Legal
Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers
Also called: Abstractor, Advisory Title Officer, Commercial Examiner, Commercial Title Examiner
US median pay
$58,650
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+2.1%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
5,300
59,800 employed
Typical entry education
High school diploma or equivalent
Preparation 2/5 · Some preparation
What this job is
Search real estate records, examine titles, or summarize pertinent legal or insurance documents or details for a variety of purposes. May compile lists of mortgages, contracts, and other instruments pertaining to titles by searching public and private records for law firms, real estate agencies, or title insurance companies.
What they do day to day
- Prepare and issue title commitments and title insurance policies, based on information compiled from title searches.
- Examine documentation such as mortgages, liens, judgments, easements, plat books, maps, contracts, and agreements to verify factors such as properties' legal descriptions, ownership, or restrictions.
- Examine individual titles to determine if restrictions, such as delinquent taxes, will affect titles and limit property use.
- Prepare reports describing any title encumbrances encountered during searching activities and outlining actions needed to clear titles.
- Prepare lists of all legal instruments applying to a specific piece of land and the buildings on it.
- Copy or summarize recorded documents, such as mortgages, trust deeds, and contracts, that affect property titles.
- Verify accuracy and completeness of land-related documents accepted for registration, preparing rejection notices when documents are not acceptable.
- Read search requests to ascertain types of title evidence required and to obtain descriptions of properties and names of involved parties.
- Retrieve and examine real estate closing files for accuracy and to ensure that information included is recorded and executed according to regulations.
- Confer with realtors, lending institution personnel, buyers, sellers, contractors, surveyors, and courthouse personnel to exchange title-related information or to resolve problems.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Time Management3.4/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Service Orientation2.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.8/5
- Persuasion2.5/5
- Management of Personnel Resources2.2/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service3.8/5
- Administrative3.8/5
- English Language3.8/5
- Computers and Electronics3.3/5
- Administration and Management3.1/5
- Production and Processing3.1/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 2 of 5 — Some preparation. Usually a high school diploma; some previous work experience or training helps.
Typical entry education (BLS): High school diploma or equivalent.
Highest education of people in this job:
- High school diploma55%
- Bachelor's degree14%
- Some college13%
Who this job suits
Mostly Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.