Okay so let's say you have a house or some land in Massachusetts. The registry of deeds is like a big book where they write down all the important information about your property, like who owns it, when it was bought or sold, and any mortgages or loans that are connected to it. It's kind of like keeping track of who has what toys at daycare.
So why is the registry of deeds important? Well, let's say you want to buy a house. You would want to make sure that the person selling you the house really owns it and that there aren't any other people or banks who have a claim to it. You can check the registry of deeds to make sure that everything is in order and that the person selling you the house has the right to do so. So it's like if you want to trade your favorite toy with someone, you'd want to make sure their mommy or daddy said it's okay first.
The registry of deeds also helps to keep track of important documents related to your property, like the deed (which shows who owns the property), and any liens (which are like IOUs). This is important because if you don't have the right paperwork, you might not be able to sell your property or get a loan to fix it up. So it's like if you go to the doctor, they need to know your name and any allergies you have so they can give you the right medicine.
Overall, the registry of deeds is like a really important library for property information in Massachusetts. Without it, people wouldn't know who owns what or what kinds of debts or obligations are tied to a particular piece of land or property.