Question

A landowner owned a large piece of property containing an inn and a bakery. She entered into a contract to sell the property to a purchaser for $1 million. The contract was recorded. The purchaser gave the landowner $200,000 as earnest money. The closing date was set for September 10, two months after the signing of the contract. On August 10, an arsonist set fire to the inn, which burned to the ground. On September 10, the landowner appeared at the closing and tendered the deed to the property. The buyer refused to tender the remaining $800,000 of the purchase price and demanded the return of his earnest money. The landowner sued the buyer for specific performance of the contract. The buyer countersued for the return of his earnest money. Both parties stipulate that the value of the property without the inn is $600,000, that insurance on the property had lapsed, and that the common law, unmodified by statute, applies. What is the most likely result at trial

Answer 1

The most likely result at trial is that the landowner's claim for specific performance will be successful, and she will be awarded the entire price of contract.

Step-by-step explanation:

When there isn't a statute, the buyer bears the risk of loss when property subject to a contract for sale is destroyed without fault of any party prior to the date specified for closing. Unless the contract specifies otherwise, the buyer must pay the contract price even if the property is damaged by fire.

The inn was burned down in this case after the landowner and the buyer signed a contract for the sale of the property, but before the closing date. The contract appears to be silent on the risk of loss, and no appropriate statute exists. As a result of the common law rule, the buyer bears the risk of loss. Therefore, the landowner has the right to particular execution of the contract, which implies that the entire stipulated contract price must be paid by the buyer.

Regardless of the property's drop in worth owing to the fire, the $1 million contract price must be paid by the buyer because he bears the risk of loss.

Therefore, the most likely result at trial is that the landowner's claim for specific performance will be successful, and she will be awarded the entire price of contract.