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Career Details

23-2093.00 - Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers


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.


Key Facts
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Bright Outlook
Career Details
Green Job
Career Details
Current Employment
71,100
Estimate
Forecasted Employment
70,800
Estimate
Change in Employment
-200.0
Estimate
Change in Employment %
-0.3%
Estimate
Tasks
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Tasks
The tasks listed below can be performed to prepare you for a career in this field.
Core
  • Prepare lists of all legal instruments applying to a specific piece of land and the buildings on it.
  • 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.
  • Read search requests to ascertain types of title evidence required and to obtain descriptions of properties and names of involved parties.
  • Copy or summarize recorded documents, such as mortgages, trust deeds, and contracts, that affect property titles.
  • 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.
  • Verify accuracy and completeness of land-related documents accepted for registration, preparing rejection notices when documents are not acceptable.
  • Confer with realtors, lending institution personnel, buyers, sellers, contractors, surveyors, and courthouse personnel to exchange title-related information or to resolve problems.
  • Enter into record-keeping systems appropriate data needed to create new title records or to update existing ones.
  • Obtain maps or drawings delineating properties from company title plants, county surveyors, or assessors' offices.
  • Retrieve and examine real estate closing files for accuracy and to ensure that information included is recorded and executed according to regulations.
Supplemental
  • Direct activities of workers who search records and examine titles, assigning, scheduling, and evaluating work, and providing technical guidance as necessary.
  • Prepare and issue title commitments and title insurance policies, based on information compiled from title searches.
  • Summarize pertinent legal or insurance details, or sections of statutes or case law from reference books for use in examinations or as proofs or ready reference.
  • Prepare real estate closing statements, using knowledge and expertise in real estate procedures.
  • Determine whether land-related documents can be registered under the relevant legislation, such as the Land Titles Act.
  • Assess fees related to registration of property-related documents.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Knowledge
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Knowledge

The items listed below are organized into sections that contain knowledge useful for pursuing a career in this field. Each section also contains a "Percentage of Importance" statistic that shows how relevant an item is to the occupation.
 English Language
  • 72%
    Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
 Law and Government
  • 71%
    Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process.
 Clerical
  • 63%
    Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and other office procedures and terminology.
 Customer and Personal Service
  • 62%
    Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
 Computers and Electronics
  • 60%
    Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
 Mathematics
  • 52%
    Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Tools
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Tools
The tools listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Personal communication devices
  • Multiline telephone systems
 Computers
  • Laptop computers
  • Desktop computers
  • Personal computers
 Computer data input devices
  • Computer data input scanners
 Computer printers
  • Computer laser printers
 Duplicating machines
  • Photocopying equipment
  • Laser facsimile machines
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Technology
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Technology
The technologies listed below include machines, equipment, tools, and software that is useful for individuals who are interested in this career.
 Business function specific software
  • SoftPro
  • SoftPro ProForm
  • Microsoft OfficeHOT
 Content authoring and editing software
  • Microsoft WordHOT
  • Word processing software
  • Microsoft PowerPointHOT
  • Contact management software
  • Microsoft ExcelHOT
 Content management software
  • Adobe Systems Adobe AcrobatHOT
  • File management software
  • GATORS ANYWHERE
  • PropertyInfo SureClose
 Data management and query software
  • Customer relationship management CRM software
  • Salesforce
  • Data Trace Title IQ
  • First American Data Tree Parcel IQ
  • Landtitle USA
  • Microsoft AccessHOT
  • Property Insight TitlePoint
 Network applications software
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer
  • Web browser software
 Information exchange software
  • Microsoft OutlookHOT
  • Geographic information system GIS databases
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Certifications
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Certifications
The certifications listed below are useful to pursue if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific certifications are listed for this career
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Licensing
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Licensing
The licensing information below is organized into sections and is useful for pursuing if you are interested in a career in this field.
No specific licensing information is listed for this occupation in the area you have selected.
All data sourced from US Department of Labor, Employment & Training Administration O*Net Database.
Related Programs
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Programs related to this career, offered by participating institution(s), are listed below.

Clicking on the Degree programs in the list below will take you away from the Careers page.
INSTITUTION
PROGRAMS
Peirce College
Jobs
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Jobs related to this career may be found on Indeed.com or on the Google Job Search page.