Questions - Chapter 9

Question 1

A contract in which mutual promises are exchanged at the time of signing (execution) is termed:

A. multilateral
B. unilateral
C. bilateral.
D. promissory.

Answer 1

9-1 C

Question 2

Of the following statements regarding voidable contracts, which is NOT correct?

A. A voidable contract can be voided by one or more parties.
B. A voidable contract can be legally consummated by the parties.
C. A voidable contract can never be consummated.
D. A voidable contract results from failure to meet some legal requirement in negotiating the agreement.

Answer 2

9-2 C

Question 3

For contracts in general, except for those of the sale of real property, the essential elements include all of the following EXCEPT:

A. competent parties.
B. offer and acceptance.
C. legality of object.
D. writing.

Answer 3

9-3 D

Question 4

When are contracts considered to be assignable?

A. ONLY when it is specifically stipulated in the contract that it is assignable.
B. Contracts are always considered to be assignable.
C. Anytime it is not prohibited.
D. Contracts are never considered assignable.

Answer 4

9-4 C

Question 5

Which of the following is the basis of duress?

A. fear
B. mistake
C. indefiniteness
D. illusion

Answer 5

9-5 A

Question 6

A contract to sell real property may be terminated by each of the following EXCEPT:

A. full performance.
B. breach of contract.
C. mutual agreement.
D. death.

Answer 6

9-6 D

Question 7

Which of the following has the effect of terminating contracts?

A. consideration
B. bankruptcy
C. exercise
D. assignment

Answer 7

9-7 B

Question 8

In the event a seller defaults in his obligation to convey title to the property as agreed upon in a contract sale, which of the following remedies is available to the purchaser?

A. suit for breach of contract
B. suit for specific performance
C. suit for compensatory damages
D. all of the above

Answer 8

9-8 D

Question 9

All of the following contracts are unilateral EXCEPT a(n):

A. contract for the sale of real estate.
B. open listing contract.
C. option to purchase contract.
D. contract to pay $1,000 if someone will paint your house.

Answer 9

9-9 A

Question 10

A contract is automatically void if there is:

A. duress.
B. mutual mistake.
C. willful misrepresentation.
D. illegal purpose.

Answer 10

9-10 D

Question 11

What type of real estate contract must be in writing per the Statute of Frauds?

A. an Exclusive Right to Sell Listing agreement
B. an Exclusive Right to Represent Buyer agreement
C. an Offer to Purchase and Contract
D. short-term rental agreements of less than three years

Answer 11

9-11 C

Question 12

A substitution of a new contract for the former one is called a:

A. commingling.
B. revocation.
C. reversion.
D. novation.

Answer 12

9-12 D

Question 13

A contract clause that stipulates the dates are to be strictly adhered to is the _____________ clause.

A. due diligence
B. assignment
C. time is of the essence
D. expressed contract

Answer 13

9-13 C

Question 14

Which of the following is not required to be in writing according to the Statute of Frauds?

A. listing contract
B. offer to purchase
C. installment land contract
D. leases for more than three years

Answer 14

9-14 A

Question 15

A complete transfer of contractual rights and privileges is a(n):

A. novation.
B. specific performance.
C. assignment.
D. subsequent modifying agreement.

Answer 15

9-15 C

Question 16

All of the following are essential to the formation of a contract, EXCEPT:

A. offer
B. acceptance
C. consideration
D. signatures

Answer 16

T9-1 D

Although we require signatures on certain real estate contracts a signature is not a required element to form a basic contract. Formation of a contract requires mutual assent (including offer and acceptance), competent parties, consideration and it must be for a legal purpose.

Question 17

Which of the following statement(s) is/are true? l. In a breach of a sales contract, the earnest money deposit is considered liquidated damages. ll. In a breach of a sales contract, liquidated damages are an agreed upon amount of money the parties agree to accept in the event of breach.

A. l only
B. ll only
C. Both l and ll
D. Neither l nor ll

Answer 17

T9-2 C

Liquidated damages are an agreed upon amount stated in a contract that the parties agree to accept in the event of a breach. In a purchase contract the amount of earnest money is the amount given as liquidated damages.

Question 18

Which of the following document(s) would be covered by the NC Statute of Frauds? l. Listing agreement ll. Buyer agency agreement

A. l only
B. ll only
C. Both l and ll
D. Neither l nor ll

Answer 18

T9-3 D

The statute of frauds requires contracts that contain a right or interest in real property to be in writing in order to be enforceable. These types of agreements would be purchase contracts, deeds, easements and options. The listing agreement and the buyer broker agreement are employment agreements. They need to be in writing due to commission rules, not because they are subject to the statute of frauds.

Question 19

Which of the following documents must be written under the Statute of Frauds in order to be enforceable in a court of law?

A. Offer to purchase and contract
B. Exclusive right to sell listing agreement
C. Exclusive right to represent buyer
D. Short-term leases of less than three years

Answer 19

T9-4 A

The Offer to Purchase and Contract must be in writing pursuant to the statute of frauds because it deals with the conveyance of a right or interest in real estate. The same is true with leases longer than 3 years, options, easements, deeds, restrictive covenants, assignments and installment land contracts.

Question 20

A listing broker schedules an appointment to present a purchase offer to the seller. The seller has serious health problems and her son is attending to her health care. When the broker arrives, he finds the seller’s son and daughter-in-law present. In the broker’s presence, both persistently urge the seller to accept the offer. The seller is reluctant to accept since the offer is substantially less than the list price. If the seller accepts the offer under these circumstances, she may later claim that:

A. the broker should not have brought such a low offer for her property
B. she was under undue influence from her son and daughter-in-law, and therefore, the contract is voidable
C. the broker defrauded her by allowing her son and his wife to see the offer he brought to her
D. her consumer protection rights under anti-trust laws were violated by her son and daughter-in-law

Answer 20

T9-5 B

A contract is voidable by a party if it was signed under duress. Duress is undue influence and the party lacked the ability to enter into the agreement of their own free will.

Question 21

A man has posted a $100 reward for anyone who returns his missing dog. This is an example of:

A. a unilateral contract
B. a bilateral contract
C. an implied contract
D. an executed contract

Answer 21

T9-6 A

A unilateral contract is a contract where only one party is bound to perform. A reward poster does not obligate anyone to find the man’s dog, but if someone finds the dog the person who issued the reward poster would be bound to pay the money.

Question 22

The seller unintentionally misrepresented that the soil of a lot was suitable for the construction of a building at the time the buyer was negotiating the purchase of the lot for the site of a new home. After entering into a contract to purchase, the buyer learned that contrary to the seller’s statement, the soil was unsuitable for construction. This is an example of a contract that is probably:

A. binding on the buyer due to the doctrine of caveat emptor
B. voidable by the buyer because of the seller’s mistake
C. voidable by the seller because of the mistake
D. voidable by neither party because this was a harmless error

Answer 22

T9-7 B

When a misrepresentation is made that induces or causes a party to enter into a contract, the contract is voidable at the option of the person who is injured by the misrepresentation.

Question 23

The law requiring real estate contracts to be in writing in order to be enforceable is the:

A. writ of attachment
B. statute of frauds
C. statute of limitations
D. parol evidence rule

Answer 23

T9-8 B

The statute of frauds does not require all contracts to be in writing. Only those contracts that evidence a right or interest in real estate are required to be in writing in order to be enforceable.

Question 24

The legal remedy to enforce the terms of a contract is known as:

A. an injunction
B. a lis pendens
C. a writ of attachment
D. specific performance

Answer 24

T9-9 D

Specific performance means that the court is ordering a party to perform the terms of the contract to which they agreed. If for example a seller decided they did not want to sell their home after executing a binding contract with a buyer, the buyer could bring a court action for specific performance to force the seller to sell the home.

Question 25

The term “rescission” is best defined as:

A. change
B. nullification
C. substitution
D. subordination

Answer 25

T9-10 B

Rescission is the termination of a contract which returns the parties to their original position. The original agreement is nullified. Rescission is not the same as cancellation. If a party cancels a contract they may be subject to certain penalties or lose certain deposits. When rescission occurs, all monies are returned to the buyer and both parties are relieved of their obligations under the contract.

Question 26

An executory contract is one in which:

A. all of the terms and conditions have been performed
B. there are still essential elements to be performed
C. one or more of the parties is in breach of the agreement
D. the contract has expired

Answer 26

T9-11 B

An executory contract is a contract where there are still items yet to be performed. An executed contract is a contract where all of the terms and conditions have been completed.

Question 27

A buyer makes an offer to purchase a home and states in the offer that the offer will remain open for the seller’s acceptance until April 6th. On April 4th the buyer changes their mind and notifies the seller that they are withdrawing their offer. On April 5th the seller accepts the original offer. Which of the following statements is correct?

A. The buyer is not bound because they withdrew their offer prior to being notified of the seller’s acceptance.
B. The buyer is bound because they stated that the offer would remain open until April 6th.
C. Once an offer is made it cannot be withdrawn.
D. The acceptance by the seller on April 5th created a binding and enforceable contract.

Answer 27

T9-12 A

An offer can be withdrawn at anytime prior to the seller’s acceptance being communicated back to the buyer. The right to withdraw an offer prior to acceptance is absolute, even if the buyer stated that the offer would remain open for a longer period of time.

Question 28

Mary made an offer to purchase John’s property for $295,000. John replied in writing to Mary that he would sell the property for $300,000. Mary refused to pay the $300,000 and did not respond to John. After reconsidering, John notified Mary that he was accepting the $295,000 offer. Which of the following is correct.

A. Mary and John have a valid and binding contract for $295,000.
B. Mary’s offer remains open indefinitely and can always be accepted by John unless she included a deadline for acceptance in her offer.
C. John’s response of $300,000 constituted a counteroffer which terminated Mary’s original offer and therefore there is no agreement between the parties.
D. Because Mary failed to take any action regarding John’s initial reply her original offer remained open.

Answer 28

T9-13 C

Any change to an offer, no matter how small, creates a counteroffer and the offeror is relieved of liability for the original offer.