The Quick Links article, How to do a Title Search, suggests that a do-it-yourself search is great and can save you money. We know significant work is done to search title before the commitment is issued, and more work is done before the policy is issued. A simple search done by a consumer will miss dozens of possible problems, bankruptcies, taxes, easements, restrictions, liens, survey, judgments, marital issues, etc. in various offices.  Links to the site mentioned represent only a small slice of the search.  A good title search needs professionals!

PS I also note that the article posted gets paid by being clicked-on.