Seeking lawyer’s advice is more expensive than going to county office

Q : You wrote that it would be “simplest” for the reader to contact an attorney to see whether a deed had been recorded. Perhaps, but it also may be more expensive. It could be simple for the reader to go to the county or some other appropriate local registry/reporting office and ask a clerk for some assistance, or trying to muddle their way through to find a copy of the deed on file. I’d like to think that the clerk would help guide someone to the right document if they were to come in on a quiet day.

I am concerned because homeowners get mail solicitations that state that they can get certified deeds for only $75 or $99 or more. These, as you know, are unnecessary because merely having a deed on file is sufficient. The cost of these schemes is exorbitant, particularly since they can go to the public office and get one for the cost of copying. —L.S.R. A : What you say is true, counselor. These days, the public records office in most counties can even be searched from home.

In that particular situation, though, there was a specific question as to whether that deed had ever been recorded. I had no way of knowing whether my reader would be able to “muddle through” the public records. I still say it was simplest to have a lawyer investigate.

And, of course, you’re right about those officiallooking offers to furnish certified copies. They’re not exactly illegal; they’re a scam and a waste of money. Filing the new deed is a standard part of normal settlement procedures, and nothing else is needed. Q : I appreciated your reply to the 70-year-old woman thinking of buying a home. I am 66. Three years ago, I bought a large, very livable house in a small town. It needed basic repairs, which are mostly done. Now I am on to updates and changing the decor. It hasn’t been that difficult, and I’m finding it enjoyable. Many of my acquaintances are selling the big houses in which they raised their kids.

I’d add my encouragement to that woman. Do what feels right for you, and don’t worry. You can always make another choice if you need to. — S. K. A : Thanks for the advice. Your opinion is welcome. Q : If your reader A. M. lives where I think she does, please advise her to just put a “for sale” sign in the farmyard. She will have the Amish farmers in the area lining up to buy. Their population is expanding, and they are always looking to purchase tillable farms. They might not even care about that faulty wiring. — D. C. A : A.M. never said just where that inherited farm was located, but your advice is interesting. Thanks for writing.

A few weeks ago, I answered that reader whose in-laws had long ago given them land on which to build a home and lent them cash for construction with a mortgage since paid off. She was concerned about how they’d prove ownership when they were ready to sell. Yesterday, another note came from her.

Contact Edith Lank at www. askedith.com, at edithlank@ aol.com or at 240 Hemingway Drive, Rochester NY 14620.