Title Examiners, Abstractors, and Searchers

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.

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.

Prepare lists of all legal instruments applying to a specific piece of land and the buildings on it.

Prepare real estate closing statements, using knowledge and expertise in real estate procedures.

Prepare and issue title commitments and title insurance policies based on information compiled from title searches.

Read search requests to ascertain types of title evidence required and to obtain descriptions of properties and names of involved parties.

Obtain maps or drawings delineating properties from company title plants, county surveyors, or assessors' offices.

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 update existing ones.

Direct activities of workers who search records and examine titles, assigning, scheduling, and evaluating work, and providing technical guidance as necessary.

Retrieve and examine real estate closing files for accuracy and to ensure that information included is recorded and executed according to regulations.

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.

Summarize pertinent legal or insurance details, or sections of statutes or case law from reference books so that they can be used in examinations, or as proofs or ready reference.