Judy - sad we have to have this warped way of thinking in this day and age.  The problem with all of this is that yes we should raise our rates, at least every two years.  The demise of us all has been the thought that to stay competitive you have to reduce or not raise your rates for years after years.  It's all a game for the top layer - the ones with billions of dollars of profit.  VMs need to say no and we need to say no.  No one is going to stay in business at this rate.  Reducing your rates 50%, I am sorry but I have to use the word assanine - there is no other word for it.  Oh I'll be competitive but put myself out of business because of it - right?  The top level will tell you any and everything they can.  Settlement fees haven't gone down, appraisal fees haven't gone down and attorney's fees haven't gone down.  Bottom line abstractors had no cush to begin with that is why all this reduction has led to their demise. 

Like I said, personally, I am putting way higher minimums on all my counties that are online because guess what I'm only getting ones they can't figure out, or can't do, and I have to make up my money somewhere from the loss of volume.  Everyone should follow suit.  At first, this wasn't working but more and more of abstractors in my area have gone out of business or taken up with oil & gas companies that my competition is getting less and less.  So I  guess it is changing to my benefit.  It won't be unusual to pay 75-100 for a current owner in my area and that will have to apply to any type of search.