I don't do any commercial research anymore.  Inexperienced abstractors drove the price down to about $250-$300.  But I used to start these for no less than a $1,000.00.  AND THEY WERE GLAD TO PAY!

At $450.00, it is now too cheap.


Maybe somebody needs to smack a few abstractors around and ask them what the hell they are thinking.   Not to be rude but if you are asking if $100 or $150 is an okay price, then you probably aren't experienced enough to handle the research anyway.  Save yourself the trouble, and the risk.
These searches can actually take days to complete, not minutes.

I think the smart ones bill by the hour with a known minimum. (i.e. $150 per hour with a minimum of $1000.00 or bust but never less).  Meaning if it takes you 2 hours = $1,000.00 / if it takes you 5 hours=$1000.00 / if it takes you 8 hours =$1200 and up and up and up.

You have to think of this as it is.  A house is worth what it is worth - a cell phone tower is worth the cumulative of every signal that passes through it - meaning millions.  What do you think it's worth to a company ;ike Verizon or Cingular to make sure that the property they put the cell phone tower on is in fact clear.  It's worth Millions!!!!!

And we - the bottom feeders - are questioning whether we should take on all the work and risk for a measly $150.   This is exactly why our prices are in the toilet!