I am a title agent.  I am not an abstractor and I never wanted to be an abstractor.

My job is to review what has been reported to me and determine from the report and my personal review of the abstract with the assistance of underwriting counsel when necessary, whether or not I am comfortable with handling the closing transaction and writing policies of title insurance.

I have 3 files on my desk right now that are under contract and that should be closing on Friday.   They all have detailed 60 year title searches. full copies, including a copy of the entire case file from the foreclosure, they are all coming out of ratified foreclosures and they have all been "blessed" by my underwriter.  There are no red flags that we can find. 

BUT.....the seller won't let them go to closing claiming there is a title defect.!!

I am the first to admit that the job of a title abstractor is hard. It's time consuming, it's sometimes nerve wracking and it can be tedious. Not to mention the liability that attaches to each file and the fact that everyone wants you to undercut your fee.  But today I want to be an abstractor because then all I would have to do is report what I found and let the title agent try to make sense of what was found as a matter of record and what the seller is saying about a title defect that they (the seller) won't elaborate on. 

Oh, I grow weary of REO work.  But, on a good note, with the current state of affairs in foreclosures I have actually picked up two new clients this week because they became aware of my expertise.  A blessing to be sure but one that comes with some burden.