I am too old and glad for myself that, much as I loved the work, I didn't stay in title abstracting as a full-time career.  Abstracting pay today is Far Far Less than the old days of Quality 60-year searches.

My opinion is the rush to the bottom will change only IF multiple title insurance companies take  big financial hits and lenders get nasty from claims where the  5 cent searches were done ... or not done.  I have nothing against title insurance companies.  I dislike the lender mantra of "same day turnaround and make the borrower repeatedly buy another title insurance policy to protect us."  A title insurance version of Ameriquest's recent problems that wakes up the consumer agencies and sends profits into the netherworld is the only thing that may return the industry to quality rather than volume and playing the odds. 

The day may come when there are NO title abstracts, just a credit report review for unpaid mortgages, sell a title insurance policy to the lender paid for by the borrower, and the national title company crosses its fingers. Oh, that's what the $5 title search is for.