Robert... I agree wholeheartedly about needing input from everyone. I am as guilty as the next guy/girl. I devour the posts everyday; and never provide much input. I, unfortunately, could not attend the conference this past week. But I do want to make an observation that maybe will make all of us sit up and start participating. There were, the last time I noticed, 106 attendees at the conference. There were, last fall, 60 at that conference. When you look at the number of members of SOT - 3000+ - it appears to be a large discrepancy. How can NALTEA represent the independent abstractor if we don't participate with input? Sometimes I feel that NALTEA's objectives are not in my best interest as an Independent - I don't cover 50+ counties; I don't have more than one office; my biggest concerns and worries all involve money. The E&O expense - health insurance and its exorbitant costs, rising costs of production, and fees that have stagnated for the last 20 plus years. I don't have connections for educational purposes for myself or my employees. In the past, all the title companies I worked for did not find it necessary to join ALTA, MLTA, AARP, AAA - or any other organization whose designation they attached to their business. They did title work. Period. Their business was built on their credibility and their reputation - not the designations they paid for. Sometimes I feel intimidated by posts - I do use title plants - my own and the various counties that I can access. In Missouri, back in 1985 - it was required BY LAW - that you belong to a title plant if one was available and charged reasonable fees. Most companies got around that by hiring an attorney (retained) - because if an attorney "did the examination" then no plant was necessary. I have seen so many companies say you must do thus and such in this way, and have this, and this and this - in order to do business and yet I see larger companies who skirt around all the loopholes and legalities - and I sit here, work and just mind my own business. I am afraid to stand up. I am afraid to be honest. I am a little guy; and I don't need any hassles or problems. I have no desire to get rich. I like what I do and want to continue to do it until I have to retire. I just want to make a living that is comfortable. Perhaps I am not ambitious enough. But I am not afraid of change or growth. I will do what is necessary to keep up with the industry. And maybe I am blowing smoke in the wind...maybe I am the only "independent abstractor" out here with my unique problems...?
....looking forward to input from others...
Ellen
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