As a general rule, it seems as though the further west you go, the less common it is to see independent abstractors.  Personally, I think it has something to do with the popularity of title plants in the western states.  I remember a trip I took to Seattle in 1994... I spoke to a few title people and they had never heard of the concept of an "independent abstractor."  But, who knows... it's just a theory.

I can say that the majority of independent abstractors listed in our directory are east of the Mississippi.  It does seem to be more common to use independents in the eastern states.

Best,
Robert A. Franco
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