Reyes v. Farhangkhah (In re Farhangkhah)

473 B.R. 140
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedMarch 21, 2012
DocketBankruptcy No. 10-35379-H3-7; Adversary No. 10-3481
StatusPublished

This text of 473 B.R. 140 (Reyes v. Farhangkhah (In re Farhangkhah)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Reyes v. Farhangkhah (In re Farhangkhah), 473 B.R. 140 (Tex. 2012).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

LETITIA Z. PAUL, Bankruptcy Judge.

The court has held a trial in the above captioned adversary proceeding. The following are the Findings of Fact and Conclusions of Law of the court. A separate conforming Judgment will be entered. To the extent any of the Findings of Fact are considered Conclusions of Law, they are adopted as such. To the extent any of the Conclusions of Law are considered Findings of Fact, they are adopted as such.

Findings of Fact

Alireza Farhangkhah (“Debtor”)1 filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 7 of the Bankruptcy Code on June 30, 2010.

[143]*143The sequence of events at issue in the above captioned adversary proceeding began in 2008. Debtor, who had been employed as a field engineer by General Electric, was laid off from his job. Debtor testified that, at the time that he lost his job, he had approximately $50,000 in savings.2

Real Property Transactions

During November and December, 2008, Debtor purchased real property at foreclosure sales. Debtor testified that, on November 4, 2008, he purchased real property located at 1608 Brickarbor, Houston, Texas (the “Brickarbor Property”), in a tax foreclosure sale, for $31,500. He testified that, approximately two days after the foreclosure sale, he contacted Rebecca Phillips, the record owner of the Brickarbor Property prior to the foreclosure sale. He testified that Phillips paid him $30,000, two days after the sale, and paid an additional $1,500 approximately two weeks later. He testified that Phillips paid a redemption fee of $7,875 (reflecting 25 percent of the price Debtor paid at the foreclosure sale) during January or February of 2010. He testified that he executed a quitclaim deed with respect to the property before he received the redemption fee.

After Debtor’s November, 2008 purchase and the quick redemption had resulted in a promised return of 25 percent,3 Debtor invested in additional properties at foreclosure sales the next month. On December 2, 2008, Debtor purchased the properties located at 3706 Nathaniel Brown (the “Nathaniel Brown Property”), 5105 Southwind (the “South-wind Property”), 2611 Canfield (the “Canfield Property”), and 6701 Stearns (the “Stearns Property”) and 8713 Co-mal (the “Comal Property,”) all located in Houston, Texas, in tax foreclosure sales. Debtor also purchased the property located at 8243 Misty Ridge (the “Misty Ridge Property”) in an execution sale, for foreclosure of a homeowners’ association lien.

Debtor paid $4,700 to purchase the Misty Ridge Property. Debtor testified that, one day after the execution sale of the Misty Ridge Property, Debtor was contacted by William Gammon, purportedly on behalf of the homeowners’ association that initiated foreclosure proceedings with respect to the Misty Ridge Property. Debtor testified that Gammon demanded the immediate turnover of the property, and loudly berated Debtor, within hearing of Debtor’s family, when Debtor stated that he needed to research his rights.

Debtor testified that, approximately two weeks after his discussion with Gammon, he learned, after consultation with several attorneys, that the record owner of the Misty Ridge Property, Samuel G. Reyes (“Plaintiff’) had a right to redeem the property by repaying to Debtor the $4,700 which Debtor had paid at the foreclosure sale, without paying a redemption fee. He testified that he made several calls to Gammon, trying to arrange for the redemption, but that his calls were not returned.

[144]*144Debtor testified that, during 2009, he was contacted by John Maher, the attorney for Plaintiff. Debtor testified that, although he was prepared to permit Plaintiff to redeem the property, he was prevented from doing so by a restraining order obtained by Maher for Plaintiff. Debtor testified that he presented an offer to permit a redemption of the property to Maher several times, but that Maher declined Debtor’s offer.

The state court in which Plaintiff filed suit against Debtor found that Debtor had refused to accept the redemption payment, and failed to comply with Tex. Prop.Code § 209.011 until several months after Plaintiff filed suit.4 (Plaintiffs Exhibit 4). Debtor testified that, during the middle of 2009, the state court ordered him to sign a deed transferring the Misty Ridge Property to Plaintiff. He testified that he did receive $4,700 from Plaintiff.

After a trial held on February 22, 2010, the state court awarded Plaintiff $13,735 in attorney fees, plus costs of court and post-judgment interest. The state court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law were signed on February 23, 2010. (Plaintiffs Exhibit 4). The state court’s final judgment was signed on March 31, 2010. (Plaintiffs Exhibit 5).

The documents with respect to Debtor’s purchases of the Nathaniel Brown Property (Exhibit D-l), the Southwind Property (Exhibit D-2), the Canfield Property (Exhibit D-3), the Stearns Property (Exhibit D-4), and the Comal Property (Plaintiffs Exhibit 10) are in evidence.

Debtor purchased the Nathaniel Brown Property on December 2, 2008, for $14,000. Debtor testified that, before he purchased the property at the tax foreclosure sale, he had not seen the property. He testified that, after the sale, he visited the property. He found that the roof had fallen into the living room, making it impossible to use the door of the home. He testified that the house on the property was condemned. He testified that he sold the Nathaniel Brown Property for $14,000, on March 5, 2010. He testified that, after paying broker fees, taxes, and other fees on the sale of the property, he received $4,949.79, resulting in a net loss of approximately $10,050.

Debtor purchased the Southwind Property on December 2, 2008, for $3,200. He testified that he was required to spend a small amount of money clearing trash from the property. He testified that he sold the Southwind Property for a gross sale price of $5,000, on January 15, 2010. He testified that, after paying taxes and fees at closing, he received $3,307.81, resulting in a net gain of approximately $8.

Debtor purchased the Canfield Property on December 2, 2008, for $7,800. He testified that he spent approximately $2,500 to fix damage to the property from Hurricane Ike. He testified that he sold the Canfield Property on August 28, 2009 for $27,000. He testified that, after paying taxes and fees, he received $8,000 in cash, and a note for $12,000, which was paid over the course of six months.

Debtor purchased the Stearns Property on December 2, 2008, for $12,200. He sold the Stearns Property on May 11, 2009, for a gross sale price of $17,500. The settlement statement reflects that, after paying [145]*145taxes and fees, Debtor received $13,765.76. (Exhibit D-4). Debtor’s 2009 tax return reflects a net gain of $1,266 on the Stearns Property. (Exhibit D-18).

Debtor purchased the Comal Property on December 2, 2008, for $14,500. Debtor testified that, after he purchased the property at the foreclosure sale on Tuesday, December 2, 2008, he first visited the property on Saturday, December 6, 2008.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Beaubouef v. Beaubouef (In Re Beaubouef)
966 F.2d 174 (Fifth Circuit, 1992)
Sholdra v. Chilmark Financial LLP (In Re Sholdra)
249 F.3d 380 (Fifth Circuit, 2001)
Netherton v. Baker (In Re Baker)
205 B.R. 125 (N.D. Illinois, 1997)
Tuloil, Inc. v. Shahid (In Re Shahid)
254 B.R. 40 (Tenth Circuit, 2000)
First Texas Savings Ass'n v. Reed
700 F.2d 986 (Fifth Circuit, 1983)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
473 B.R. 140, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/reyes-v-farhangkhah-in-re-farhangkhah-txsb-2012.