encumbrances existing prior to the filing of the Declaration of Homestead, along with probate court executions for spousal and child support, are also not covered under the Homestead protection statute.
Homestead recordings can be filed at the Registry of Deeds for a state imposed fee of $36.00. To find out more about the Homestead law, or to get a free application, please go online to the Registry’s website at www.norfolkdeeds.org or contact the Registry’s Customer Service Center at 781-461-6101.
Register O’Donnell concluded, “A Homestead is an important consumer protection tool because it protects homeowners against the forced sale of their primary owned residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000. While the debt is still owed, homeowners will at least have the comfort of knowing that with a Homestead filed at the Registry of Deeds, their primary residence cannot be forcibly sold to satisfy most debts.”
To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives, like us at Facebook/com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and/or Instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds.
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of
Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.
The ninth annual Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 road races finish with fanfare at the 50-yard line of Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, July 3
Online registration for three race options is available at: https://www.finishatthe50.com/
A portion of the proceeds from each race entry benefits One Mission, a pediatric cancer support foundation that offers immediate relief to children with cancer and their families
The ninth annual Harvard Pilgrim Finish at the 50 road races and fireworks show will be held at Patriot Place and Gillette Stadium on Tuesday, July 3, to benefit One Mission, a pediatric cancer support foundation. Continue reading Harvard Pilgrim’s Finish At The 50 Road Races Return To Gillette Stadium On July 3rd
From left, Burrell Elementary School Principal Michele McCarthy, Patriots punter Ryan Allen, Foxborough Superintendent of Schools Dr. Amy Berdos and Foxborough Assistant Superintendent of Schools Alison Mello at the Burrell Elementary School on Wednesday, May 9. Allen, on behalf of the Patriots, presented a “Thanks Teachers” Patriots jersey to be displayed at the Foxborough elementary school in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week.
Patriots punter Ryan Allen (far left) and defensive back Duron Harmon (far right) surprise a preschool class at the Burrell Elementary School on Wednesday, May 9, in recognition of Teacher Appreciation Week. The players visited every classroom at the Burrell to thank each teacher and present them with Super Bowl LI championships hats and personalized autographed photos. The Patriots also donated “Let’s Go, Patriots!” children’s books to every student as part of the visit.
The Patriots know the importance of good leadership and can spot it when it’s present. So when punter Ryan Allen and defensive back Duron Harmon visited the Burrell Elementary School in Foxborough on May 9, they saw firsthand the impact the teachers of those classrooms are having on their students. The players visited the school as a part of Teacher Appreciation Week to thank the school’s faculty for all of their work in shaping the minds of the next generation.
“Sometimes it’s not for the faint of heart,” said Allen, referring to the role and responsibilities of a teacher. “It can require levels of patience and perseverance that are definitely shown through these individuals’ work ethic. It’s very important to me, and I appreciate everything that they do.”
Allen and Harmon walked from classroom to classroom and with a knock on the door from Principal Michele McCarthy, the players surprised teachers with Super Bowl LI championship hats and personalized autographed photos, while students in each class got to take home their own copy of the children’s book, “Let’s Go, Patriots!” by Aimee Aryal. Allen and Harmon encouraged the students to read it every Sunday during the season to bring the team luck on game day.
The teachers were appreciative of Allen and Harmon’s surprise visit and enjoyed spending time talking with the players, as well as seeing the reactions of their students when the larger-than-life athletes walked into the classroom. From pre-school to fourth grade, students lit up with excitement as they watched Allen and Harmon express gratitude to the teachers for the work that they do every day in the classroom.
“You expect the preschoolers to be at a level where they may not understand much, but that was probably one of the most excited and dynamic classes that we visited,” said Allen. “It’s too cute to watch their little personalities come out and them kind of glow when they see their teachers getting recognized and stuff. It’s just fun at the end of the day.”
For Harmon, whose mother teaches middle school, thanking teachers for the work that they do meant everything.
“I know what these teachers go through. I know it’s not always good,” he said. “Their job is more important than a lot of other jobs because they’re literally molding the youth that’s going to be the next generation of doctors, lawyers; everything that we need this world to be.”
As the day wrapped, McCarthy was bursting with excitement for her faculty.
“I think we try to show our appreciation to them all the time, but having something like this really reinforces how valuable they are to us as a district, for our students,” she said. “I think this was wonderful. I’m sure they’re feeling really appreciated.”
Despite a monthly trend of limited inventory, total real estate sales in May 2017, both residential and commercial, showed a solid 10% increase year over year.
Register of Deeds William P. O’Donnell noted, “Surprisingly, Norfolk County real estate sales for May totaled 1,706 compared to 1,554 in May 2016. What was unsurprising is the low number of properties on the market which has given rise to competition,
particularly for first-time homeowners, bidding against each other, resulting in healthy increases in both the average sale price and total sales.
“The average sales price for May, again for both residential and commercial, was $766,499, a 14% increase compared to the previous year. Total real estate sales volume increased a whopping 25% for the month coming in at $850 million. In light of the continuing low levels of real estate inventory, it will be interesting to see if this growth can be sustained.”
Lending activity for the month was a different story. A total of 2,426 mortgages were recorded during May, a 14% decrease from the previous year. Total mortgage financing for the month was $1.1 billion, a 3% reduction year over year. “An uptick in mortgage rates,” noted O’Donnell, “triggered these downward numbers. With the Federal Reserve projected to increase rates during the second half of 2017, I see the mortgage lending activity trend lines continuing for the foreseeable future.”
A bright spot for the month of May 2017 was Norfolk County homeowners continuing to take advantage of the Homestead Act. A total of 1,153 Homesteads were filed during May 2017, a 4% increase compared to the previous May. “The Homestead Act,” stated the Register, “is an important consumer tool. A Homestead provides limited protection against the forced sale of a homeowner’s primary residence to satisfy unsecured debt up to $500,000.”
Additional piece of good news was seen in the area of foreclosure activity. The total number of Notice to Foreclose Mortgage recordings, the first step in the foreclosure process was 60, a 28% reduction from the previous year. Foreclosure deed recordings, the final step in the foreclosure process, were flat. A total of 22 foreclosure deeds were processed in May, the same number recorded in May 2016.
“As I have said many times,” noted Register O’Donnell, “one foreclosure filing is one too many. With that said, I am heartened by the reduced foreclosure activity seen in Norfolk County. Please be aware the Registry continues to partner with Quincy Community Action Programs at (617) 479-8181 x-376 and Neighbor Works Southern Mass at (508) 598-0950. These two non-profits are there to help anyone who has received a Notice to Foreclose Mortgage from a lender. Another option is to call the Massachusetts Attorney General’s HomeCorps program at (617) 573-5333.”
Register O’Donnell concluded, “Considering where we are in Norfolk County with low real estate inventory, I was pleasantly surprised by the upsurge of May’s real estate sales numbers. However, an important factor we need not overlook is the continued desire of individuals and families to live and work in Norfolk County. The strong quality of life and sound economy in eastern Massachusetts should be able to sustain the local real estate market through the rest of 2017.”
To learn more about these and other Registry of Deeds events and initiatives like us at facebook.com/NorfolkDeeds or follow us on twitter.com/NorfolkDeeds and instagram.com/NorfolkDeeds.
The Norfolk County Registry of Deeds is located at 649 High Street in Dedham. The Registry is a resource for homeowners, title examiners, mortgage lenders, municipalities and others with a need for secure, accurate, accessible land record information. All land record research information can be found on the Registry’s website www.norfolkdeeds.org. Residents in need of assistance can contact the Registry of Deeds Customer Service Center via telephone at (781) 461-6101, or email us at registerodonnell@norfolkdeeds.org.