I got it too. The new thing with these companies seems to be that they want references. So I should give the names of my clients to some company that I don't know anything about?
I have to say that anyone who demands that I do 60 year searches in 24 hours is not looking for quality searches. In the county where I work there are some very complicated titles that, if done in 24 hours, could not be done properly. I guess that's why these companies are always interested in E&O coverage.
In years past I did most of the work in my county that changed farms to developments. I shudder to think of someone doing this kind of work in 24 hours for $90 and "copies at the county cost" without plottings of exceptions, base tracts, etc. Would you want to live there knowing that there may be huge problems waiting to come up? Never does one of these forms show a price for a plotting. They don't want carefully done accurate work, just fill in the blanks on their forms and get them out ASAP for ALAP (as little as possible). And find a title problem and you'll never hear from them again.
Banging out work and cutting corners is the best way to make mistakes. And of course we all suffer as our E&O rates go up. I've been searching for 35 years and have never had a claim. But of course we all pay the rates based on the new quick cheap untrained searchers.
I'm lucky to still have some clients, some that I've had for over 30 years, who still want the work done properly and are willing to wait and pay for quality work.
But I'm not making it, I only work part time and wonder how I'll survive much longer. Ultimately the homeowners will suffer as will the reputation of what was once an honorable business. Anyone remember when you apprenticed for a few years before you were considered a title searcher. I usually double-checked every aspect of work done by my trainee searchers for at least 6 months to a year. Certainly could not do that at today's prices.


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