Ch.11 Contracts Flashcards
A policy manual within the brokerage is directing actions of the sales associates
Safe Harbor
States that all contracts must be in writing, to be enforceable and that all leases for more than one year must be in writing, to be enforceable.
Statute of Frauds
Provides a time frame that court cases must be filed regarding certain offenses.
Statute of Limitations
What are the essentials of a valid contract
- Legally Competent Parties
- Offer & Acceptance
- Consideration
- Legality of Object
Those individuals who are making the contract are of sound mind, are legally allowed to dispose of the property, and working without menace, duress or undue influence.
Legally Competent parties
There must be a genuine “meeting of the minds” in the contract by both parties to the contract. There must be a bona-fide offer and a full acceptance on both sides of what is to be performed. The individuals must make promises “I will sell if you will pay.” A contract does not exist until all parties have accepted and been notified of the acceptance.
Offer and Acceptance
is something legally sufficient for that which is being exchanged. It can be money, love and affection or other valuable goods that the parties equate to the same level as that being bargained for. Generally in real estate, it is either monetary or love and affection in family cases.
Consideration
The purpose of the contract is to sell, list or rent in a legal fashion. A contract between parties for an illegal drug buy would not be valid. A contract for the sale of a property between competent parties, for consideration with offer and acceptance would be valid.
Legality of Object
The interest that a buyer receives for a property between the time of acceptance (notification) of the contract and the actual closing. When the transaction closes, the buyer receives legal or actual title to the property.
Equitable Title
Is the time when the title actually changes hands- after the delivery and acceptance phase of the deed. All the property rights are now in the hands of the buyer unless otherwise stated in the deed.
Actual Title
What are the type of Contracts
- Bilateral
- Unilateral
- Expressed
- Implied
- Executory
- Executed
- Formal
- Informal
This is a “two-way” contract where each party to the contract promises to do something. A good example of the bilateral contract is a sales contract. The seller promises to sell and the buyer promises to buy.
Bilateral
This is a “one way” contract in which as in the case of an option, the seller promises to sell if the buyer wants to buy the property at a later date. The buyer does not promise he will buy but he pays the seller option money for the right to make that decision when the time comes.
Unilateral
This is a contract, either oral or written, which contains specific terms and conditions. The purchase price or the date of loan approval, are examples. Almost all real estate contracts are expressed and put into writing to be enforceable
Expressed
This is a contract that occurs by the actions of the parties (in other words, by the way people behave). When the passenger gets in a taxi, he implies by his actions, he will pay the taxi driver when he gets to his location. Many times, this type of contract is less than desirable in real estate since it will be a case of an agent implying by his behavior that he represents a seller when he legally represents a buyer in the transaction. If the injured person can prove the case, the broker will not be entitled to his commission.
Implied
This is a contract in process. Something remains to be completed such as the issuance of the deed, or a contingency has not been met
Executory
This is a completed contract. It is finished and all terms have been met and satisfied
Executed
This was originally written under seal, meaning the wax seal of the parties. This has evolved into the written, signed contract by the parties, valid and enforceable.
Formal Contract
This is an oral or Parol contract, usually not enforceable
Informal Contract
What ways can a contract be terminated
- Performance
- Mutual Recession
- Impossibility of Performance
- Operation of Law
- Breach
If a breach occurs, what are the three types of remedys?
- Suit for Cancellation
- Suit for Specific Performance
- Suit for Damages
(A claim to Rescind the contract) the court restores the parties to their original position before the contract.
Suit for Cancellation
Because no two pieces of property are alike, the buyer wants this house, at this time and asks the court to enforce the contract.
Suit for Specific Performance
Because a party may have expenses to the contract (such as an appraisal or moving) the injured party asks the court to make the other party pay damages.
Suit for Damages
Out of pocket expenses such as appraisals and moving are called
compensatory damages (Suit for damages)
Punishment for wrong doing damages are called
punitive damages (Suit for damages)
When a third person takes the place of one of the original parties to the contract. All the rights and responsibilities remain with the original party to the contract, unless both parties agree to the assignment in writing.
Assignment of a contract
Occurs when the person in a contract, to whom the duty was owed, expressly agrees to substitute the delegate, or new obligor, for a consideration, and agrees to discharge the old obligor from the obligations under the contract. For example, loan assumptions
Novation