I paid off my mortgage, what do I do next?

Congratulations on paying off your mortgage!  Once the bank has processed the payoff, they will issue a Discharge of Mortgage.  This document needs to be recorded at the Registry to show that the mortgage is no longer in effect.  You should ask your lender if they will record the discharge or if they will be mailing it to you.  The current fee to record a Discharge of Mortgage is $105, plus $1 for postage if you do not include a stamped self-addressed envelope.

Please note that unlike the title to a car, the property deed is not held as security by the lender. After a deed is recorded, the Registry scans the document and returns it to either the closing attorney or owner, whichever is specified at the time of recording.  If you never got the original deed, don’t be concerned. A certified copy of the deed from the Registry of Deeds is all you will ever need (You don’t need the original deed to sell the property).