More than 8,900 documents were filed in the Carbon County Recorder of Deeds office in 2024, according to an annual statistical report released by Donna L. Gentile, the current officeholder.

As a result of the department’s activities last year, the recorder collected and remitted $10,114,756.45 in revenues, which were disbursed as follows: Carbon County, $608,508.75; and municipalities and school districts in the county, $4,584,710.27.

Breakdown of filings

A breakdown of the filings included: 349 assignments of mortgage; 1 agreement of sale; 143 assignment of rents and leases; 1 assumption agreement; 2,917 deeds; 123 deed-time shares; 89 easements; 4 elected official commissions; 1 elected official bond security; 75 financing statements - UCC-I; 35 financing statements - UCC-3; 1 highway occupancy permit; 13 lease agreements; 2,399 mortgages; 3 mortgage amendments; 4 post construction maps; 45 subdivision maps; 6 survey maps; 112 miscellaneous; 1 miscellaneous - no parcel; 86 modification agreements; 58 notary commissions; 5 notice of assessments; 13 orders of court; 193 powers of attorney; 50 preferential assessment applications; 83 releases of mortgage; 2,010 satisfactions of mortgage; 23 soldiers discharges; 6 subordinations of mortgage; 107 and terminations of rents and leases.

The Recorder of Deeds office received and filed a total of 8,893 documents.

County revenue

Gentile said the office collected $360,783 in recording fees, which was turned over on a monthly basis to the Carbon County General Fund. Other revenue derived from the office last year included: commission on local realty taxes, $91,817.01; commission on state realty taxes, $45,847.23; Affordable Housing administrative fee, $17,073.60; data processing fees, $8,001.75; and commission earned on state writs and UCC statements, $149.59. The total revenue the county received from recordings and commissions listed above was $523,672.18.

Gentile said some filings throughout the year also resulted in special funds amounting to $222,650.40, including $96,750.40 that was generated to assist the county in its Affordable Housing (rehabilitation) program; $81,585 collected for the County Demolition Fund;

$17,726 that was received and deposited in the County Records Improvement Fund; and $26,589 that was added to the Recorder of Deeds Improvement Fund.

In addition, the county received $33,115.06 in additional revenue from other services provided by the office, including $6,031 copies; $123 in certifications of copies; $1,585 in rejection fees; $25,091.06 in remote access fees; and $285 in miscellaneous recording fees.

In all, Gentile was able to turn over to the county $779,43.64.

Transfer taxes

Meanwhile, as part of the real estate recoding process, the office also collected $4,590,848.93 in transfer taxes for area school districts and municipalities. Accordingly, in 2024, Gentile distributed those funds to the following:

School Districts: Jim Thorpe Area School District, $1,244,914.77; Lehighton Area School District, $383,049.30; Palmerton Area School District, $267,098.17; Weatherly Area School District, $167,276.65; Hazleton Area School District, $34,441.71; and Panther Valley Area School District, $198,645.33

Municipalities: Banks Township, $23,386.30; Beaver Meadows borough, $11,055.33; Bowmanstown borough, $15,306.57; East Penn Township, $64,739.79; East Side Borough, $2,975; Franklin Township, $81,082.01; Jim Thorpe borough, $91,202.82; Kidder Township North, $77,739.59; Kidder Township South, $494,799.33; Lansford borough, $71,113.17; Lausanne Township, $9,312.32; Lehigh Township, $9,545.24; Lehighton borough, $92,020.30; Lower Towamensing Township, $43,680.98; Mahoning Township, $123,773.61; Nesquehoning borough, $74,618.95; Packer Township, $17,385.80; Palmerton Borough, $95,332.27; Penn Forest Township, $658,910.52; Towamensing Township, $112,778.17; Parryville borough, $12,325.74; Summit Hill borough, $52,912.95; Weatherly borough, $50,318.57; and Weissport borough, $167,276.65.

State proceeds

Gentile remitted $4,915,398.77 to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, consisting of $4,584,710.27 in realty transfer taxes, $325,703 in JCS/Access to Justice Funds, $4,405.50 in writ taxes and $580 in notary writ taxes.