Land Title Companies
So once upon a time abstract companies had solid-sounding names. Not uncommonly, if they were the first in business in the county, they adopted the county's name and added "Abstract Company" to it, either that or they went into business under the name of the founder. Either way, after fifty years, the company had acquired a reputation and you knew who you were dealing with.
Then the underwriting companies began buying up the local businesses as a way of funneling policies to the underwriter. So, following the emerging business model, Old Line Abstract Company might actually be a store front operation with no one in the back room who was maintaining the plant.
The names also got more unusual. I ran into one title company today doing business as "Five Star Title Company", or something like that. At least the gal answering the phones knew that they didn't have an abstract plant aside from their subscription to a computerized database. When will Geico get into the land title insurance business?
Yes, it is getting harder to follow their lineage.
Today I received an order for an update to a survey 25mi away that I did in 2001 from a company called Title Source in Michigan that had a title report from Netco, Inc of Arlington, Tx that actual title work was done by Morris Co Title in Daingerfield, Tx and the property is owned by a couple in Naples, Tx that I know personally.
When the papers are finished they will go to Michigan before they are sent for closing in Texas. All that for a simple refinance, lol.
