Buying DVC Resale - Choosing Title Company review

[Jimmy Geppetto]

I've now had my fair share of experience with a number of title and escrow companies. Here is how I rate them.

Mason Title = A+
- Excellent service and the fastest in turn around times. If you want proof. Visit the Closing thread. You'll see the proof is in the pudding.
- Respond to emails within 2 to 3 hours and you can call them and speak to a live person who will provide a verbal update on your file or transfer you to your title agent if they are available.
- Fees used to be the lowest but have increased ~$150-200 making them more expensive than First American but still less than Magic
- Cammy was amazing. She has left Mason. Mason did not drop the ball once with her leaving and closed the file just as fast.

First American = C
- I've used them for an Aulani purchase as well as a FL purchase. Turn around times are well below average and incredibly much longer than Mason Title.
- Service was average. They are responsive via email and respond to emails within 24-48 hours. When calling I could never get anyone live. None of the title agents ever answered the phone and none returned my calls. They seem to communicate only via email in my experience.
- Fees are the lowest

Magic Vacation Title = F
- Turn around times are the worst I have experienced. Much longer than mason and also longer than First Am.
- Service has been poor. They also do not take live calls and email response is typically within 24 hours but I've had several emails go unanswered.
- They made several mistakes on two of my files (I was the seller on both). Felt bad for the buyer...but they chose this path.
- Fees are the highest.


Hope this information is helpful.

PSA to new buyers... YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR TITLE COMPANY IF YOU ARE PAYING CLOSING COSTS! IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE exercise this right!

 

[Sandisw]

Have to say I have dealt with all of them, and each a few times and my experience was the same with all of them.

I was happy with the service from all..but I do agree that if someone wants a specific one buyers need to knls they have the right to request!

 

[KalamityJane]

Mason can’t do Aulani, correct? Are they able to do CA?

 

[DVChris]

Mason can’t do Aulani, correct? Are they able to do CA?

Yes, Mason handles California.

 

[varyth]

Mason can’t do Aulani, correct? Are they able to do CA?

Cammy handled my VGC resale purchase. Sad to hear she's left Mason.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

I am sad to say that Mason seems to have gone downhill since Cammy left. Their rating is still probably better than the rest but I am at day 10 and still no closing docs.

 

[FFMickey]

Mason can’t do Aulani, correct? Are they able to do CA?

Mason just closed on my VGC contract yesterday!

I am sad to say that Mason seems to have gone downhill since Cammy left. Their rating is still probably better than the rest but I am at day 10 and still no closing docs.

We had the opposite experience, we passed ROFR on 5/11, recieved closing docs 5/17, and closed on 5/25.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

Mason just closed on my VGC contract yesterday!


We had the opposite experience, we passed ROFR on 5/11, recieved closing docs 5/17, and closed on 5/25.

Wow. That’s great!
Still noting here. Refreshing my email like crazy.

 

[TheOGCruise]

Magic Vacation Title = F
- Turn around times are the worst I have experienced. Much longer than mason and also longer than First Am.
- Service has been poor. They also do not take live calls and email response is typically within 24 hours but I've had several emails go unanswered.
- They made several mistakes on two of my files (I was the seller on both). Felt bad for the buyer...but they chose this path.
- Fees are the highest.

We ended up with Magic Vacation Title mostly because right at the time our offer was accepted we had to deal with another personal issue and didn't pay attention. Their fees are the highest, that is no doubt. However, just with our experience they have been excellent. All my emails were answered within a few minutes and I spoke with the closing agent on the phone twice when I had some questions. We received our closing documents 10 days after passing ROFR which is longer than Mason but faster than the 30 days we were originally quoted. We closed the next day after our wire was received and we were notified when the deed was sent to be recorded. Hopefully they are stepping up their game or maybe we just got lucky lol.

 

[varns529]

Our experience with Magic Vacation so far

Passed ROFR 4/18
Contract received today 5/26

Passed ROFR 4/28
Contract received 5/18

Not good on either

 

[Deelirious]

Not sure how long ago you closed with First American but I just closed with them today and I was pretty impressed with their speed and communication.

I passed ROFR on 5/12
Received closing docs on 5/16
Closed on 5/26 (I didn’t complete closing docs until 5/24 since I was out of town)

They followed up the same day via phone and email to confirm we received the docs and whenever I reached out they were very quick to response back both via phone and email.

I’ve used all 3 companies in the past and while I can’t fully complain about any of them, if I had to close on another contract, I’d probably go with First American.

 

[Redheadprincess]

So Cammy started her own company, DVC Title and Escrow. https://dvcclosings.com/

We just went to ROFR but our offer was accepted on a Friday night and we had documents to sign on Monday morning. Cammy is the broker. We will see how things happen when, hopefully, we pass ROFR in a few weeks.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

So Cammy started her own company, DVC Title and Escrow. https://dvcclosings.com/

We just went to ROFR but our offer was accepted on a Friday night and we had documents to sign on Monday morning. Cammy is the broker. We will see how things happen when, hopefully, we pass ROFR in a few weeks.

Do you know what the limit is for the credit card deposit with her company?

 

[Redheadprincess]

Do you know what the limit is for the credit card deposit with her company?

We only put $1000 down on an 80 pt contract, I'm but sure of the limit.

 

[stuartsong]

I have dealt with all the title companies. Mason was my preferred title company until Cammy left. Dealing with Marcelo at Mason is like pulling teeth. I have to say the service has gone way down since Cammy left. I have nothing positive to say about Marcelo at Mason. It usually takes him couple of days to respond. I got frustrated enough to contact their president to complain. That got me to have my closing done finally. My contract passed ROFR on 5/4/23. I did not receive the closing docs until 5/9/23. It finally closed on 5/22/23. When Cammy was there, I would receive closing docs on the same day or the day after ROFR passed. I will be following Cammy to her new title company.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

I have dealt with all the title companies. Mason was my preferred title company until Cammy left. Dealing with Marcelo at Mason is like pulling teeth. I have to say the service has gone way down since Cammy left. I have nothing positive to say about Marcelo at Mason. It usually takes him couple of days to respond. I got frustrated enough to contact their president to complain. That got me to have my closing done finally. My contract passed ROFR on 5/4/23. I did not receive the closing docs until 5/9/23. It finally closed on 5/22/23. When Cammy was there, I would receive closing docs on the same day or the day after ROFR passed. I will be following Cammy to her new title company.

I am in a similar boat. I passed on 5/17 and still no docs. A very nice member here messaged me and suggested that I email Mason at their main email address looking for information. I received an email back from Adye Santana claiming that I should have them by this weekend.
This weekend does me no good because I won’t be able to wire the funds until Tuesday when the banks reopen. It is what it is but if I buy another resale contract I will request Cammy’s new company.

 

[KalamityJane]

Do you know what the limit is for the credit card deposit with her company?

I believe it’s 5k, I asked about a week ago.

 

[Traveling on cc points]

I believe it’s 5k, I asked about a week ago.

Thank you!

 

[broncofan]

Our experience with Magic Vacation so far

Passed ROFR 4/18
Contract received today 5/26

Passed ROFR 4/28
Contract received 5/18

Not good on either

Is there any good reason why they would work the files out of order in this way? We also passed ROFR on 4/28 and haven't heard a word from the same title company. 3 weeks seems long but manageable. 5.5 weeks is abysmal. From what others have posted this work can be turned around in a day so I'm curious if anyone has an idea as to why they don't work the contracts in the order they pass ROFR?

 

[broncofan]

I've now had my fair share of experience with a number of title and escrow companies. Here is how I rate them.

Mason Title = A+
- Excellent service and the fastest in turn around times. If you want proof. Visit the Closing thread. You'll see the proof is in the pudding.
- Respond to emails within 2 to 3 hours and you can call them and speak to a live person who will provide a verbal update on your file or transfer you to your title agent if they are available.
- Fees used to be the lowest but have increased ~$150-200 making them more expensive than First American but still less than Magic
- Cammy was amazing. She has left Mason. Mason did not drop the ball once with her leaving and closed the file just as fast.

First American = C
- I've used them for an Aulani purchase as well as a FL purchase. Turn around times are well below average and incredibly much longer than Mason Title.
- Service was average. They are responsive via email and respond to emails within 24-48 hours. When calling I could never get anyone live. None of the title agents ever answered the phone and none returned my calls. They seem to communicate only via email in my experience.
- Fees are the lowest

Magic Vacation Title = F
- Turn around times are the worst I have experienced. Much longer than mason and also longer than First Am.
- Service has been poor. They also do not take live calls and email response is typically within 24 hours but I've had several emails go unanswered.
- They made several mistakes on two of my files (I was the seller on both). Felt bad for the buyer...but they chose this path.
- Fees are the highest.


Hope this information is helpful.

PSA to new buyers... YOU CAN CHOOSE YOUR TITLE COMPANY IF YOU ARE PAYING CLOSING COSTS! IT IS YOUR RIGHT TO CHOOSE! PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE exercise this right!

I am perplexed that the suite of companies involved allows the title company to perform in this way. Everything other than the title company has been wonderful on my transaction, but the title company delays and lack of communication is going to cause me to remember the entire process as a disaster. You were quite generous in my view not to add a minus after the F.