McCarl v. Kroupa

STURTEYANT, J.

The plaintiffs sued the defendants for moneys received. The defendants filed separate demurrers to plaintiffs’ amended complaint, the demurrers were sustained without leave to amend and judgment was entered in favor of the defendants. The plaintiffs appealed and have brought up the judgment-roll. The record does not show that the plaintiffs asked leave to amend and we may therefore assume that they did not ask leave.

In their amended complaint the plaintiffs allege that they are husband and wife; that the defendant Kroupa is a licensed real estate broker; that the National Surety Company is a corporation and is the bondsman of Kroupa; that on November 25, 1925, the plaintiffs, as owners, delivered to Kroupa a writing authorizing him to sell their lands; in that document the lands are described and Kroupa is authorized to sell the lands for $21,000. It is provided in the writing that the first payment will be not less than $1,000 and to be considered as a deposit on the sale. That the balance of the purchase price of $20,000 will be secured by a first deed of trust on the lands. There is a covenant that the purchaser will give a bond indemnifying the sellers against Hens arising for improvements to be made. No time is fixed as to when the plaintiffs will execute their deed nor when that bond will be given. The buyers are to have thirty

[279]

days, after the agent notifies the sellers a sale has been made, within which they can examine the title. The writing provides that the broker is entitled to a commission of $1,000, which shall be paid out of the money received from the purchasers. The writing is signed by the sellers. There is appended to it a writing signed by Margaret Hubbert. That writing is as follows:

“The undersigned, designated as the purchaser, herein agrees to purchase the hereinabove described property under the terms and conditions hereinabove set forth, and has this date deposited with the agent $250.00 as a deposit and part payment of the purchase price of $21,000.00. Should the search of title to the hereinabove described property not prove valid, said deposit shall be returned to the purchaser and this contract become null and void. Should the purchaser not live up to the terms and conditions of this contract as hereinabove set forth, said purchaser shall forfeit said deposit and any and all rights given said purchaser under this contract.