It probably doesn't matter so much as to "how" as it does "they do."

The reality is the industry is changing, the value of what abstractors do is being devalued and prices are dropping too, creating even slimmer profit margins.

I applaud you for not offer a current owner search for $ 20.

I will also say that eventually what's going to happen in some areas is independents will go out of business and then title companies using out-of-state or overseas providers will struggle to find people to actually go to counties to dig for records for them. I also see future liability issues.

Bemoan it as we will, it takes adjusting to survive. For me, it's too late. Seeking new career choices. One to two orders a day for weeks despite marketing, despite being in good standing with handfuls of companies. For those left standing, especially when the economy improves, a potential goldmine.