Very well said.  It is very sad what has become of the abstracting industry.  In the 90's it seemed that we were all in this together - the title companies and the abstractors worked together.  Our clients wanted us to succeed because we provided a valuable service to them.  

In the late 90's that started to change.  Clients started asking for us to do the work cheaper. At first it was because they were sending us so much work that they felt entitled to a volume discount.  Then it was because things slowed down and they needed to cut costs.  I found it strange how there was never a time where it was okay for abstractors to charge more; like when gas went up to $5.00/gallon, or when E&O insurance doubled, or when the cost of everything else we had to buy to stay in business got more expensive.  

Then, things got even worse.  When the skilled abstractors couldn't afford to lower their prices anymore, clients started hiring anyone with a pen to do their abstracting.  Once the quality of the work no longer mattered, the clients were free to hire the work done overseas by someone who barely speaks English.

But, we abstractors are partially to blame.  We refused to organize.  We refused to support licensing regulations that would have required minimum standards to enter the business.  We refused to properly value our services.  We were always afraid that if we didn't cave in to every client's demand that we would lose them to someone else in the courthouse that was willing to do it.  And... by doing so, we became that other person who "was willing to do it."  

It is sad.  I hope that one day things turn around.  

Best,
Robert A. Franco
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