Fed. Nat'l Mortg. v. Westland Liberty Vill.

2022 NV 57, 515 P.3d 329
CourtNevada Supreme Court
DecidedAugust 11, 2022
Docket82174
StatusPublished
Cited by6 cases

This text of 2022 NV 57 (Fed. Nat'l Mortg. v. Westland Liberty Vill.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Nevada Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Fed. Nat'l Mortg. v. Westland Liberty Vill., 2022 NV 57, 515 P.3d 329 (Neb. 2022).

Opinion

138 Nev., Advance Opinion 51 IN THE SUPREME COURT OF THE STATE OF NEVADA

FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE No. 82174 ASSOCIATION; AND GRANDBRIDGE REAL ESTATE CAPITAL, LLC, Appellants, vs. WESTLAND LIBERTY VILLAGE, LLC, LE A NEVADA LIMITED LIABILITY AUG 11 2022 COMPANY; AND WESTLAND EL. ABRO VILLAGE SQUARE, LLC, A NEVADA UP ME COU

LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, BY EF DEPUTY CLERK Respondents.

Appeal from a district court order granting a preliminary injunction and denying appointment of a receiver in a dispute concerning real property loan agreements. Eighth Judicial District Court, Clark County; Kerry Louise Earley, Judge. Reversed and remanded.

Snell & Wilmer LLP and Kelly H. Dove, Nathan G. Kanute, and Bob L. Olson, Las Vegas, for Appellant Federal National Mortgage Association.

Holland & Hart LLP and Joseph G. Went, Lars K. Evensen, and Sydney R. Gambee, Las Vegas, for Appellant Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, LLC.

Campbell & Williams and J. Colby Williams and Philip R. Erwin, Las Vegas; Law Offices of John Benedict and John Benedict, Las Vegas; and Westland Real Estate Group and John W. Hofsaess, Long Beach, California, for Respondents.

SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA

io) 1q47A - zr Fennemore Craig, P.C., and Leslie Bryan Hart and John D. Tennert, Reno, for Amicus Curiae Federal Housing Finance Agency.

BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT, EN BANC.

OPINION

By the Court, STIGLICH, J.: This appeal permits us to clarify when a lender or its assignee is entitled to the appointment of a receiver after a borrower defaults on a real property loan agreement. The borrower here owns properties housing multi-family apartment complexes, and the lender observed a significant decrease in occupancy after the borrower assumed ownership. The lender's inspector observed that significant repairs were needed, and the lender demanded deposits into repair and replacement escrow accounts, relying on specific provisions in the loan agreements. The borrower did not make the demanded deposits, which the lender deemed a default under the loan agreements. The lender sued and sought a receiver. The borrower countersued, alleging breach of contract and seeking a preliminary injunction. The district court found that there was no default and issued a wide-ranging preliminary injunction, reaching matters that had been neither briefed nor argued. We have not previously had cause to interpret NRS 32.260(2)(b) and NRS 107A.260(1)(a)(1), which provide that a lender is entitled to the appointment of a receiver when the borrower agrees to such in the event of a default and, after a default, the lender seeks a receiver in enforcing the loan, NRS 32.260(2), or the property is subject to the assignment of rents,

SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 2 (0) 1947r\ ."?. .-4/. ..%). NRS 107A.260(1). As the lender has an entitlement to a receiver in such instances, appointment of a receiver is not subject to the district court's discretion. The agreement itself may state what circumstances constitute a default. The district court here erred in disregarding the loan agreements' provisions setting forth what constituted a default. The loan agreements contain clear terms setting forth the parties' obligations and what constitutes default. The borrower here failed to perform several duties mandated under the loan agreements, including the duty to make the demanded deposits, and this failure constituted default. As the borrower agreed to the provisions in the loan documents stating that the lender may obtain a receiver in the event of default, the lender was entitled to the appointment of a receiver on the borrower's default, and the district court abused its discretion in refusing to appoint one. The district court further abused its discretion in issuing a preliminary injunction because it rested its order on clearly erroneous factual determinations, did not apply the relevant standards for injunctive relief, and failed to recognize the lender's entitlement to a receiver. We accordingly reverse and remand.' FACTS AND PROCEDURAL HISTORY This appeal involves a dispute concerning mortgage loans entered into to finance the purchase of two properties housing multi-family apartment complexes. Appellant Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) is the successor-in-interest to the original lender for the loan agreements; appellant Grandbridge Real Estate Capital, LLC, is its loan servicer. Respondents Westland Liberty Village, LLC, and Westland

'Pursuant to NRAP 34(f)(1), we have determined that oral argument is not warranted in this appeal. SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 3 (0) I947A Village Square, LLC (collectively, Westland) are the successors-in-interest to the original borrowers. The predecessor borrowers executed a loan agreement for approximately $9.4 million to finance the purchase of a property known as "Village Square Apartments." The predecessor borrowers executed another mortgage loan agreement for $29 million to purchase "Liberty Village Apartments." The predecessor lender held a note and deed of trust on each property (loan documents). The agreements have materially equivalent operative provisions. The predecessor lender assigned both Village Square and Liberty Village loan documents to Fannie Mae. Westland executed assumption and release agreements to take on the Village Square and Liberty Village loan obligations, including payment and performance obligations, from the original borrowers and guarantors. In doing so, Westland expressly adopted all of the terms and obligations of the loan documents and associated instruments. Compliance with the provisions of these agreements is at the essence of this dispute. The loan agreements provide that the borrower shall pay the expenses to maintain and repair the property (§ 6.02(b)). The borrower must permit the lender or its agent to inspect the property, subject to routine constraints, such as business hours (§ 6.02(d)). If, in connection with an inspection, the lender determines that the property has deteriorated beyond that of ordinary wear and tear, the lender may obtain a property condition assessment (PCA) at the borrower's expense (§ 6.03(c)). The lender may require additional lender repairs or replacements on the basis of the PCA (§ 6.03(c)). Additional repairs and deposits With timely written notice, the lender may require the borrower to make an additional deposit to the replacement reserve account or the

SUPREME COURT OF NEVADA 4 repairs escrow account "if Lender determines that the amounts on deposit in either [account] are . . . not sufficient to cover the costs for . . . Additional Lender Repairs... or Additional Lender Replacements," pursuant to section 13.02(a)(9) (§ 13.02(a)(4)). Section 13.02(a)(9) provides that the lender may require the borrower to make additional lender repairs or replacements and provides general terms for the lender to disburse from the reserve or escrow accounts to pay for those repairs when all other conditions are met (§ 13.02(a)(9)(B)). It further provides that "[n]othing in this Loan Agreement shall limit Lender's right to require an additional deposit to the [reserve or escrow accountsl" or to require additional monthly deposits for additional lender repairs or replacements. The borrower may contest any demanded deposit's amount or validity by the appropriate legal process, though the lender may require the borrower to deposit the contested sum (§ 12.02(e)).

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2022 NV 57, 515 P.3d 329, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/fed-natl-mortg-v-westland-liberty-vill-nev-2022.