I'm a little amused by all the consternation caused by this post.  In the current economic situation with the Feds posting yet another increase in the prime rate (with the sure certainty ofmore to come), and with all of us dealing with the decrease in our business now that the feeding frenzy over the lower mortgage rates is over, I think it's naive to expect the prices for our services to remain the same.  I think the competition is going to be fierce for customers, and since we're all essentially offering the same services, the only way to compete is through pricing.  I think that the independant examiners are going to be hit hard, especially those who only work in one or two record rooms.  I think there's going to be increased use of on-line searches, in spite of any real or perceived risks.  I work for a company that has lower prices, but we've been in business since 1997, and I personally have over 18 years experience as an abstractor and title examiner.  I think that equating price with experience, while useful as a guideline, probably is not the best way to decide on whether to use a company or not.  I would rather take the time to ask for a sample, to actually ask for and check referrals.  If a company can do good work with a fast turn around time and responds promptly and courteously to any problems AND they're cheaper - I'm gonna use them every time!