Specialty Investment Corp. v. Village Apartment Associates (In Re Village Apartment Associates)

9 B.R. 211, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 4873
CourtUnited States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedFebruary 19, 1981
Docket15-63557
StatusPublished
Cited by7 cases

This text of 9 B.R. 211 (Specialty Investment Corp. v. Village Apartment Associates (In Re Village Apartment Associates)) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering United States Bankruptcy Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Specialty Investment Corp. v. Village Apartment Associates (In Re Village Apartment Associates), 9 B.R. 211, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 4873 (Ga. 1981).

Opinion

ORDER

HUGH ROBINSON, Bankruptcy Judge.

Plaintiff Specialty Investment Corporation filed a “Motion of Specialty Investment Corporation, a Creditor, for a Determination by the Court of Certain Monies Held in Escrow” in the above-styled case. This matter came on regularly to be heard before the Court on May 29, 1980. After considering the testimony and evidence adduced at trial and the briefs submitted by the parties, and having reviewed the pleadings on file, the Court makes the following decision.

FINDINGS OF FACT

1. Village Apartments Associates, (hereinafter referred to as “Debtor”), purchased an apartment complex located in Douglas County, Georgia and known as the Village Apartments from Specialty Investment Corporation, (hereinafter referred to as “Specialty”) on September 29, 1976.

2. In connection with the purchase of the Village Apartments Debtor executed a real estate note for the purchase price and a security deed to secure the note.

3. The deed to secure debt executed by Debtor grants Specialty the option to accelerate the debt evidenced by the real estate note in the event Debtor becomes in default.

4. The deed to secure debt executed by Debtor contains a provision under which Specialty may recover 10% of the aggregate amount of the debt due on the real estate note for attorney’s fees in the event Debtor becomes in default.

5. Under the terms of the deed to secure debt, Debtor was required to keep the subject property in good repair, to pay all taxes and assessments that may be liens upon the property and to keep the improvements on the property fully insured.

6. As of March 5, 1979 Debtor had not placed funds in escrow for payment of city and county taxes and for payment of insurance premiums and had allowed some of the apartments in the complex to fall into disrepair.

7. Notice of default and election to proceed under the assignment of rents provision of the security deed was sent to Debtor by a letter from counsel for Specialty dated December 28, 1978.

*213 8. There is no evidence that Specialty exercised the option to accelerate the debt owed by Debtor.

9. Under the sales contract between Debtor and Specialty, the seller was required to pay the State of Georgia transfer tax, any loan transfer fees and its recording costs.

10. At the closing of the sale transaction between Debtor and Specialty, Specialty paid Debtor approximately $12,000.00 for title and closing costs. Part of the sum was to be used to pay intangible recording taxes assessed in connection with the recording of Specialty’s security deed.

11. No part of the $12,000.00 paid to Debtor was applied to the payment of the intangible recording tax. Due to Debtor’s failure to make this payment, Specialty paid $5,701.50 for the intangible recording tax.

12. Debtor filed a petition under Chapter XII of the Bankruptcy Act on April 2, 1979.

13. A first deed to secure debt on the Village Apartments is held by Decatur Federal Savings and Loan, (hereinafter referred to as “Decatur Federal”).

14. Specialty holds a wrap-around second deed to secure debt on the Village Apartments.

15. On March 17, 1980 an order was entered which confirmed the plan of arrangement, as modified, filed by Decatur Federal. This plan provides for the sale of the Village Apartments. Unsecured creditors will receive full payment of their claims. Decatur Federal will receive monthly payments of interest and principal pursuant to a loan assumption agreement executed by the proposed purchaser of the subject property. Specialty will also receive monthly payments of interest and principal pursuant to a loan assumption agreement executed by the proposed purchaser. The wrap-around mortgage held by Specialty is to be converted to a standard second mortgage subject to the mortgage held by Decatur Federal. The modified plan provides that Specialty will receive accrued interest owing without interest or penalty at closing.

16. The provision in the modified plan concerning interest payments to Specialty was not acceptable to Specialty. Thereafter the provision was modified to allow Specialty to receive interest owing along with any interest or penalty allowable under the terms of the contract between Specialty and Debtor. This modification was approved by court order entered March 17, 1980.

17. A closing of the sale of this property was scheduled for March 28, 1980. At the closing Specialty refused to sign the documents necessary for the implementation of the plan modifications unless and until it was paid $37,154.92 allegedly due Specialty.

18. Specialty contends that Debtor owes Specialty the sum of $31,453.62 under the provision of the security deed allowing Specialty to recover 10% of the aggregate amount of the debt due if Debtor becomes in default. This claim was reduced to $28,-396.90 at the hearing of May 29,1980. Specialty also claims that Debtor owes Specialty $5,701.50 for intangible recording taxes.

20. The sum of $37,154.92 was placed into escrow pending a resolution of this matter by the Court.

21. On May 2, 1980 Specialty filed a “Motion of Specialty Investment Corporation, a Creditor, for a Determination by the Court of Certain Monies Held in Escrow”. This matter was heard by the Court on May 29, 1979.

22. Specialty has also presented a motion to the Court for compensation in the amount of $5,007.53 for attorney’s fees.

APPLICABLE LAW

I. Admissibility of Certain Evidence

At the hearing Specialty tendered into evidence a number of exhibits many of which were admitted subject to a ruling on certain objections to their admissibility. Prior to reaching the merits of the case, the Court will rule on the admissibility of these exhibits.

*214 Specialty’s Exhibit # 3 is a copy of the real estate note dated as of November 1, 1976 given by Debtor to Specialty for the purchase price of the Village Apartments. This document was admitted into evidence subject to a ruling on relevancy. Debtor waived its objection to the admissibility of this document. However the objection to admissibility of Decatur Federal was not withdrawn.

Evidence is relevant if it has any tendency to make the existence of any fact that is of consequence to the determination of the action more probable or less probable than it would be without the evidence. Rule 401 of the Federal Rules of Evidence. The real estate note proves the existence of a debt owed by Debtor to Specialty and secured by a security deed. The existence of this debt is relevant to the determination of whether Specialty is entitled to recover attorney’s fees pursuant to a provision in a security deed which secures this debt. Accordingly, the Court rules Specialty’s Exhibit # 3 admissible.

Specialty’s Exhibit # 4 is a copy of the security deed executed by Debtor to secure the debt evidenced by the real estate note.

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Bluebook (online)
9 B.R. 211, 1981 Bankr. LEXIS 4873, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/specialty-investment-corp-v-village-apartment-associates-in-re-village-ganb-1981.