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Buyer Beware: JRA Closings

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  • Buyer Beware: JRA Closings

    I used JRA closings for a resale that I sold on TUG marketplace. There was a series of errors - many more than any of the crappy "PCC" companies have had in my personal dealings. Since she came so highly recommended by members here, I have to wonder if she is having some money problems and stealing from Peter to pay Paul.

    Here is what happened.
    1.) All paperwork sent to me had my husband's name wrong. No big deal, but if she looked at the form I filled out, it was right there. She resent with the right spelling, but never acknowledged a mistake or said sorry.

    2.) At the end of the sale, she sent my check to me with a note that read, "enclosed is your check for $3,****," I don't remember the exact amount, but it wasn't a round figure and the check for $300. as it should have been. Check made out with wrong spelling of husband's name again.

    3.) I heard from my buyer several times after that saying that she was being billed the resort transfer fee, which she paid to JRA and they cashed. First, we were met with denial. "The check was sent to VRI a long time ago." After some further emails, my buyer asked JRA to see if the check was cashed and to pursue it if VRI was the one making the mistake. After that, we heard that the check was never cashed and she didn't understand why since it was attached to the transfer that she sent to the resort. Again, no apology or ownership of any type of error on her part.

    4.) It took a couple more weeks and emails, but in May, my buyer told me it was all done and VRI finally had the check from JRA.

    Silly me. I thought it was really all done.

    5.) Today, I got an email from my buyer saying she tried to make a reservation and the resort said that the check for the resort transfer fee bounced and she couldn't make a reservation until she paid $125.00 - the transfer fee, plus returned check fee. So, she paid it and is going to try to pursue the money again from JRA. I told her if she gives up, I'll send her half of the money so we can be equal.

  • #2
    It doesn't help now but I have used timesharetransfer dot com several times and I never had any problems.

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    • #3
      Sorry to hear this - I used JRA for an escrow only deal a few months ago, everything went smoothly.
      Have done 5 closing in last 4-5 years with excellent service.
      I hope this was just a bump in the road.
      Pat
      *** My Website ***

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      • #4
        Maybe they have merged with Wyndham, or Bank or America, or Comcast, or some other crappy service company.

        RCI Member Since 24-Aug-1989/150-plus Exchanges***THE TIMESHARE GRIM REAPER~~~Exchanging/Searching/SW Florida/MO/AR/IA/Consumer Advocacy/Estate Planning/Sports/Boating/Fishing/Golf/Lake-living/Retirement****Sometimes ya just gotta be a dick

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        • #5
          Deleted...Never mind.
          LisaH
          Senior Member
          Last edited by LisaH; 07-24-2012, 11:44 PM.

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          • #6
            Originally posted by JLB View Post
            Maybe they have merged with Wyndham, or Bank or America, or Comcast, or some other crappy service company.

            Yeah, that is probably what happened.

            I wish I didn't sell it. I feel like I've spent too much time on it and was a good trader, but JLB knows how that goes.....
            I'm just going to use brokers. If someone wants to pay for a timeshare from a broker, I'll sell, but other than that, I'll just keep all my junk.

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            • #7
              The best bet is to use a local attorney who does timeshare closings. If something goes wrong, call the State Bar and make a complaint and they will fall all over themselves to fix it. If they die on you or something, the State Bar usually also has a client security fund that will make it good. In some places you can actually get an attorney handled closing for about the same price as one of these jackleg multi-state timeshare closing companies. Of the multi-state companies, most of them openly flaunt aspects of state law, so even if you think it went well, their shortcuts to put more money in their pockets may mean an invalid deed or some other catastrophy and that might take quite a while to finally blow up on you. The only multi-state timeshare closing company that I know of that seems to actually follow all of the laws involved is PCS Holdings.

              I have seen way too many invalid deeds recorded on the OBX alone from these multi-state timeshare closing companies, and I am sure those clients thought they had successful closings, but all they really have is a time bomb. The seller may find out down the road that legally they still own that week. Or someone who paid big bucks for a prime week may find out that they really don't own it. That is a chance that I would not take just to save a few bucks with a jackleg closing company.

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              • #8
                I have been informed by the buyer that JRA sent her a copy of the cleared check. So, VRI is wrong about the checking bouncing. Now, the buyer has to deal with VRI to get a refund of the $125.00 that she paid to them.

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                • #9
                  I was surprised to read about your JRA experience. I used them 5 or 6 times over the years and never had a problem. Glad it's getting cleared up.

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                  • #10
                    JRA works under a licensed Florida attorney..
                    my travel website: Vacation-Times.org.

                    "A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking."
                    ~Earl Wilson

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                    • #11
                      Do they have licensed attorneys in the other states that require attorneys to prepare deeds as well?

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                      • #12
                        ... I've only worked with Janet a few times when buyers have specifically requested JRA, but with those transactions I found her to be highly knowledgeable and competent for Florida closings. Also, at the time I had verified the use of a separate escrow account. (Some companies will only have one bank account and commingle escrowed funds with general operating funds, which can lead to issues). I don't believe I have used this company in 2012- so my info may no longer be accurate. However, based on past experience I wouldn't hesitate to use them for a Florida closing if a buyer requested their service.
                        my travel website: Vacation-Times.org.

                        "A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you’ve been taking."
                        ~Earl Wilson

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                        • #13
                          I used JRA before but it was for a FL Hyatt Beach House week.
                          Traveling Broadens the mind and I want to do more French Quarter Fest in New Orleans is my favourite festival

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                          • #14
                            I just happened to see this post, and although it is over a year old, I felt the need to respond and clarify. We care very much about our clients, their opinions and their satisfaction.
                            In response to the comment "Stealing from Peter to pay Paul", we have never stolen from anyone.
                            If there were typos in the closing documents, I do apologize for that. We try to be 100% accurate, but sometimes errors do occur and if that is the case, we will always apologize, take responsibility and fix the errors.
                            Regarding your comment in #5 of your post, JRA Services, Inc. has never bounced a check in the fifteen years that we have been in business, and I can guarantee you that we will never issue a bad check to anyone. In this case, VRI was the one that either lost the paperwork or claimed that the check was no good. As you stated in your update (and I do appreciate your posting an update to clarify this), I did provide the buyer with a copy of the cancelled check from VRI. Once I was made aware that there was a problem, I immediately got right on top of it to take care of it and resolve the issue.

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by rikkis_playpen View Post
                              JRA works under a licensed Florida attorney..
                              That is probably okay for Florida transfers (I am not making a definite statement as to Florida law - someone using this company should assess Florida law for themselves), but NOT for others among the attorney states unless he has a license in those states, too, which is unlikely.

                              Just because a deed got recorded and recognized by a resort, all in a reasonable time, does not necessarily mean that a transfer went fine. Very few registers of deeds or timeshare managers are experts in the law of their states as to deeds and do not check all aspects of deeds (they often check the most obvious like whether it has been notarized but not much more), and I have seen many, many completely invalid timeshare deeds, prepared by multi-state timeshare closing companies recorded in North Carolina that are completely invalid to convey good title in the state. Everybody thinks those transactions went fine, but they are ticking time bombs.

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