In MA. if the vehicle has a lien on it at the time of sale (dealer or outside financing) the lienholder is mailed the title directly from the Registry of Motor Vehicles. If the lien is placed on the vehicle after the sale (ie: paid cash then got loan) the owner is supposed to furnish the lienholder with paperwork showing the lien was recorded on the title. There is some room for fraud, because the seller could have copied a clean title (to show you) then recorded the lien.

Regarding the odometer, if the seller told you that it is broken then the vehicle is TMU (true mileage unknown). There is a checkbox on the title stating mileage is in excess of mileage shown.

You do not have to title vehicle to take it out of MA. You should title it where you register it. MA. does not have temporary tags so you are on your own transporting it.

I would call the MA. RMV to confirm ownership and lien status.