Levert-Hill v. Associated Holding Group, L.L.C.

2012 Ohio 3819, 975 N.E.2d 575
CourtOhio Court of Appeals
DecidedAugust 23, 2012
Docket97938
StatusPublished
Cited by4 cases

This text of 2012 Ohio 3819 (Levert-Hill v. Associated Holding Group, L.L.C.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Ohio Court of Appeals primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Levert-Hill v. Associated Holding Group, L.L.C., 2012 Ohio 3819, 975 N.E.2d 575 (Ohio Ct. App. 2012).

Opinion

[Cite as Levert-Hill v. Associated Holding Group, L.L.C., 2012-Ohio-3819.]

Court of Appeals of Ohio EIGHTH APPELLATE DISTRICT COUNTY OF CUYAHOGA

JOURNAL ENTRY AND OPINION No. 97938

BILLIE J. LEVERT-HILL PLAINTIFF-APPELLANT

vs.

ASSOCIATED HOLDING GROUP, LLC, ET AL. DEFENDANTS-APPELLEES

JUDGMENT: AFFIRMED IN PART, REVERSED IN PART, AND REMANDED

Civil Appeal from the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas Case No. CV-750680

BEFORE: Sweeney, J., Boyle, P.J., and Jones, J.

RELEASED AND JOURNALIZED: August 23, 2012 ATTORNEY FOR APPELLANT

Jaye M. Schlachet, Esq. 55 Public Square Suite 1600 Cleveland, Ohio 44113

ATTORNEY FOR APPELLEES

Mark L. Rodio, Esq. Frantz Ward, LLP 2500 Key Center 127 Public Square Cleveland, Ohio 44114 JAMES J. SWEENEY, J.:

{¶1} Plaintiff-appellant Billie J. Levert-Hill (“Hill”) appeals from the trial

court’s order that granted summary judgment and dismissed her complaint for breach of

fiduciary duty, breach of contract, fraud, and detrimental reliance against

defendants-appellees Associated Holding Group, L.L.C., d.b.a. Prudential Select

Properties (“Prudential”) and Jason Caccamo (“Caccamo”).1

{¶2} Prudential and Caccamo moved for summary judgment, which Hill

opposed, and the trial court granted. As set forth below, we affirm in part, reverse in part,

and remand for further proceedings.

{¶3} On appeal, Hill raises the following assignment of error:

The trial court improperly granted appellees’ Motion for Summary Judgment where there is a genuine issue of material fact remaining as to whether appellees acted in a dual capacity, failed to represent appellant, and committed misrepresentations upon which appellant relied, to her economic damage.

{¶4} Appellate review of summary judgment is de novo. Grafton v. Ohio Edison

Co., 77 Ohio St.3d 102, 105, 1996-Ohio-336, 671 N.E.2d 241. The Ohio Supreme Court

stated the appropriate test in Zivich v. Mentor Soccer Club, 82 Ohio St.3d 367, 369-370,

1998-Ohio-389, 696 N.E.2d 201, as follows:

Appellant’s complaint also named other defendants, however, appellant 1

voluntarily dismissed her claims against them by notices filed on March 21, 2011 and April 15, 2011. Pursuant to Civ.R. 56, summary judgment is appropriate when (1) there is no genuine issue of material fact, (2) the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law, and (3) reasonable minds can come to but one conclusion and that conclusion is adverse to the nonmoving party, said party being entitled to have the evidence construed most strongly in his favor. Horton v. Harwick Chem. Corp., 73 Ohio St.3d 679, 1995-Ohio-286, 653 N.E.2d 1196, paragraph three of the syllabus. The party moving for summary judgment bears the burden of showing that there is no genuine issue of material fact and that it is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.

Dresher v. Burt, 75 Ohio St.3d 280, 292-293, 1996-Ohio-107, 662 N.E.2d 264.

{¶5} The facts construed in a light most favorable to Hill, the non-moving party,

include the following:

{¶6} In March of 2010, Hill contacted Caccamo, a real estate agent who worked

as an independent contractor for Prudential at that time. Hill was interested in

purchasing real estate for investment purposes and was specifically inquiring about one of

Caccamo’s listings in a Shaker Heights condominium complex. Caccamo testified that

Hill was very clear she intended to purchase the property for investment and also intended

to use it as a rental property. Caccamo told her she could rent these units to tenants. In

fact, that is what Caccamo believed based on his knowledge that other units in that

complex had been advertised for rental on the Multiple Listing Service (“MLS”). He had

no idea that the Board could restrict an owner’s ability to rent the units.

{¶7} Caccamo arranged to show Hill three units on the same day, including his

own listing, unit #206. As a formality, Caccamo had Hill sign an agency disclosure form

for unit #206, that indicated that he represented the seller in the transaction rather than

Hill. The substance of the form advised Hill that Caccamo represented the “seller” and that “any information provided to the agent may be disclosed to the agent’s client.” In

essence, the agency disclosure form governed the agent’s use or disclosure of each parties

“confidential information.” Hill also signed two additional agency disclosure forms that

indicated that Caccamo represented her with regard to the offers made on the other units,

that is unit #404 and unit #306.

{¶8} Notwithstanding the agency disclosure form, Caccamo testified that he

believed he did represent Hill with regard to unit #206 as well and he understood that Hill

was relying on his services with regard to that unit and his representations about her

ability to rent out all of the units. Caccamo testified that he felt he was acting in a “dual

agency” capacity with regard to unit #206. Without dispute, Caccamo was acting solely as

Hill’s agent with regard to the other two units in the same complex, which were listed by

other agents.

{¶9} Hill made offers on all three units on the same day, however, the only offer

accepted was the one she made on unit #206. Because Caccamo was the only agent

involved, he and Prudential received the entire real estate commission on the transaction.

In addition, Hill was assessed an additional fee of $265.00 for “brokerage service fee”

that she would not have had to pay to Prudential if an agent from a different brokerage

had represented her.

{¶10} Hill asked Caccamo to provide her with the condominium complex’s

bylaws “several times.” Hill never received a copy of the bylaws.2 Although there is a

The record contains a copy of South Park Manor Condominiums Handbook 2 condominium addendum to the purchase agreement that appears executed by Hill,

Caccamo admitted that he signed her name on it without her permission.

{¶11} Hill even contacted Caccamo by telephone from the closing table asking

him specifically if she could rent the unit and inquiring about the bylaws. Caccamo

responded that, based on his knowledge, the unit was rentable. He told her he had the

bylaws but he never actually said that he reviewed them. Hill testified that Caccamo told

her he had the bylaws and that she could rent the unit. This is supported by Caccamo’s

own deposition testimony that includes the following exchange:

Q: So let me just try to understand. She calls you at closing and says to this effect, Jason, we’ve got to be sure, I’m ready to close. Am I going to be able to invest and rent this property? And you said I have the bylaws, I believe you can do it.

A: Yes.

{¶12} Shortly after closing, Hill encountered an officer of the condominium’s

Board of Directors who told her that rental was strictly prohibited and that the bylaws

required the units to be owner occupied.

{¶13} Hill contacted Caccamo, and they eventually discovered that the bylaws

contain the following restriction:

{¶14} “1. Unless registered by August 23, 1994, leasing a unit is prohibited

without the prior, written approval of the Board.”

of Rules and Information as Defendant’s Exhibit E to Hill’s deposition, which are referred to herein as the “bylaws.” {¶15} Thereafter is a litany of requirements, procedures, and restrictions seeking

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2012 Ohio 3819, 975 N.E.2d 575, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/levert-hill-v-associated-holding-group-llc-ohioctapp-2012.