Ownership of a inium unit is evidenced by a inium certificate of title. With respect to real property other than land and inium units, there is no system that is equivalent to the Torrens system for registration under which a document is issued to evidence the owner's title.
Documents must be signed with an original signature and notarized if required. Signers' and notaries' names must be printed under the signature. Notary expiration date is required. Return name and address must be placed on the front of the first page of each document.
The grantor (seller) and the grantee (buyer) must be listed on all property deeds in MA. Even if the property is being transferred as a “gift,” both names must be listed. The grantee's mailing address, as well as the address of the property, must be printed on the deed as well.
A valid deed must include the full names and addresses of the grantor and grantee, a clear description of the property, the grantor's signature, and notarization. It should also be recorded at the local Registry of Deeds.
The primary evidence of ownership is the deed itself, but the recording of the deed at the Registry of Deeds is notice to the world as to ownership. Unrecorded deeds are legally binding on the persons who have knowledge of the deed but recorded deeds are absolute proof of ownership.
The Secretary of the Commonwealth has provided access to information online in the 21 Registries of Deeds located within the state. Each registry records the documents about real estate ownership within its district. To locate your deed, click on the county name of the registry where the property is located.
The master deed is one of the documents that transfer property to be owned by the inium. It includes a description of the land and buildings, a description of what is the common area and what the individual owners own, a determination of percentage interest, a plot plan, and use restrictions.
In Massachusetts, there are primarily three types of deeds that are used in all transactions: Release Deeds, Quitclaim Deeds, and Warranty Deeds. The vast majority of property in Massachusetts is transferred via a quitclaim deed.
Your will can only give away assets that are entirely yours, so if you own partial interest in the land—for example, as a tenant in common with siblings—then you can only give away your share of the ownership. As previously noted, a will cannot override the ownership of the land as stated on your deed.
What Are My Rights as a Condo Owner? As a condo owner, you have the right to use your unit as provided in the master deed – if it's a residential inium unit – in a way that allows you to maintain a reasonable standard of living as required by Massachusetts health, safety and building laws.