Norris v. Byrne

80 P. 808, 38 Wash. 592, 1905 Wash. LEXIS 1212
CourtWashington Supreme Court
DecidedMay 1, 1905
DocketNo. 5333
StatusPublished
Cited by5 cases

This text of 80 P. 808 (Norris v. Byrne) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Washington Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Norris v. Byrne, 80 P. 808, 38 Wash. 592, 1905 Wash. LEXIS 1212 (Wash. 1905).

Opinion

Per Curiam.

On the 17th day of July, 1903, respondents were the owners of certain real estate, situated in the city of Olympia, known as the “Woodruff Block.” At said time, and for some time prior thereto, and ever since, these appellants were engaged in tlm real estate business in the city of Olympia. On or about said date, one Schmidt had a conversation with appellants relative to his making an investment in Olympia real estate, in a sum approximating $10,000, for and on behalf of his sister-in-law, one Henrietta Speckert. In this conversation appellants called his attention to the Woodruff property, owned by these respondents.

Subsequently thereto, appellant Norris called upon respondent H. O. Richardson, and asked him if said property was for sale and, if so, at what price. Richardson answered that they would sell it for $9,000. Norris" expressed the idea that this was a high price, and retired. Again, on the same or the following day, Norris called on Richardson and resumed the conversation relative to said property, and asked Richardson if a commission would be allowed at that figure. Richardson said, “No,” that it should be $9,000 net. Some other conversation followed, and it was understood between them that appellants should have such an amount as they could obtain for the property over and above $9,000.

Appellants again took up the matter with Schmidt, recommending the purchase of the property by him. They showed the property to him, and together they examined the same. As a result of this examination, and their efforts to induce him to purchase, he agreed to buy it for $9,500, for his said sister-in-law. He was able and ready to pay [594]*594the money, but desired time to communicate with her, if possible. Norris told Richardson that they had a prospective purchaser, and that they would charge said buyer $9,500, and that he—Richardson—should see that the commission was paid them. To this Richardson said, “All right” Norris then asked as to how much time he could have to close the deal, as some correspondence would be necessary. Richardson said that he would see respondent John Byrne, his co-owner, about this.

Richardson came to the office of the appellants and had a conversation with them relative to the time to be given, and from their office telephoned to- Mr. Byrne, telling the latter that they could sell the property for $9,00(5 net, and asking if thirty days could be allowed within which to close the deal. Byrne answered, “No,” that no timei whatever would be allowed at that figure. Richardson then told appellant that he would go and see Mr. Byrne and see what could be done as to- the- matter of allowing time. Appellants told Mr. Richardson that, in-order to show their good faith, they would give him the name of the purchaser, and thereupon told him that said purchaser was Mr. Schmidt, a prominent and well-known citizen, of ample financial means, and that he was purchasing said property for his sister-in-law in California, and that he desired some little time to correspond by letter, or at least to communicate by telegraph.

Richardson then went to see Mr. Byrne, and talked the matter over with the latter, and told him who the purchaser was, and all about tbe conversations which he had had with appellants. Thereafter, Schmidt called at appellants’ office and, upon being told that Mr. Byrne- declined to give thirty days’ time, suggested that he go- himself and see Mr. Byrne, as he knew him well and thought that he could arrange for the necessary time. To this appellants as[595]*595sented, and Schmidt called Byrne up over the telephone. In this conversation between Byrne and Schmidt, Byrne offered to call upon Schmidt relative to the matter, and did so, and at this time, or in one of their conversations within the next few days, a bargain was concluded between Byrne and Schmidt, by which Schmidt was given an option of buying the property within three days at $9,500. Within the three days, Schmidt notified Byrne that he would take the property at said price. The money was paid and the deeds were delivered several days after the expiration of the three days mentioned.

Mr. Byrne testified that, before he consummated the deal with Schmidt, he told the latter that appellants were no longer in the matter, and there was to be no question about commissions involved. Richardson testifies that there was an understanding between him and Byrne that the property could be sold for $9,000 net. Byrne claims that this was true only with reference to certain Shelton parties, with whom they had been negotiating for some time prior to the sale of the property, and claims that he never authorized Richardson to* make any sale of the property, in so far as his portion thereof was concerned. Richardson claims that, when appellants asked for thirty days’ time within which to correspond and consummate the deal, they were told by him that the same could not be granted, and that “the transaction would have to be off.” It appears that there was, and had been theretofore, existing some ill feeling between one of appellants and one of respondents. The case was tried in the lower court before the judge without a jury. Bindings of fact and conclusions of law were made and entered by the trial judge, and thereupon a judgment of dismissal in favor of the respondents was made and entered. Brom this judgment plaintiffs appeal to this court.

[596]*596Under principles announced in similar cases by this court, and by many other courts, we think the conclusion' reached by the honorable trial judge was erroneous. Carstens v. McReavy, 1 Wash. 359, 25 Pac. 471; Barnes v. German Sav. etc. Soc., 21 Wash. 450, 58 Pac. 569; Hawley v. Maddocks, 25 Wash. 299, 65 Pac. 544; Jones v. Eilenfeldt, 28 Wash. 687, 69 Pac. 368; McCleary v. Willis, 35 Wash. 676, 77 Pac. 1073; Elmendorf v. Golden, 37 Wash. 664, 80 Pac. 264.

In Carstens v. McReavy, supra, this court said:

“Courts almost unanimously unite in holding that in case of an ordinary employment, to sell, once he has procured a party able and willing to buy, upon the terms demanded by his principal, and has notified him of the purchaser’s readiness to buy, the agent’s work is ended and he is entitled to his commission. It is not his duty to procure a contract or make one, and he is not in default if he fails to do either.”

In McCleary v. Willis, supra, this court, among other things said:

“. . . the appellant, having received the fruits of respondent’s labors, should respond in accordance with the contract as alleged. . . . The company, by contracting with, and conveying this real estate to, Ives, ratified all the acts of appellant as its agent in the above transaction.”

In the case at bar, respondents having consummated a¡ sale to the buyer produced by appellants, and at the same amount he had offered to pay through appellants when they showed him the property, it would seem that said respondents should not be heard to say that they were under no obligations to pay commission. In Jones v. Eilenfeldt, supra, this court said:

“To entitle a real estate agent to recover . . . the agent must find a purchaser able and willing to purchase [597]*597the property upon terms under which he is authorized to make a sale, or upon terms satisfactory to the owner, and one who is ready and willing to enter into a valid contract of purchase.”

In the case at bar, appellants produced a buyer able, ready, and willing to buy

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
80 P. 808, 38 Wash. 592, 1905 Wash. LEXIS 1212, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/norris-v-byrne-wash-1905.