Why you should file a written Declaration of Homestead at the Registry of Deeds when you buy your property.
The Massachusetts Homestead Act is a law under which a homeowner is protected by an Estate of Homestead. A homestead estate provides limited protection of the value of the home, up to $500,000, against unsecured creditor claims.
The homestead estate is designed to protect home ownership from execution and forced sale, so long as the owner or covered family member occupies or intends to occupy the property as his or her principal place of residence.
The law provides an automatic exemption available to everyone who owns a home and who occupies or intends to occupy the home as his or her principal residence. But this exemption is only for $125,000.00. Filing a written Declaration of Homestead at the Registry of Deeds for the county where the home is located increases that amount to $500,000.00.
Your closing attorney will be able to file this for you for a nominal fee.
For more information I like this page: <Hornung and Scimone Homestead>
