Sаm оwned а cоndоminium unit with а stunning ocean view. Sam listed the unit for sale at a price of $625,000. Beth, an appraiser, toured the unit and concluded that it was worth $600,000. Beth loved the unit so much that she happily would have paid $625,000 if necessary. But when Beth made an offer to buy it, she offered only $500,000; Sam accepted the offer because he had financial problems and was desperate to sell it as soon as possible. The sales contract provided that escrow would close in 90 days. During this period, a bequest from an uncle solved Sam’s financial problems. By the day set for close of escrow, the fair market value of the unit had fallen to $575,000. Regretting that he had agreed to sell for a low price, Sam told Beth: “Sorry, but I won’t sell.” Beth sued Sam for damages based on breach of the sales contract. Due to court congestion, it took over a year for the case to come to trial. By this time, the fair market value of the unit had increased to $650,000. Beth won the case at trial. What amount of damages did the court award?
A develоper purchаsed а 45-аcre tract оf land and оbtained approval of, filed, and recorded a subdivision map dividing the land into 80 half-acre lots with a five-acre “city park.” The developer sold 70 of the lots over the next two years to individual purchasers; each deed referred to the recorded subdivision map. When the last 10 lots—located adjacent to the area originally designated as a city park—did not move, the developer sold the lots and the park in a single 10-acre package to a real estate corporation. The deed from the developer to the corporation omitted any reference to the subdivision map. The corporation sold the half-acre lots to individual purchasers and the five-acre “park” to a church via deeds also not mentioning the subdivision map. Before the church began construction of its worship center, the city announced that it was soliciting bids from local landscaping firms to prepare the five-acre parcel for use as a park by the public. When the church learned of the city’s plans, it brought an action to quiet title to the five-acre parcel it purchased from the corporation. How should the trial court rule?