Larson v. Landvest, Inc.

19 Mass. L. Rptr. 479
CourtMassachusetts Superior Court
DecidedJune 3, 2005
DocketNo. 0403450
StatusPublished

This text of 19 Mass. L. Rptr. 479 (Larson v. Landvest, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Massachusetts Superior Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Larson v. Landvest, Inc., 19 Mass. L. Rptr. 479 (Mass. Ct. App. 2005).

Opinion

MacLeod, Bonnie H., J.

These actions arise from the plaintiff, Susan Foley Larson’s purchase of real estate in Concord, Massachusetts. The first action, No. 03-01410, is against the seller’s brokers, defendants, Landvest, Inc. (“Landvest”), Wade Staniar, and Terrance Maitland, for misrepresentations that they allegedly made in connection with the sale. In that action, Landvest brought a third-party complaint seeking contribution and indemnification from Mark L. Scheier, the attorney who counseled the plaintiff in her purchase of the Property. The plaintiff brought a second action, No. 04-03450, against Scheier, his law firm, Scheier & Katin, and Cabco Consult, alleging their negligence in connection with her purchase of the Property. There are four motions before this court: (1) the plaintiffs motion to consolidate both actions;3 (2) defendants Landvest, Staniar, and Maitland’s motion for summaiy judgment on the claims in Larson’s amended complaint;4 (3) third-party defendant Scheier’s motion for summaiy judgment on the claims in Landvest’s third-party complaint;5 and (4) the plaintiffs motion pursuant to Mass.R.Civ.P. 56(f) to stay consideration of all summaiy judgment motions pending additional discoveiy.6 For the following rea[480]*480sons, the plaintiffs motion to consolidate is Allowed, the plaintiffs motion pursuant to Mass.R.Civ.P. 56(f) is Denied, defendants Landvest, Wade Staniar, and Terrance Maitland’s motion for summary judgment is Denied, and Third-Party Defendant Scheier’s motion for summary judgment is Allowed, only as to Count I (Indemnification) of defendant Landvest’s third-party complaint.

FACTUAL BACKGROUND

In June of 2001, Larson purchased a Property in Concord, Massachusetts. According to Larson, she purchased the Property in reliance upon alleged oral representations made by the sellers’ brokers, defendants Landvest, Maitland, and Staniar, when she toured the Property with them prior to purchasing it. Larson alleges that Landvest, Maitland, and Staniar, the sellers’ brokers, made a number of misrepresentations regarding the property line and the potential for renovation. The parties completely dispute the substance of those conversations, and of the alleged misrepresentations. Larson maintains that the sellers’ brokers unequivocally told her, while walking the gardens of the Property, that the lot size was represented by cedar fence on the lot, that the mowed path to the Sudbury river was a deeded easement, and that she could expand the property upward and outward, as a matter of right, without approval or waivers from any town board. The sellers’ brokers deny making these statements. They argue that any discussions regarding the lot size, renovations, and the mowed path were qualified by statements indicating that the information was based on surveys garnered from other professionals and entities. Additionally, they argue that the surveys from which this information came were provided to Larson, and remained on display inside the Property during each of her visits.

Attorney Scheier advised Larson in connection with the purchase, and worked on drafts of the purchase and sale agreement (the “P&S Agreement”) with the sellers’ counsel. On October 1, 2001, the closing for the property took place and Larson signed the P&S Agreement which contained the following clauses:

No. 13 ACCEPTANCE OF DEED. The acceptance of a deed by the BUYER or his nominee as the case may be, shall be deemed to be a full performance and discharge of every agreement and obligation herein contained or expressed, except such as are, by the terms hereof, to be performed after the delivery of said deed.
No. 23 THE BROKER AS PARTY. The Broker(s) named herein join(s) in this agreement and becomes (s) a party hereto. Insofar as any provisions of this agreement expressly apply to the Broker(s), and to any amendments or modifications of such provisions to which the Broker(s) agree(s) in writing.
No. 25 WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS. The BUYER acknowledges that the BUYER has not been influenced to enter into this transaction nor has he relied upon any warranties or representations not set forth or incorporated in this agreement or previously made in writing, except for the following additional warranties and representations, if any, made by either the SELLER or the Broker(s): NONE.
No. 27 CONSTRUCTION OF AGREEMENT. This instrument ... sets forth the entire contract between the parties, is binding upon, and enures to the benefit of the parties hereto and their respective heirs, devisees, executors, administrators, successors, and assigns, and may be cancelled, modified, or amended only by a written instrument executed by both the SELLER and BUYER . . .

The P&S Agreement is a standard Greater Boston Real Estate Board purchase and sale agreement, and contains only two terms added by the parties. The first is a condition written into the P&S Agreement by the parties into Section 30, which states that the seller would replace defective glass on the lower level of the home. Additional conditions were incorporated via Ryder A, which states, in relevant part, the following language:

NO WARRANTIES AND REPRESENTATIONS. Warranties and Representations. The Buyer acknowledges that the Buyer has been given full and ample opportunity to inspect the Premises, and that except as otherwise provided herein, the premises are being sold in “as-is” condition;. .. that the Seller is acting in a fiduciary capacity and has made no statements and no warranties or representations, express or implied, regarding the Premises on which the Buyer has relied in connection with the Buyer’s decision to purchase the Premises; and it is the understanding of the parties that the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the transaction which is the subject of this Agreement is fully and completely set forth in this Agreement. The Buyer’s agreements in this paragraph shall survive deliveiy of the deed.

Several months after she purchased the property, in March of 2002, Larson discovered that the cedar fence on the exterior grounds of the property did not represent the western lot line, and that there was no deeded easement to the Sudbury river. Larson also discovered that she could not renovate the property as planned, without seeking approval from several town boards, because of zoning set-back nonconformities, and conservation and wetlands restrictions. According to Larson, she never would have bought the Property, or paid the price that she did, if she was aware of the misrepresentations.

Larson has brought two separate actions seeking compensation for the harm she alleges she has suffered in connection with her purchase of the Property. The first action, No. 03-01410, is against the sellers’ brokers, defendants Landvest, Maitland, and Stainar. In her complaint, Larson alleges that the defendants made fraudulent misrepresentations (Count I), negli[481]*481gent misrepresentations (Count II), and that their conduct constitutes a violation of G.L.c. 93A, §2 (Count III). Shortly after Larson filed her complaint, defendant Landvest brought a third-party complaint against Larson’s counsel, attorney Scheier.

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Bluebook (online)
19 Mass. L. Rptr. 479, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/larson-v-landvest-inc-masssuperct-2005.