Accurate, legal property records
are essential for a wide variety
of transactions,
including buying and selling real estate,
assessing taxes, obtaining mortgages,
inheriting property,
and many other financial dealings.
Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
research and obtain real estate records
and other documents to ensure the legitimacy
and integrity of property-related transactions.
Title examiners spend much of their time
searching public and private records
for property title related documents.
They study plat books, official documents,
that describe the history of properties,
and their dimensions and property lines.
They examine mortgages, contracts,
legal descriptions, easements, maps,
and other documents.
They often prepare reports
to describe their findings
about a property title,
especially any restrictions
on a property’s legal use,
or debts owed on the property.
Exacting attention to detail
and record keeping skills
are essential qualities in this field.
Title examiners prepare documents
that have long-term impact
for those involved,
so they must also be aware of
any legislation that pertains to their field.
They may assess fees.
Title examiners, abstractors, and searchers
generally work for law firms,
real estate agencies,
and title insurance companies.
While they almost always work in offices,
they sometimes travel
to real estate transaction closings,
or to specific offices
to study documents on site.
Most positions require
a high school diploma;
on-the-job training is provided
by most employers.