Unit 11 Flashcards
An agreement between the parties to do or not to do something.
contract
Based on an old English law which was written to protect consumers from fraud. It says 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. Enforceable means that the courts will hear the case. Nearly all real estate contracts are in writing.
Statute of frauds
provides a time frame which court cases must be filed on certain offenses. If the Statute of Limitations runs out, the case cannot be heard. For example, if a homeowner builds a fence and no one complains about the violation of the building restrictions, the court may rule that the time has passed for a case to be brought and will instruct that the fence will stay in place. Some offenses such as murder do not have a limitation on time but most civil cases do.
Statute of limitations
Certain essentials must be present to make a contract valid. These are:
Legally Competent parties; Offer and Acceptance; Consideration; Legality of Object
An offer to purchase is not a contract. When does an offer become a valid contract?
When an offer or counter offer is mutually agreed upon and the seller and/or buyer have signed and dated the final change, the offer becomes a valid contract.
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 bonafide 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
Something legally sufficient for that which is being exchanged. It can be money, love and affection or other valuable goods which 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
Some contracts may have legal effect; others do not. The difference lies in whether a contract is:
valid, void, voidable, enforceable or unenforceable
A contract that it is binding and enforceable on all parties. All the essentials of a contract are in place.
valid
A contract that has no legal effect. One of the essential elements is missing or is corrupted. For example, a contract for buying illegal drugs is void since one of the elements in contracts is a legal purpose.
void
A contract that is valid on the surface but may be rejected by one of the parties due to an error or misinformation. Requires court action on the part of the injured party to correct the problem. An example of this is when property is sold by a person under duress who comes back later and claims duress. The court may void the contract if the person can prove that he was under duress. Also, although it is not illegal for a minor to sign a contract for real property, the contract would be voidable for any time during its execution by that minor.
If, however, the minor elects to perform on the contract, the contract remains valid and the other party cannot assert the minor’s lack of age as a defense if they do not perform.
voidable
Means that all of the essentials of a contract are present and that the contract is in writing. This is a contract that can be heard by the court.
Enforceable
Means the contract may be valid between the parties (such as a handshake agreement), that all the essential elements are in place but the contract is not in writing. The courts will not hear the case: therefore, the courts cannot force performance of the contract by either side.
Unenforceable
To be valid and enforceable, a contract must contain:
The four essentials, be in writing, and all parts required signed and initialed as required by the parties.
Part of the consideration is paid in an earnest money deposit. This is not all of the consideration; it is only a good faith deposit to insure the seller that the buyer will honor his promises and complete the sale. A deposit or escrow is NOT required to create a valid contract.
Earnest Money
The interest a buyer has in 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. This becomes very important if the house were to burn in between the time the house was contracted for and when it actually closed. Most real estate contracts call for the seller to either rebuild the home the way it was with the insurance money or rescind the contract and give the buyer back his money. The buyer may also choose to have the insurance proceeds assigned to him and proceed with the purchase.
Equitable Title
This 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
Types of Contracts include:
Bilateral; Unilateral; Expressed; Implied; Executory; Executed; Formal Contract; Informal Contract
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 contract
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 contract
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 contract
Is a contract which 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 driver of the taxi 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 wronged person can prove the case, the broker will not be able to collect his commission.
Implied contract
Is a contract in process. Something remains to be completed such as the issuing of the deed, or a contingency has not been met.
Executory contract
Is a contract completed. It is finished and all terms have been met and satisfied.
Executed contract
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
An oral or Parol contract, usually not enforceable.
Informal contract
In the process of obtaining a contract, what negotiations must take place?
In an offer to purchase, the buyer offers his best price for the property and the seller agrees to the price or sends the offer back to the buyer with a counter offer. The seller (offeror) gives to the buyer (offeree) a counter offer. An offer is not a contract until it has been mutually agreed upon and signed by both parties.
Whoever is making the offer is the:
Offeror
Whoever is receiving the offer is the:
Offeree
An offer is not a contract until:
it has been mutually agreed upon and signed by both parties.
The ways an offer can be terminated are:
An offer is withdrawn by the offeror.
The time for an offer has passed and the offer is dead.
The death or insanity of either party.
A counter offer is given, making the first offer dead.
The offer is accepted and signed by both parties, creating a CONTRACT.
The offer is rejected by one party completely.
The property in question is destroyed.
Ways a Contract can be Terminated
Performance; Mutual rescission; Impossibility of performance; Operation of Law; Breach
meaning the contract is completed
performance
meaning both parties agree to cancel the contract
mutual rescission
Some type of catastrophe (i.e. an earthquake) hits the property and both parties agree to rescind the contract.
impossibility of performance
bankruptcy of either party or eminent domain of the property.
operation of law
one or the other or both of the parties have broken the promises made
breach
What could happen if one party has breached a contract and the other has not?
A remedy may be sought by the injured party.
What could happen if both parties have breached the contract?
A new contract may be written or both may rescind the contract.
a failure to perform the promises as agreed
breach of contract
If a breach occurs on one side of the contract, the injured party on the other side may wish to seek a remedy. The injured party may sue by any of three methods:
Suit for Cancellation: (Rescind the contract) the court restores the parties to their original position before the contract.
Suit for Specific Performance: 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 Damages: 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. Out of pocket expenses such as appraisals and moving are called compensatory damages and punishment for wrong doing damages are called punitive damages.
The seller, if he is the wronged party, may wish to accept ___________.
liquidated damages
would consist of any earnest money deposited for payment
liquidated damages
If the seller accepts liquidated damages, he may not sue for _____________.
Specific Performance