Van Decar v. Streeter

136 Misc. 206, 240 N.Y.S. 492, 1930 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1082
CourtNew York Supreme Court
DecidedMarch 20, 1930
StatusPublished

This text of 136 Misc. 206 (Van Decar v. Streeter) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering New York Supreme Court primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Van Decar v. Streeter, 136 Misc. 206, 240 N.Y.S. 492, 1930 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1082 (N.Y. Super. Ct. 1930).

Opinion

Rogers, J.

The defendant, being the owner of the real estate described in the complaint, on July 12, 1929, in writing authorized the partnership Scott B. Smith & Co., of Warrensburgh, N. Y., real estate brokers, to sell the same for $3,000 cash. Plaintiff negotiated with the broker and agreed to buy the property for that sum. Thereafter, on July sixteenth, the defendant executed and acknowledged a warranty deed of the property and left it with the broker with instructions to deliver it to the plaintiff on receipt of the plaintiff’s check for the purchase price. The broker was further directed by the defendant to deduct from the $3,000 his commissions, to pay and have satisfied the Ernest G. Woodward mortgage on the property of approximately $700, and to turn over the balance of the purchase price to him.

[208]*208The broker then, notified the plaintiff that the deed was ready for delivery on receipt of the plaintiff’s check for $3,000. Thereafter, on July 26, 1929, the plaintiff wrote to Scott B. Smith, of said brokerage firm, stating that he inclosed check for $3,000 for the Streeter property. The check was payable to and received by Scott B. Smith on Saturday, July 27, 1929, and accepted by him as payment.

On Monday, July 29, 1929, the defendant telephoned the broker not to close the transaction with the plaintiff because he had been offered more for the property. The broker told the defendant that the check had been received on the Saturday before and that the transaction was closed. On July thirtieth the broker received a letter from the defendant requesting the broker to hold off on the sale of his place and stating that he had an offer of $5,000 for it. On July thirty-first the defendant in writing revoked the authority of the broker and demanded possession of the deed. On August sixth plaintiff in writing demanded the possession of the deed. The broker refused to give the deed to either party until the right thereto was judicially determined. At this time the broker had in his possession a bond and unrecorded mortgage on the property given by the defendant to Ernest G. Woodward, a client of the broker. This mortgage was not recorded because the broker expected that it would shortly be paid from the proceeds of the sale to the plaintiff. When the right to the possession of the deed came into dispute the broker caused the mortgage to be recorded.

In August, 1929, this action was brought against Scott B. Smith, who procured an order substituting Robert B. Streeter as defendant. The order directed the service of a supplemental summons and complaint upon Robert B. Streeter, and further provided that plaintiff’s $3,000 check and the deed “ shall be retained by Scott B. Smith subject to the further order of this Court.” Also that this order shall not affect the rights of any of the parties mentioned herein; that its sole purpose is to substitute Robert B. Streeter, as defendant, in the place of Scott B. Smith, so that the matter in controversy may be determined.”

The defendant Streeter served an answer containing denials, and pleading the Statute of Frauds and that the plaintiff has an adequate remedy at law.

The proof is sufficient to show éfíective delivery and acceptance of the deed. The defendant had duly constituted Smith his agent to sell the property. Smith found a purchaser willing and able to pay the amount the defendant asked for the property. Thereupon the defendant executed the deed and directed Smith to fill in the names of the grantees when ascertained from Van Decar whether [209]*209he wanted the deed in his own, or in both his and his wife’s names. Authority to fill in the name of the grantee may be shown by parol. (2409 B’way Corp. v. Lange, 128 Misc. 118; Lamb v. Lamb, 18 App. Div. 250; Kane v. Kane, 13 id. 544.) The defendant left the deed with Smith and told him to deliver it to the plaintiff upon receipt of the purchase price. When the defendant made that statement he fully and unequivocally intended to part with the title to his property, subject only to receiving his pay therefor. When the plaintiff sent his check to Smith after receiving word from him that the deed was ready the plaintiff evidenced willingness to accept the conveyance. When Smith received the check he treated it as payment, and thereafter believed he held the deed for plaintiff’s use and benefit. Therefore, when asked by the defendant to hold up the transaction Smith advised the defendant that it was already closed.

“ No particular ceremony is necessary to effect delivery” of a deed. (Safford v. Burke, 130 Misc. 12.)

Delivery may be made to a third person for the use of the grantee and such delivery is good. It is not necessary that delivery be made to the grantee himself. (Diefendorf v. Diefendorf, 132 N. Y. 100; Rosseau v. Bleau, 131 id. 177, at p. 183; National Bank of Port Jervis v. Bonnell, 46 App. Div. 302.)

“ Anything which clearly manifests the intention of the grantor that his deed shall presently become operative and effectual, that he loses control over it, and that the grantee is to become possessed of the estate, constitutes a sufficient delivery.” (18 C. J. 197; Ten Eyck v. Whitbeck, 156 N. Y. 341.)

The retention by, or the delivery to, the scrivener of a deed may operate as a delivery to the grantee. (Reed v. Marble, 10 Paige, 409.)

Defendant contends that there is not sufficient proof of acceptance because the plaintiff intended to accept the property free and clear of the Woodward mortgage. At the time of the delivery of the deed Smith had been authorized by the defendant to pay Woodward the amount due on the mortgage from the avails of the sale to Van Decar and Smith had been empowered by Woodward to receive the payment. The mortgage at that time had not been recorded. Smith had both the money and the authority to extinguish the Woodward mortgage. Plaintiff knew that Smith had the power to make the title clear when he sent his check to Smith and he-unequivocally accepted the deed. If he had attempted to back out and to stop payment on the check the court would hold him committed to the bargain and compel him to pay the check. The warranty deed together with the authority lodged in Smith to pay [210]*210the mortgage and his willingness to exercise the authority, would have given the plaintiff the clear title which he accepted.

The defendant invokes the rule in Bell Clothes Shops, Inc., v. Kamber (204 App. Div. 1): If any element of the contract necessary to make the contract a binding and complete contract is not included in the writing and resort must be had to paroi evidence to supply that element, then under all the authorities, the writing is not sufficient to satisfy the statutes.”

The action is not to compel specific performance of a contract. It is to compel delivery of the indicia of a completed agreement. A deed which is executed and delivered pursuant to an oral contract for the purchase of land, ratifies and validates the oral contract. (Friedman v. Ender, 116 N. Y. Supp. 461.)

Even if this were not so the contract of listing with the broker and the covenant of warranty in the deed was sufficient “ note or memorandum ” to show the defendant’s intent to convey free and clear from all incumbrances.

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Related

Ten Eyck v. . Whitbeck
50 N.E. 963 (New York Court of Appeals, 1898)
Diefendorf v. . Diefendorf
30 N.E. 375 (New York Court of Appeals, 1892)
Marks v. . Cowdin
123 N.E. 139 (New York Court of Appeals, 1919)
Lamb v. Lamb
18 A.D. 250 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1897)
National Bank v. Bonnell
46 A.D. 302 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1899)
Waxelbaum v. Schloss
131 A.D. 826 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1909)
Bell Clothes Shops, Inc. v. Kamber
204 A.D. 1 (Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, 1922)
2409 Broadway Corp. v. Lange
128 Misc. 118 (New York Supreme Court, 1926)
Safford v. Burke
130 Misc. 12 (New York Supreme Court, 1927)
Reed v. Marble
10 Paige Ch. 409 (New York Court of Chancery, 1843)
Friedman v. Ender
116 N.Y.S. 461 (New York Supreme Court, 1909)

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Bluebook (online)
136 Misc. 206, 240 N.Y.S. 492, 1930 N.Y. Misc. LEXIS 1082, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/van-decar-v-streeter-nysupct-1930.