"To me"establish and maintain uniform standards and practices" .... and "ethical conduct" would be a good way to make online search for E&O searches an unauthorized way of abstracting.  "


You are STILL failing to recognize that using online sources, particularly those that are THE index of record in certain areas, is not an option. Even examiners in the field in the counties that I have mentioned in another post are in a position where they HAVE to use the online records of NYC, as they are THE ONLY ONES THAT EXIST.

Because things are one way in Texas, Wyoming, or where ever people are doing abstracts, does not mean that they are the same in another part of the country. You are imposing your views as something that should be embraced on a National level, and it simply can not work that way.

Many, if not ALL, of the abstractors in the 4 boroughs that ACRIS holds the records for begin their searches on the online service. They then will go on to check indicies in the appropriate office if they are doing a full title, orthey may in fact be done with their search if they are doing a refinance search.

That is the way that it is.

The over-riding theme here seems more a way to force people to compete all on the same playing field rather than the accuracy of the search, based on the wording that I have read in some of the responses to this thread. In theory that is a great idea. However, the fact is that there are plenty of ways to both speed up and cut the cost of a search. It is wholy unrealistic to cut these options out because others do not like them.

Realistically, and I can't say this enough, if an examiner is trained, and knows how to do their job, the source of the information is irrelevant...