Posson v. Przestrzelski

111 A.D.3d 1235, 976 N.Y.S.2d 298
CourtAppellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York
DecidedNovember 27, 2013
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 111 A.D.3d 1235 (Posson v. Przestrzelski) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of the State of New York primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Posson v. Przestrzelski, 111 A.D.3d 1235, 976 N.Y.S.2d 298 (N.Y. Ct. App. 2013).

Opinion

McCarthy, J.

Appeal from an order of the Supreme Court (Sullivan, J.), entered July 13, 2012 in Chenango County, upon a decision of the court in favor of plaintiff.

Defendant co-owned a parcel of real property with his siblings, Dolores Hayes and Charles Przestrzelski. Defendant and Hayes signed an exclusive listing agreement with plaintiff whereby David Posson — a real estate broker employed by plaintiff — was to market the property at an asking price of $290,000, in exchange for an 8% commission in the event that he procured a buyer who was ready, willing and able to meet that price. In March 2005, Posson presented a $290,000 “as is” offer from Martin Glaviano to purchase the property. Hayes and Przestrzelski accepted and signed the offer, but defendant rejected it because he did not want to sell the property.

Plaintiff commenced this action against defendant seeking to recover a brokerage commission and counsel fees. Defendant commenced a third-party action against Hayes. Supreme Court (Garry, J.) denied the parties’ cross motions for summary judgment, and this Court affirmed (57 AD3d 1301 [2008]). Supreme Court (Sullivan, J.) subsequently granted Hayes’ motion for summary judgment dismissing the third-party complaint and plaintiffs cross motion for summary judgment on the complaint. On defendant’s appeal, this Court affirmed the dismissal of the third-party complaint, but reversed as to plaintiffs cross motion, finding triable issues of fact (77 AD3d 1268 [2010]). Following a bench trial, Supreme Court ruled in plaintiffs favor. Defendant appeals.

Supreme Court did not err in accepting into evidence a copy of a second version of the offer to purchase. Although the best evidence rule “requires the production of an original writing where its contents are in dispute and sought to be proven” (Schozer v William Penn Life Ins. Co. of N.Y., 84 NY2d 639, 643 [1994]), secondary evidence of the contents of an unproduced original document may be admitted where the court finds a sufficient explanation for the absence of the original, that the proponent “has not procured its loss or destruction in bad faith,” and that the secondary evidence accurately reflects the original (Schozer v William Penn Life Ins. Co. of N.Y., 84 NY2d at 644; see People v Joseph, 86 NY2d 565, 570 [1995]; Matter of La Rue v Crandall, 254 AD2d 633, 635 [1998]). The complaint included a copy of Glaviano’s offer to purchase that contained Hayes’ and Glaviano’s signatures. At trial, plaintiff introduced a [1237]*1237second version of the same purchase offer, which was signed by Hayes, Glaviano and Przestrzelski. Hayes testified that she signed more than one duplicate of the offer and verified that her signature appeared on both copies that were presented. Glaviano testified that it was possible that he signed two duplicates on the same day and verified the accuracy of his signature on the second version. Przestrzelski, in his deposition testimony that was admitted into evidence, gave conflicting testimony but did state that he signed the $290,000 offer to purchase. The whereabouts of the original of the second version remain unclear. The two versions were photocopies of the same document, with the only difference being the signatures. Thus, the court did not err in admitting a copy of the second version of the offer into evidence (see Matter of La Rue v Crandall, 254 AD2d at 635).

Supreme Court did not err in awarding plaintiff a commission. “In the absence of an agreement to the contrary, a real estate broker will be deemed to have earned his [or her] commission when he [or she] produces a buyer who is ready, willing and able to purchase at the terms set by the seller” (77 AD3d at 1269 [internal quotation marks and citations omitted]). The listing agreement identified the parties, the property, the asking price, and an agreement to pay an 8% commission in exchange for plaintiff producing a buyer. This was sufficient information to create a valid listing agreement (see Triple A Supplies, Inc. v WPA Acquisition Corp., 95 AD3d 1301, 1302-1303 [2012]). Defendant asserts that the listing agreement is invalid because not all of the property owners signed it (see Matter of Hilpl v Paterson, 89 AD2d 801, 802 [1982]). However, a contract to pay compensation to a real estate broker or salesperson need not be in writing to be effective (see General Obligations Law § 5-701 [a] [10]). Here, defendant and Hayes signed the listing agreement. Przestrzelski did not sign, but his deposition testimony establishes that he was aware of and agreed to the terms of the listing agreement, and he signed the offer to purchase with the understanding that plaintiff would receive an 8% commission.

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
111 A.D.3d 1235, 976 N.Y.S.2d 298, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/posson-v-przestrzelski-nyappdiv-2013.