Since I became an idependent, I have been a client of what is now known as Data Trace...here in St Louis, it was Property Data Inc. I have always utilized both the County records (St Louis City, St Louis County and St Charles County) and the title plant for my searchwork- depending on the type of search needed.  Data Trace came about in the last few years...and is available via the internet.  St Louis County records are in the "works" to be on-line - but I am not holding my breath.  St Louis City records are on-line - for a fee - and yes, they are the same records available at the courthouse.  It is the same way in St Charles County.  Those public records are the very same ones that are online via the Internet.  In the beginning, I purchased St Louis County Records, which I have had computerized in the last few years, so my office records go back to 1974 and they are searchable by legal description, grantor-grantee, book/page and even locator or parcel identificiation number.  To say that an on-line search is not reliable - is not quite true - at least here in Missouri - and if you consider it so - then you really must question the County records themselves.  If records are only searchable by Grantor-Grantee - then there are distinct disadvantages, and the searcher must be aware of all the pitfalls.  Very few, if any, Counties in the State of Missouri have anything but Grantor-Grantee indexes. It is not really a question of methodology - but of quality. Some information is very difficult to locate unless you are familiar with the County records and that is the advantage the local Abstractor has over others in the industry.  As an Independent though, utilizing some of the "packaged" services that a company like Data Trace offers can prove to be expensive, but timesavers.  At our office every day, we are VERY AWARE of each piece of information we search on their system.  As a service provider, my priority lies with quality timely searches - whether I obtain them thru an online provider or public records on my computer.  As a client of Data Trace and Data Tree; I have found their services to be of great value - again, depending upon what type of search.  (By the way, Data Tree simply provides copies of recorded documents)  We do everything from 60-100 year environmental title chains, commercial propery searchs to one-owner searchs and legal vesting reports.  Online or not...the bottom line for Independents is..we have to know HOW to search for various information, and know WHAT to search...    But to make a blanket statement that online searching is NOT ACCURATE...is an invalid one.  Its all in the hands of the searchers...that very information online is the same information on the computer at the county location...at least in St Louis City and County and St Charles...

...just an opinion...

Ellen