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Abstract Examiner interview questions and how to answer them

Title agencies don't hire examiners on personality. They hire on whether you'll spot the unreleased mortgage and whether you'll know what to do about it. Expect the interview to feel like a file review, sometimes literally, so practice talking through a chain out loud.

11 questions7 minute read

Part 1

1.Walk me through how you examine a file from the moment it lands in your queue.

Why they ask

They want to see a repeatable method. Examiners who skip steps under pressure are the ones who cause claims.

How to answer

  • Confirm the order details first: the property, the parties, the type of transaction and the policy being issued
  • Check the legal description against the vesting deed and the plat or survey before reading anything else
  • Run the chain forward from the starting point, noting every conveyance, mortgage, lien and release
  • Search the buyers and sellers by name for judgments, liens and bankruptcies
  • Write requirements and exceptions, then reread the whole file against the commitment before releasing it

2.You find an open mortgage from a lender that merged out of existence long ago. What do you do?

Why they ask

Orphaned mortgages are routine and annoying. They want to know you won't just ignore it or freeze.

How to answer

  • Trace the successor through merger records or the regulator's institution history to find who holds the servicing rights now
  • Request a release or payoff from the successor, and set a requirement for it on the commitment
  • Know the fallback options your underwriter allows, such as an indemnity or a statutory release process where the state has one
  • Escalate to the title officer or underwriter if the file is closing soon and the successor won't respond

3.How do you handle a chain where the owner died and the property passed without a deed?

Why they ask

Heirship and probate gaps are where examiners earn their keep, and where new examiners get burned.

How to answer

  • Look for a probate estate, a will, a transfer-on-death deed or an affidavit of heirship in the records
  • Check whether the estate is closed and whether the personal representative had authority to sell
  • Watch for spouses and heirs who didn't sign, and for estate tax or creditor claim issues
  • Write the curative requirement clearly, and follow the underwriter's guidelines rather than guessing at state law
4.A judgment comes up against someone with the same name as your seller. How do you decide if it's them?

Why they ask

Name matches are constant. Clearing them wrongly either kills a closing or leaves a lien on the property.

How to answer

  • Compare middle names, addresses and any identifying details in the judgment record
  • Ask for a name affidavit or statement of identity from the seller when the match is close
  • Show it as a requirement until it's resolved, and never quietly drop it
  • Mention how you document the reason you cleared it so the next reviewer can follow your logic
5.Tell me about a legal description that didn't match between documents. What happened?

Why they ask

Description errors are some of the hardest defects to catch and fix. A real story proves you've caught one.

How to answer

  • Name the actual mismatch: a missing call, a wrong lot number, a transposed bearing, a plat reference to the wrong book
  • Explain how you spotted it, such as plotting the calls or checking against the recorded plat
  • Say what cure you required: a corrective deed, a surveyor's affidavit or an exception
  • Say what it would have cost if it had closed that way

Part 2

6.What goes into Schedule B, and how do you decide what's an exception versus a requirement?

Why they ask

This tests whether you understand what the commitment actually does for the insured.

How to answer

  • Requirements are things that must happen before or at closing, like paying off a mortgage or recording a release
  • Exceptions are matters the policy won't cover, like recorded easements, restrictions and the standard survey exceptions
  • Some items can move from one to the other depending on the transaction and the underwriter
  • Mention that you write exceptions specifically, citing the recorded document, instead of blanket language
7.Which title software and plant systems have you worked in?

Why they ask

They need to know how much training you'll need before you're producing on your own.

How to answer

  • Name the production software you've used, such as SoftPro, Qualia, ResWare or RamQuest
  • Name the plant or search platforms and the county recorder systems you know
  • Say how quickly you picked up the last new system
  • Be honest about gaps rather than stretching
8.How do you keep your accuracy up when the office is slammed with refinances?

Why they ask

Volume spikes are when claims happen. They want someone who holds a standard under pressure.

How to answer

  • Describe the checklist or final review you never skip, even on simple refis
  • Explain how you triage: clean subdivision lots first, messy chains flagged early to the title officer
  • Say how you tell the closing team about delays before they become a surprise
  • Admit that some days you'll ask for help instead of cutting corners
9.Tell me about a time a closer or loan officer pushed you to clear something you weren't comfortable clearing.

Why they ask

The pressure to close is constant. They need to know you'll hold the line politely.

How to answer

  • Set up the situation: what the defect was and why they wanted it gone
  • Explain what you said and how you kept it about the file rather than the person
  • Show that you offered a path forward, like an underwriter escalation or a specific cure
  • Share how it ended, even if the closing slipped
10.What do you check for on a commercial file that you wouldn't bother with on a residential refinance?

Why they ask

Commercial work is where examiners move up, and it needs a wider view.

How to answer

  • Entity authority: who can sign for the LLC or corporation, and whether it's in good standing
  • Leases, reciprocal easement agreements and access rights
  • UCC fixture filings and mechanic's liens from recent construction
  • Survey review and endorsements the lender's counsel will request

Part 3

11.Why do you want to examine title instead of processing or closing?

Why they ask

They're checking that you actually like reading records all day, because the job is mostly that.

How to answer

  • Say what you enjoy about the detective part: following a chain, catching the defect
  • Be clear you're fine with long solo stretches at a desk
  • Connect it to what you've already done, like processing or paralegal work
  • Keep it specific to title, not a general line about attention to detail

Questions to ask them

Ask at least two. It shows you're picking them too.

  • Do examiners here work from a title plant, direct county searches, or abstracts prepared by an outside searcher?
  • How many files does a fully trained examiner usually carry, and how does that change when rates drop?
  • Who reviews my commitments while I'm new, and when do I start releasing them on my own?
  • Which underwriters do you write for, and how easy is it to reach their counsel on a tough file?
  • What does the office do when a closing is pushing for a commitment that isn't ready?