Federal National Mortgage Ass'n v. Royal Manor Apartments, LLC

39 F. Supp. 3d 907, 2014 WL 3735226, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102968
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedJuly 29, 2014
DocketCase No. 13-12441
StatusPublished

This text of 39 F. Supp. 3d 907 (Federal National Mortgage Ass'n v. Royal Manor Apartments, LLC) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Federal National Mortgage Ass'n v. Royal Manor Apartments, LLC, 39 F. Supp. 3d 907, 2014 WL 3735226, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102968 (E.D. Mich. 2014).

Opinion

ORDER DENYING FANNIE MAE’S MOTION TO DISMISS (DOC. #21) AND GRANTING ROYAL MANOR’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT (DOC. # 20)

VICTORIA A. ROBERTS, District Judge.

I. INTRODUCTION

This is a mortgage foreclosure action; Defendant Royal Manor Apartments, LLC (“Royal Manor”) does not dispute that foreclosure was legal: Royal Manor defaulted by not making the final payment, but timely redeemed the property after Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”) filed its Complaint seeking injunctive relief and appointment of a receiver.

This dispute centers on the redemption price paid by Royal Manor, which it says was unreasonably higher than the default amount.

Fannie Mae says the Late Charge provision, “any other amount payable under this Note[,]” reasonably applies to the maturity payment, thereby entitling Fannie Mae to apply $84,761.82 in additional fees to the outstanding balance. Fannie Mae also contends that post sale, but pre-redemption Net Operating Income (“NOI”) payments totaling $29,219.84 remitted by Royal Manor may be applied to Fannie Mae’s attorneys’ fees, rather than to the redemption balance. Finally, Fannie Mae says that the Default Interest provision allowed it to increase the interest rate in addition to the late charge, adding an additional $24,377.91 to the balance.

After redeeming the property, Royal Manor filed a four count counterclaim and now seeks summary judgment on its counterclaim to recover what it says was an excessive redemption amount. By stipulation and agreement, Royal Manor agreed to dismiss Counts III and IV of its counterclaim, Counts I and II remain. Fannie Mae agreed to dismiss its Complaint without prejudice (Doc. #24), but seeks dismissal of Royal Manor’s remaining counterclaim.

Fannie Mae’s motion to dismiss Royal Manor’s counterclaim is DENIED. Count I seeks to recover monetary damages for attorneys’ fees paid and alleged overcharges to the redemption amount; Count II seeks a declaratory judgment that the alleged overcharging of the redemption amount breached the parties’ contract.

Royal Manor’s allegations in Count I of its counterclaim are sufficient to state a breach of contract claim. Count II is MOOT; Royal Manor only pled this claim as an alternative to Count I, and Royal Manor’s motion for summary judgment on Count I is GRANTED.

There is no genuine fact dispute; Royal Manor is entitled to $122,008.37. While the Loan Documents did authorize Fannie Mae’s application of the late charge, the late charge is unreasonable as applied. Further, the Loan Documents did not au[910]*910thorize Fannie Mae’s application of NOI payments to attorney fees.

II. BACKGROUND

Royal Manor signed a Note and Mortgage Agreement to purchase a multifamily property for $2 million dollars. The Note called for Royal Manor to make monthly installment payments, which were primarily interest, and a single maturity payment towards the remaining principal. The maturity payment also included interest.

Royal Manor defaulted on its mortgage with Fannie Mae by failing to pay the maturity payment, which was $1,687,701.78 principal balance and $42,516.96 interest, on March 1, 2013; up until that point, Royal Manor timely made all monthly $11,658.75 installment payments over 10 years.

On March 11, 2013, Fannie Mae demanded full payment; but, it agreed to discuss forbearance of the debt on the condition that Royal Manor sign a Pre-Negotiation Agreement that:

(1) required Royal Manor to make NOI payments:

As a demonstration of Borrower’s interest in a potential forbearance arrangement for the Loan, and understanding that Fannie Mae reserves all of its rights and remedies, Borrower agrees to either: (a) continue to remit to Services an amount equal to the pre-maturity, monthly payment under the Loan Documents plus the default interest due each month or (b) remit to Servicer, no less frequently than monthly, all of the net operating income from the Property (“NOI”), as defined below.

(2) specified that Fannie Mae could apply the NOI payments to attorneys’ fees:

Fannie Mae may use the funds provided by Borrower in any order and for any purposes which is related directly or indirectly to the Loan Documents or to the Property including, without limitation, the payment of attorneys’ fees or other charges incurred by Fannie Mae, application to principal or interest due under the note evidencing the Loan, payment for repairs or capital expenditures for the Property, or any other purpose determined by Fannie Mae in its sole and absolute discretion and in accordance with the Loan Documents.

(3)provided that the loan was fully due and authorized Fannie Mae to seek remedies under the Loan Documents:

Borrower hereby acknowledges that the Loan has matured and is fully due, Borrower is in default under the Loan Documents and that Fannie Mae is entitled to exercise any and all rights and remedies set forth in the Loan Documents, at law or in equity.

On March 21, 2013, Royal Manor signed the Pre-Negotiation Agreement.

A permanent agreement was not reached; in May, 2013, Fannie Mae began foreclosure proceedings. On June 6, 2013, Fannie Mae filed suit requesting appointment of a receiver and a preliminary injunction. The supporting motions were filed on June 7, 2013.

On June 28, 2013, Fannie Mae submitted an Affidavit of Amounts of $1,740,860.42. Royal Manor requested justification of the amount; Fannie Mae provided an explanation.

On July 9, 2013, Fannie Mae purchased the property for $1,740,860.42. This bid included the principal, interest, default interest, late charge and fees and costs; it was reduced by escrow funds. Fannie Mae charged a 5% late charge to the outstanding balance owed at maturity; this increased the outstanding balance by $84,761.82. Fannie Mae then applied the default interest rate to the balance, in[911]*911creasing the loan interest rate by 4% for a total of $24,377.91. Fannie Mae’s bid did not include attorneys’ fees, other than the $75 statutory fee under MCL 600.2431(2)(c).

After the sale, Royal Manor continued to make NOI payments as agreed during a conference call with the Court.

On August 15, 2013, Royal Manor redeemed the property for $1,758,527.22. The redemption amount was calculated the same as the bid, but included extra days of the default interest rate.

Fannie Mae says the Late Charge provision in the mortgage allowed it to apply the fees:

If any monthly installment due hereunder is not received by Lender on or before the 10th day of each month or if any other amount payable under this Note or under the Security Instrument or any other Loan Document is not received by Lender within 10 days after the date such amount is'due, counting from and including the date such amount is due, Borrower shall pay to Lender, immediately and without demand by Lender, a late charge equal to 5 percent of such monthly installment or other amount due.

This is the Default Rate provision that Fannie Mae says allowed it to increase the interest rate:

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
39 F. Supp. 3d 907, 2014 WL 3735226, 2014 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 102968, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/federal-national-mortgage-assn-v-royal-manor-apartments-llc-mied-2014.