Unwritten RE Rule #2

Unwritten RE Rule #2: SPA is required to procure certified copies of Titles/Tax Declarations

Some people believe Titles and Tax Declarations are considered "public documents" and, therefore, could be requested from the Registry of Deeds and City Assessor by anyone.

Based on our experience, these government agencies require people to have Special Power of Attorneys (SPAs) issued by owners to request certified copies of Titles/Tax Declarations. There may be some exceptions (like if you have connections), but this is the case 95% of the time.

In 2015, these government agencies were less strict and accepted unnotarized authorization letters. But between now and then, it seems these agencies have become more strict. This development is likely to protect the owners' privacy.

Why is this important?

The last thing anyone would want to happen is to brave the traffic, spend a ridiculous amount of time finding parking (eventually parking in a sketchy area), and queuing in a line that looked like a new iPhone release–only to be told an SPA is required.

Just kidding, the line's not that long.

To save on trips to these government agencies, having an SPA (along with a printed copy of the owner's ID with specimen signatures) on hand before heading to these government agencies is best. If there are multiple owners, one owner (mentioned in the title) would suffice. Oh, and ensure the SPA is specific about the property (they don't like blanket SPAs).