Private real-estate schools offer specific courses and programs dedicated to title searching. Public institutions typically offer a general real-estate class where upon successful completion, participants may gain a real-estate license. Some private companies offer title search classes through a corporate university.
Course participants may attend classes online or in person. Students learn about the processes and procedures involved for conducting a full title search. General courses focus on tax assessment, deeds, county offices, and public records. A standard curriculum takes students through the search process from beginning to end.
Areas of concentration and field specializations include commercial real estate, property appraisal, foreclosures, mortgage finance, home inspection, and mineral rights. People typically choose a specialization within the field of their current employment. For example, an insurance agent may choose commercial real estate or property appraisal to expand his current business.
Individual courses take three to four hours for completion. Some courses and concentration areas prepare students to sit for certification exams. Some states require title searchers to be certified while others do not. Cost ranges from $100 to $300 depending on the number of classes and offering institution. On average, full-time title searchers earn from $40,000 to $70,000 annually, depending on the industry.
Job opportunities for title searchers are expected to remain stable with the greatest growth areas in legal services and insurance companies. Geographical locations with the highest number of title searchers include the states of Wyoming and Montana as well as major metropolitan areas.