Nationstar Mortgage, LLC v. Maplewood Springs Homeowners Ass'n

238 F. Supp. 3d 1257, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29603
CourtDistrict Court, D. Nevada
DecidedMarch 1, 2017
DocketCase No. 2:15-CV-1683 JCM (CWH)
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 238 F. Supp. 3d 1257 (Nationstar Mortgage, LLC v. Maplewood Springs Homeowners Ass'n) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, D. Nevada primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Nationstar Mortgage, LLC v. Maplewood Springs Homeowners Ass'n, 238 F. Supp. 3d 1257, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29603 (D. Nev. 2017).

Opinion

ORDER

James C. Mahan, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Presently before the court is defendant Maplewood Springs Homeowners’ Association’s (the “HOA”) renewed motion to dismiss. (ECF No. 75). Plaintiff/counter-defendant Nationstar Mortgage, LLC (“Nationstar”) filed a response (ECF No. 84), as did defendant/counterclaimant SFR Investments Pool 1, LLC (“SFR”) (ECF No. 78), to which the HOA replied (ECF Nos. 82; 91).1

[1264]*1264Also before the court is Deutsche Bank National Trust Company, as trustee for holders of the GSAA home equity trust 2006-11 asset backed certificates series 2006-11 (“Deutsche”) and Nationstar’s renewed motion for summary judgment. (ECF No. 70). The HOA and SFR filed responses (ECF Nos, 79, 87), to which Deutsche and Nationstar replied (ECF No. 89).

Also before the court is SFR’s renewed motion for summary judgment. (ECF No. 71). Deutsche and Nationstar filed a Response, (ECF No. 83), to which SFR replied (ECF No. 93).

Also before the court is the HOA’s renewed motion for summary judgment (ECF No. 73). No responses were filed and the time to respond has since passed.2

1. Facts

The present case involves a dispute "over real property located at 6229 Sugartree Avenue, Las Vegas, Nevada (the “property”). (ECF No. 1 at 2). Gholam H. Farzad (the “borrower”) purchased the property on April 13, 2006. (ECF No. 1 at 3). The borrower financed the purchase "with a $297,800.00 loan that was secured by a deed of trust dated April 13, 2006, and recorded on April 24, 2006. (EOF-No. 1-1 at 2-18). -

On October 10, 2012, the deed of trust was assigned to Deutsche, via an assignment of deed of trust. (ECF No. 1-2).

On February 7, 2013, Nevada Association Services, Inc, (“NAS”), as the HOA’s trustee,. recorded a notice of delinquent assessment lien. (ECF No. 1-6). The notice asserted that the borrower owed $1,409.08 in fees. (ECF No. 1-5 at 2).

On August 9, 2013, NAS, as the HOA’s trustee, recorded a notice of default and election to' sell to satisfy the delinquent assessment lien. (ECF No. 1-6). The notice asserted that the borrower owed $2,632.74 in fees. (ECF No. 1-6 at 2). On the same day as it was recorded, NAS mailed the notice of default and election to sell (via certified mail, return receipt requested) to the borrower, Bank of New York Mellon, Deutsche Bank National Trust, Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., and Mortgage Electronic Registration Services (“MERS”). (ECF Nos. 40 at 2; 40-2 at 4-5). .

On October 1,2013, Nationstar’s interest in the deed of trust was recorded. (ECF No. 1-3).

On January 31, 2014, the HOA recorded a notice of trustee’s sale through its agent. (ECF No. 1-7). The notice asserted that the borrower owed $4,106.60 in fees and that the trustee’s sale would occur on February 21, 2014. (ECF No. 1-7 at 3). On the same day as it was recorded, NAS mailed the notice of trustee’s sale (via certified mail, return receipt requested) to the borrower, Bank of New York Mellon (“BNYM”), Deutsche, Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., and Mortgage Electronic Registration Services (“MERS”). (ECF Nos. 40-at 2; 40-3 at 4-7).

NAS held the trustee’s sale on April 4, 2014, at which SFR purchased the property for $16,000.00. (ECF No. 70-8 at 2). The foreclosure deed was recorded on April 7, 2014. (ECF No. 70-8).

Nationstar filed the original complaint on August 31, 2015, asserting four claims against the HOA and SFR: (1) declaratory relief/quiet title; (2) breach of Nevada Re[1265]*1265vised Statute (“NRS”) 16.1113 against the HOA; (3) injunctive relief against SFR; and (4) violation of procedural due process. (ECF No. 1). Nationstar contends that the notices prior to the HOA’s foreclosure sale violated NRS Chapter 116, that the HOA violated NRS 116.1113 by falsely promising its liens were subordinate to the senior deed of trust and thereafter failing to notify Nationstar that its security interest was at risk, that the sale should be set aside as it was commercially unreasonable, and that Nevada’s statutory scheme providing su-perpriority liens to homeowner’s associations is violative of procedural due process under the Constitution. (EOF No. 1).

On November 6, 2015, SFR filed an answer and counterclaim asserting three claims of relief against Nationstar, Deutsche, BNYM, and the borrower: (1) declaratory relief/quiet title; (2) preliminary and permanent injunction; and (3) slander of title. (ECF No. 18).

II. Legal standard

A. Motion to dismiss

The court may dismiss a plaintiffs complaint for “failure to state a claim upon which relief can be granted.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). A properly pled complaint must provide “[a] short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Fed. R. Civ. P. 8(a)(2). Although Rule 8 does not require detailed factual allegations, it does require more than labels and conclusions. Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007). Furthermore, a formulaic recitation of the elements of a cause of action will not suffice. Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 677, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (citation omitted). Rule 8 does not unlock the doors of discovery for a plaintiff armed with nothing more than conclusions. Id. at 678-79, 129 S.Ct. 1937.

To survive a motion to dismiss, a complaint must contain sufficient factual matter to “state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.” Id. A claim has facial plausibility when the plaintiff pleads factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged. Id. When a complaint pleads facts- that are merely consistent with a defendant’s liability, and shows only a mere possibility of entitlement, the complaint does not meet the requirements to show plausibility of entitlement to relief. Id.

. In' Iqbal, the Supreme Court clarified the two-step approach district courts are to apply when considering a motion to dismiss. Id. First, the court must accept as true all of the allegations contained in a complaint. Id. However, this requirement is inapplicable to legal conclusions. Id. Second, only a complaint that states a plausible claim for relief survives a motion to dismiss. Id. at 678, 129 S.Ct. 1937. Where the complaint does not permit the court to infer more than the mere possibility of misconduct, the complaint has “alleged—but not shown—that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Id. at 679,129 S.Ct. 1937. When the allegations in a complaint have not crossed the line from conceivable to plausible, plaintiffs claim must be dismissed. Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955.

The Ninth Circuit addressed post-Iqbal pleading standards in Starr v. Baca, 652 F.3d 1202, 1216 (9th Cir. 2011). The Starr court held:

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Bluebook (online)
238 F. Supp. 3d 1257, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 29603, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/nationstar-mortgage-llc-v-maplewood-springs-homeowners-assn-nvd-2017.