Land Records
One of our primary functions is the recording and processing of land records. We accept the document for recording, stamp it with the date and time, volume and page, State or Town conveyance tax collected, if any, and calculate the recording fees. The conveyance tax is based on the sales price. In this regard, one of our functions is acting as the Tax Collector for the Connecticut Department of Revenue Services. For this, we receive no compensation.
Fees for these Services are set by the Connecticut General Statutes as are most fees we collect. Effective Dec. 1, 2017 there is a $60.00 charge for recording page one of a document, with an additional charge of $5.00 for each additional page. If the mortgage, assignment or release has Mortgage Electronic Registration Systems (MERS) as a party to the document, the first page is $159.00, with an additional charge of $5.00 for each additional page. If the document is a taxable conveyance of property, we must assess an additional $2.00 charge for the recording. A Connecticut Real Estate Conveyance Tax Return must accompany the deed when it is recorded. The return must be complete and accurate. We assess the charge for the tax and attach the check which is made out to “Commissioner of Revenue Services” to the form. This must be forwarded to the Department of Revenue Services in a timely manner. A Connecticut Real Estate Conveyance Tax form must always accompany the deed, stating the price paid...or...no conveyance paid.
The document is then indexed into our computer system and a list is run off. It is edited and corrected if needed, and put into a daybook, which is a chronological index of documents received. At the end of the week, pages for our record books are printed out and entered into our Grantor/Grantee indices. These are the master indices for all documents recorded in our office. The original documents are mailed back to the addressee designated. Accuracy and consistency is of the utmost importance.
Next we scan each document. After scanning, we are able to print the document and put it into a hard-cover book in the vault for immediate use. The customer is also able to view the document on the computer screen and to make copies of it at $1.00 per printed side. At the end of each month, the data is sent on a CD to Adkins who processes the data and puts the images onto microfilm which is then stored at a facility, Cornerstone Records Management, for safekeeping. Documents are being processed so quickly that the originals can sometimes be returned same day. We prefer to hold them for further examination of detail.
There are numerous types of documents which are processed on the Land Records, i.e. Warranty Deeds, Quit Claim Deeds, Mortgages, Releases of Mortgage, Assignments of Mortgage, Lis Pendens, Attachments, Mechanics Liens, Judgment Liens, Tax Liens, Declarations, Foreclosures, Name Changes, and many, many more.