Local builder and developer Ron Jackson tells The Times that he does not currently own — nor has he ever owned — any of the Foxtail Lane properties or unfinished foundations that have been regularly discussed at Foxfire Village Council meetings during the past twelve months.
Late on Friday afternoon, February 7, after the latest edition of The Seven Lakes Times had found its way to the mailboxes of our readers, Jackson called to respond to a front page story on the Council's Thursday, January 30 Work Session. We reported that Council members discussed and then resolved to pursue fines against Jackson because the continued presence of three unfinished foundations on Foxtail Lane violates a Village ordinance.
Because homes in the Foxtail Villas development are duplexes, the three foundations actually sit on six lots.
Jackson said he does not own any of the six lots. He, personally, had never owned any of the lots, he insisted, adding that "my signature has never been on anything about those lots."
Four of the properties, he said, were sold to Wells Fargo in December. The other two had also been sold, Jackson told The Times, though he said he was unsure of the identity of the new owner.
Council tries to get lots cleaned up
Responding to complaints from the owners of other properties on Foxtail Lane, the Foxfire Village Council approved a new ordinance in April 2013 that requires the completion of buildings within two years and provides for the levying of fines on those who fail to comply.
During their Thursday, January 30, 2014 Work Session, Council members expressed their intention to levy fines on the owner of the Foxtail Lane lots that have unfinished foundations. During that discussion, they referred to Jackson as the owner of four of those lots. [See our earlier story here.]
Members of the Council have, in fact, consistently referred to the properties as belonging to Jackson whenever they have discussed Foxtail Lane.
Jackson himself attended a Foxfire Village Council meeting on February 12, 2013, where the Council heard complaints from Foxtail Lane residents about the unfinished foundations.
At that time, Jackson told the Council: "I am willing to do whatever you think is right. I will give you deeds to the foundations. I will turn them right over to you."
He also said: "Do you think I built those foundations and want them to sit there? Wells Fargo bought out Wachovia and shut off our construction funds. You can't borrow money to finish a half-built house. I am trying to get myself in a position to have enough money to not only finish these — but others as well."
Those quotes are taken from Seven Lakes Times reporting on the meeting, but the official minutes of the February 12 Foxfire Village Council Meeting — minutes prepared by the Village Clerk and approved by unanimous vote of the Council — contain the same information.
Property changed hands a number of times
The three unfinished foundations sit on six lots: Foxtail Lane 18 & 20, 22 & 24, and 38 & 40.
According to the online records maintained by the Moore County Register of Deeds, Foxtail Lane 18 & 20 are currently owned by Redus One, LLC of Charlotte, a Delaware limited liability company with its office in Charlotte. Redus One, LLC appears to be one of many similarly-named companies that handle real estate owned by Wells Fargo.
Redus acquired the two lots, along with some additional properties, from R&M Commercial Real Estate, LLC in November 2013. According to the Warranty Deed transferring ownership, the properties transferred had been used to secure a $3 million note. R&M acquired the lots from Quality Built Homes, Inc. in 2008; Quality Built Homes acquired them in 2006 from Foxtail, Inc.
According to the records maintained by the Moore County Register of Deeds, the lots at 22 and 24 Foxtail Lane are currently owned by FAC Holdings, LLC, which acquired them from R&M Commercial Real Estate in 2012. R&M acquired them from Quality Built Homes, Inc. in 2008. And Quality Built Homes, Inc. acquired them from Foxtail Inc. in 2006.
Moore County records show that the lots at 38 and 40 Foxtail Lane are owned by FAC Holdings, LLC, which acquired them from Quality Built Homes, Inc. in 2008. And Quality Built Homes, Inc. acquired them from Foxtail Inc. in 2006.
Three companies, one address
The six Foxtail Lane lots with the unfinished foundations were all once owned by Quality Built Homes, Inc. and by R&M Commercial Real Estate, LLC. Four of the lots were also owned by FAC Holdings, LLC — and, according to County records, still are.
Jackson told The Times that the Register of Deeds records are not always up to date, so it is quite possible that FAC no longer owns those four lots, and that they have been transferred to Wells Fargo quite recently.
As Jackson told The Times, he does not, and, according to County records, he has not, owned any of these lots personally, in his own name. He also told The Times that he had never signed anything pertaining to these lots. We have not found his signature on any documents relating to these lots.
So, how could Jackson tell the Council, "I will give you deeds to the foundations. I will turn them right over to you?"
Letters of organization and annual reports filed with the office of the NC Secretary of State for FAC Holdings, LLC, R&M Commercial Real Estate, LLC, and Quality Built Homes, Inc. show a Michelle L. Jackson as either the manager of the LLCs or the President or Secretary of the corporation.
An unrelated Warranty Deed registered with Moore County lists Ronald P. Jackson and Michelle L. Jackson as husband and wife.
The physical address of all three companies is 335 Fields Drive in Aberdeen. (Some of the documents refer to 335 Fields Road, which would be in Pinehurst. But there is no 335 Fields Road in the Moore County database of addresses, so the reference to Fields Road appears to be a typographical error.)
The roster of the Moore County Homebuilders Association lists Ron Jackson as the member representing Quality Built Homes at 335 Fields Drive in Aberdeen.
Construction pending
Jackson told The Times that he hopes to restart construction on one of the lots that is now owned by Wells Fargo. He said an engineer was scheduled to inspect the foundation to ensure it is suitable for construction.
Asked the name of the company that would be handling that construction project, Jackson replied "Quality Built Advantage."
The address of Quality Built Advantage, Inc., according to the corporations database maintained by the NC Secretary of State, is 335 Fields Drive in Aberdeen.
The corporation's President, according to the most recent annual report filed with the NC Secretary of State, is Michelle Jackson.
Correction
The Times reported in our February 7 edition that the Foxfire Village Council, meeting in a Work Session, agreed to levy fines on the party responsible for three abandoned foundations on Foxtail Lane.
We also reported that two of the Foxtail Lane lots with unfinished foundations were involved in a bankruptcy. We now believe that point to be incorrect and our reporting of it was in error.
The Times regrets the error and apologizes to the various current and past owners of the lots in question on Foxtail Lane.
