Title Abstractor

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in South Dakota.

📋 Description

• Conduct title searches and review public real estate records for land acquisition, easements, rights of way, and infrastructure initiatives independently.

• Document and establish current and historical chains of title using deeds, easements, mortgages, releases, plats, judgments, liens, probate records, court records, and additional instruments.

• Perform remote research and travel to county courthouses, Register of Deeds offices, and other public-record repositories in South Dakota when in-person research is necessary.

• Analyze and interpret instruments that impact real property.

• Determine current ownership, vesting details, encumbrances, easements, reservations, restrictions, and other property interests.

• Investigate older and historical records to understand how property interests were created, transferred, modified, released, or otherwise impacted.

• Confirm legal descriptions, parcel information, recording references, ownership data, and relationships between recorded documents.

• Compare recorded title information with plats, maps, parcel exhibits, acquisition records, and other project documentation, identifying any discrepancies.

• Detect gaps in chains of title, conflicting instruments, unreleased interests, questionable indexing, and other issues needing research or review.

• Collect and organize supporting recorded documents.

• Create title reports, ownership and encumbrance summaries, research worksheets, and supporting documentation.

• Maintain thorough research files that document reviewed records and the rationale behind findings.

• Refer complex legal, ownership, surveying, or title issues for further examination.

• Collaborate with project managers, attorneys, acquisition specialists, engineers, surveyors, and other members of the project team.

• Oversee multiple parcel assignments and deadlines while ensuring quality and documentation standards are met.

• Engage in internal quality-control reviews and perform additional research as needed.

• Stay informed about South Dakota real estate records, recording practices, and title research procedures.

⛳️ Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent qualification.

• At least 3 years of significant experience in title abstracting, title examination, real estate records research, or a closely related field.

• Capability to independently perform a title search and establish a chain of title.

• Working familiarity with deeds, easements, rights of way, mortgages, liens, judgments, plats, legal descriptions, probate matters, and other instruments that influence real property.

• Proficiency in researching and interpreting current and historical property records.

• Ability to identify inconsistencies, gaps, conflicting interests, questionable indexing, and issues that require further investigation.

• Strong analytical and research capabilities.

• Excellent attention to detail with a dedication to producing accurate and well-documented work.

• Ability to work autonomously in a remote setting and manage assignments with minimal supervision.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office and electronic systems for county, title, and public-record research.

• Valid driver's license and willingness to travel throughout South Dakota as project assignments necessitate.

• Preferred: 5 or more years of title abstracting or title examination experience.

• Preferred: Previous experience in researching property records within South Dakota.

• Preferred: Experience in conducting historical or complex chain-of-title research.

• Preferred: Familiarity with easements, rights of way, governmental interests, utility interests, roadway interests, or other non-standard property interests.

• Preferred: Experience in comparing title records with plats, parcel maps, surveys, acquisition exhibits, or similar project documentation.

• Preferred: Experience working on multi-parcel land acquisition, infrastructure, utility, transportation, energy, or public-sector projects.

• Preferred: College degree, paralegal education, title industry training, or other relevant professional education.

🏝️ Benefits

• Reimbursement for approved business travel, mileage, lodging, and other eligible project-related expenses according to ProSource policy.

• Medical insurance.

• Dental insurance.

• Vision insurance.

• Disability insurance.

• Retirement savings benefits.

• Paid time off.

• Paid holidays.