Graff v. Billet

The Appellate Division’s decision, reached entirely as a matter of law, upholds the right of a seller (defendant) offered a better price to escape payment of a fee to a real estate broker (plaintiff) who has produced a buyer ready, willing and able to purchase the property on the seller’s terms. In defendant’s words: “Marvin Billet testified (and the trial court and Appellate Division both found) that he did not enter into the proposed contract of sale with Mr. Steinberg so that he could accept Mr. Little’s better offer.”

The parties to a brokerage contract may of course fashion their own…