A helpful reminder from REALTOR and Conservation Commission Member in Pittsfield and Agent in Richmond, Franz Forster:  When reviewing deed information on masslandrecords.com, be sure to check whether there is an outstanding Order of Conditions (Conservation Commission (ConCom), many times labeled simply ‘Order’. If so, it may be appropriate to ask the seller about obtaining a Certificate of Compliance (CoC) – either full or partial.

We’ve already seen one agreement fall apart and another at risk due to this issue.  Many Conservation Commissions only meet once per month, so timing can become a real challenge if this is discovered late in the transaction. It’s worth identifying early and planning accordingly.