How to Become a Title Examiner in 5 Steps
Research what it takes to become a title examiner. Learn about training, job duties, certification requirements and job outlook to find out if this is the career for you.
What Does a Title Examiner Do?
Title examiners look at the legal aspects of titles to real estate properties. They must be familiar with legal language and procedure in order to properly assess who owns a property by looking at various documents like mortgages, deeds, contracts, and easements. In order to be successful in this field, it is helpful to be detail-oriented, organized, possess good customer-service skills as contact with clients is a common occurrence. The following chart gives you an overview about becoming a title examiner.
<table border="1"><tr><td><b>Degree Required</b></td><td> Post-secondary certificate, associate's degree</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Education Field of Study</b></td><td> Paralegal</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Key Responsibilities</b></td><td> Verify property documentation for accuracy and completeness; examine titles for encumbrances and how it may affect property usage; summarize status of all property documents as well as requirements to clear title; confer with participating parties for information exchange and resolution of problems</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Certification</b></td><td> Certification is voluntary</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Job Growth (2020-2030)</b></td><td> 2% <i>(for all title examiners, abstractors, and searchers)</i>*</td></tr>
<tr><td><b>Median Salary (2020)</b></td><td> $48,820 <i>(for all title examiners, abstractors, and searchers)</i>*</td></tr>
</table><p><i>Source: *U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics</i>
</p><h2 id="section---WhatIsATitleExaminer">What Is a Title Examiner?</h2><p>A title examiner is a professional who provides legal support on property title inquiries. As a title examiner, you would conduct research on real estate, insurance and other pertinent documents to help determine the legal ownership of property.
</p><h3 id="section---Step1GetTrained">Step 1: Get Trained</h3><p>Since you provide legal assistance, your title examiner training would generally consist of coursework that's consistent with paralegal training. Paralegal certificate and associate's degree programs are available at vocational/trade schools and community colleges. In addition to business classes, your curriculum may consist of targeted coursework on subjects such as wills, trusts and estates, legal research, administrative law and legal writing.
</p><h3 id="section---Step2ConsiderCertification">Step 2: Consider Certification</h3><p>Certification is voluntary, but serves as form of professional credentialing that may be beneficial for employment and advancement. You can obtain certification through trade associations, such as the Association of Title Examiners (ATE) and the National Association of Land Title Examiners and Abstractors (NALTEA).
</p><h3 id="section---Step3AcquireWorkExperience">Step 3: Acquire Work Experience</h3><p>As a title examiner, you can find employment in a variety of environments, including law firms, insurance carriers, government agencies and real estate companies. In addition to conducting research, you would prepare reports and other documentation pertaining to property titles. You would also work with other professionals, such as lawyers, courthouse staff, real estate agents and surveyors to collect information and address title-related issues.
</p><h3 id="section---Step4JoinATradeAssociation">Step 4: Join a Trade Association</h3><p>By joining a trade association, you would gain access to membership benefits, such as employment notifications via online postings, networking opportunities and industry updates. Trade organizations, such as ATE and NALTEA, offer these and other benefits.
</p><h3 id="section---Step5StayCurrent">Step 5: Stay Current</h3><p>Staying up-to-date on industry protocols, procedures, technologies and legislative initiatives is important to your daily activities. Also, continuing education is usually required for recertification. Industry updates and continuing education may be offered through employers, but is also available through trade associations, including those that offer certification.
</p><h2 id="section---WhatAreSomeRelatedAlternativeCareers">What Are Some Related Alternative Careers?</h2><p>Individuals may also be interested in a number of other detail-oriented and legal related careers, like tax preparations. Tax preparers must have knowledge of tax law to be successful and they also will work closely with clients. Other possible career choices include working as a paralegal, legal assistant, or legal secretary, in which an individual would work with a lawyer on a number of different cases in various fields of law. Individuals may also be interested in becoming bookkeepers or auditing clerks.</p>