Hi, Diane!

Ben with Veracity here. I hope all is well with you.  ;)

This kind of thing is going to keep happening. The genuinely "easy" stuff is going to be done in-house, or by automated systems, or overseas. We're going to get the stuff that absolutely must be done by a local abstractor with courthouse access, OR... by a local abstractor who actually understands title. In other words, you're the "special forces" and the clean-up crew.

This means you'll have to be prepared for unusual search requirements. When we get hit by those, I go back to the client and say "Hey, thanks for the order, but your requirements exceed our standards for a current owner (or two owner, or whatever). Pricing for orders like this will be $XYZ."

When the clients have those special requirements, it's generally because their underwriter is requiring it. (Given what I know about abstractor coverage in YOUR neck of the woods, the clients don't have much choice!) Whatever you quote, they'll have to take it or leave it.

There's no need to give the client a hard time about these requests, but you shouldn't do extra work for free, either. I like to tell them, "The menu just says hamburger, not hamburger, fries, and dessert!" 

Good luck out there!
- Ben