Hanslin v. Keith

The plaintiff-grantor, Emil A. Hanslin, seeks specific performance of a covenant contained in a deed and a purchase-and-sale agreement between Hanslin and the defendant-grantee, Edwin H. Keith.

Keith approached Hanslin, an expert in land architecture, and offered to sell him lot 9 on which there was an old barn. The lot is situated in a subdivision owned by Keith in New London. Hanslin, however, expressed concern about buying the lot while it was a part of an existing plan of the Keith subdivision.

As part of their negotiations, it was agreed that Hanslin would redesign the subdivision in a…