We are not the only company there with issues on this.  Like I said, the Wisconsin Land Title Association is trying to take care of this, and we didn't go to them with the problem.  There are many title companies across the state that are being charged this rate, and we have an actual presence in the courthouse where other companies probably don't.  The county is also selling all the documents to First American for $500 a month, so I suppose we could just let the work go to India where they'll do it for $30 instead of leveling the playing field for all people in the courthouse regardless of who they work for.

In the last few years that I've been an SOT member, I've received several emails from other members stating that I shouldn't be on here or that my questions or goals don't really matter because I work for a large company.  I'd like to explain how it is that I ended up in this position:

There was a local independent abstractor that approached Stewart about buying his company, as he wanted out of the industry.  He had a significant customer base and also employed a few other searchers.  Stewart agreed to purchase his company, and hired me to administer the division.  Stewart Title Services already had 4 searchers covering 6 counties, and since then we've purchased a few more title companies in different markets, so our coverage area has expanded.  Other than my SOT listing, I don't do any direct marketing to customers in Wisconsin.  Almost all my customers are Stewart MAST agents.  There are a few local law firms and title companies that purchase their searches from me, but they sought me out directly.  Our office in Outagamie county has barely grasped the concept of providing search packages that don't include a letter report or title commitment, so we certainly aren't competing with any independent abstractors there.

I just want to be sure that people understand that I'm not a vendor management company, but neither am I seeking business that is currently being sent to local, independent abstractors.  I'm running the same type of business that many other people here are, but have the benefit of being owned by Stewart.