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Originally Posted by Newguy2009

Im hoping a lawyer might be able to find something that I havent, like possible abandonment

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Hello new:

As you've learned, there's NOTHING you can do, except grin and bear it. But, I thought I read where this is an "investment" for you, and now I see that you're willing to walk away. That might be the best solution. I wouldn't keep an investment that's (1) worth LESS than I paid, and (2) my partner isn't paying her half, but WILL get HALF of everything I make, if I ever make anything.

Maybe I should rephrase what I said above. It may NOT be the BEST thing for you to do, but it certainly might be the best thing for your ex girlfriend to THINK you're going to do. Of course, she'll be sued along with you, and her credit will be ruined too. Maybe the threat of THAT happening might bring her to her senses.

Or it might not.

excon

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Originally Posted by Newguy2009

... She won't sign a quit claim deed because she says she will still be on the loan. ...

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That, to put it bluntly, is her problem.

If she won't voluntarily quitclaim to you, you can sue her for breach of an implied contract with you that she would make half the payments. You would be asking the court to award you title, of course subject to the bank's mortgage.

The bank would be unaffected because they would still have the right to foreclose, or to proceed against both of you in the event of default.

Thanks AK, I believe this is the answer I was looking for. Im going to put off some of the lesser priorities in my life to go see a real estate attorney.

You know its funny, I am studying to be a paralegal with emphasis on real estate law, I just haven't got to those classes yet. I guess when I get to that section in class I might be prepared. Thanks so much for your input!

Ok, so I just returned from the base legal office (they offer free consultations to certain members) and unfortunately they do not go too much into real estate but the lawyer I talked to gave me some options.

His first suggestion was to give her a notarized letter that I would promise to continue making payments if she signs the deed. Maybe this would make her feel more at ease about signing the document. If that didn’t work, I could offer her a bribe(I don’t think this will work because she is not about money.)

He referred me to the Florida bar where I could get a 30 min consultation for $25. At that point I could speak to a Real Estate attorney and see about suing for breach of contract. Estimated ballpark $5-6k so that’s not too feasible for me right now.

I guess my question is, should I see the lawyer first and see what he has to say or try the promise letter first? It’s been 2 months since I have spoken to her so she may be calm enough to approach. What do you all think?

Hello again, New:

Couple things.

If it were me, I would NEVER take myself off the deed to a property as long as I was OBLIGATED to pay for it. She'll NEVER do that no matter how many notarized letters you prepare, and I don't blame her, either. Besides, she already KNOWS you're going to make the payments. You're living there, for crying out loud.

Plus, if you DO manage to get her to sign a quitclaim deed, as soon as you record it, the bank will most likely call in your loan. They WANT her living there.

In my view, AK's suggestion is best, and costs the most. My solution, however, is pretty cheap. You could do one, and if it didn't work, you could still do the other.

excon

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Originally Posted by excon

...
Plus, if you DO manage to get her to sign a quitclaim deed, as soon as you record it, the bank will most likely call in your loan. They WANT her living there.

In my view, AK's suggestion is best, and costs the most. ...

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Actually, my suggestion was to in effect force her to "sign" a QC. It would amount to the same thing. Check the terms of your mortgage, but I doubt that a QC subject to the bank's interest would violate it. An in any case,
-recorded deeds and the like don't just pop up on some banker's computer screen - someone would have to request a title report for some reason.
-in this current economic climate banks aren't looking for excuses to foreclose payiing, upside-down loans. So even if the bank became aware of it (unlikely), and even it they had the legal right to do so (doubtful), I don't see them doing anything about it.

Well in any case, I get paid next week so Im going to see a realestate attorney and see what they have to say. I don't forsee her voluntarily signing the deed over to me.

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Originally Posted by AK lawyer

If she won't voluntarily quitclaim to you, you can sue her for breach of an implied contract with you that she would make half the payments. You would be asking the court to award you title, of course subject to the bank's mortgage.

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Went and saw a real estate attorney on Thursday. I can't sue her as we entered into this contract together. Not 50/50, but as a partition. The problem is there is nothing in writing that says she would make half of the payments

Where do you get this information. can you reference a case? I have Lexis Nexis access

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Originally Posted by Newguy2009

... Where do you get this information.? can you reference a case? I have Lexis Nexis access

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No, I have no specific "information". It's my opinion as to what a judge might be persuaded to decide. One line of questioning for the two of you, were such a case go to trial, would go something like this:

"Did the two of you discuss which of you would make the the payments?"

[If so,] "what was the plan?"

"Who paid the mortgage when you were living together?"

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Originally Posted by AK lawyer

No, I have no specific "information". It's my opinion as to what a judge might be persuaded to decide. One line of questioning for the two of you, were such a case go to trial, would go something like this:

"Did the two of you discuss which of you would make the the payments?"

[If so,] "what was the plan?"

"Who paid the mortgage when you were living together?"

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I thought this was the legal answer (?):

That, to put it bluntly, is her problem.

If she won't voluntarily quitclaim to you, you can sue her for breach of an implied contract with you that she would make half the payments. You would be asking the court to award you title, of course subject to the bank's mortgage.

The bank would be unaffected because they would still have the right to foreclose, or to proceed against both of you in the event of default.

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

I thought this was the legal answer ...[/I]

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It is.

The lawyer he went to disagrees with my answer evidently. It happens.

I'm not willing to do extensive research though. Sorry.

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Originally Posted by AK lawyer

It is.

The lawyer he went to disagrees with my answer evidently. It happens.

I'm not willing to do extensive research though. Sorry.

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Just for the record I didn't ask you to do "extensive research." I wondered why your opinions differed so greatly.

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Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

Just for the record I didn't ask you to do "extensive research." I wondered why your opinions differed so greatly.

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No, you didn't. OP did though:

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Originally Posted by Newguy2009

... Where do you get this information.? can you reference a case? I have Lexis Nexis access

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I was addressing Newguy when I wrote that about research.

Now, as to why our opinions differ? I don't precisely understand what the other lawyer's opinion is:

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Originally Posted by Newguy2009

... I can't sue her as we entered into this contract together. not 50/50, but as a partition. The problem is there is nothing in writing that says she would make half of the payments
...

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What is meant by "as a partition"? Sure, he could sue her for partition, but I honestly don't know what they mean by "entered into [a] contract... as a partition". My suggestion was that OP sue her on the basis of an "implied" contract, not an explicit (albeit oral) contract. In other words, the court should arrive at a default 50/50 agreement if it is determined that they simply never thought that far ahead, but didn't contemplate that he would make all the payments. I'd love to be somewhere in the courtroom if she tries to, with a straight face, testify that she did think that. :)

Actually, it doesn't have to be 50/50. If the implied contract is that she pay something every month, she has breached that obligation, and one remedy would be to deny her the "benefit of the bargain", to wit: an interest in the realty.

This is where finding precedent would indeed be helpful. But, as I suggested, I am not willing to find it for him, free of charge.

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Originally Posted by AK lawyer

What is meant by "as a partition"? Sure, he could sue her for partition, but I honestly don't know what they mean by "entered into [a] contract ... as a partition".

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Because the house cannot be physically split in half. She could sue me based on partition and force me to sell. I am told there is no defense for this. I doubt she would do this because she would have to pay a retainer and she will still be half responsible for the difference we owe.

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Originally Posted by AK lawyer

Actually, it doesn't have to be 50/50. If the implied contract is that she pay something every month, she has breached that obligation, and one remedy would be to deny her the "benefit of the bargain", to wit: an interest in the realty.

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Unfortunately there was no agreement as to "her paying half". We agreed to pay. They (the bank) don't care who pays what percentage.

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Originally Posted by Newguy2009

Unfortunately there was no agreement as to "her paying half". ...

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Yes, I know. Read the link I gave you about an "implied" contract". It's for those cases in which the parties didn't agree but (had they thought about it) would have. The court provides reasonable contractual terms when the parties failed to.

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Originally Posted by Newguy2009

... they (the bank) dont care who pays what percentage.

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Obviously. But you should.

I have decided to stop making payments and go into foreclosure. About 2 months ago I got her to agree to sign a quit claim deed and she backed out 3 weeks later. I had it done up and sent to her and everything. I told her a month ago, when she refused to sign the deed I would stop making payments. I am now 23 days late. I haven't heard from her and I plan to stick to my decision. Yea, my credit is going to go to sh#$ but hey, you WIN some and you LOSE some, right?

Apparently - right.