Real Estate Law

Plaintiff filed forcible entry and detainer action seeking possession of condo unit and damages for withholding possession. Cause was continued several times, and Defendant Fannie Mae filed emergency motion for continuance of trial date but failed to appear for presentment of motion. Court ordered that original trial date would stand, and after bench trial entered judgment for Condo Association. Court properly denied motion for continuance as Defendant failed to show diligence in preparation for trial. Court properly found Defendant responsible for preforeclosure assessments, including delinquent late charges, by virtue of the fact that it failed to pay any postsale assessments so as to confirm extinguishment of condo association's lien on unit. (COBBS and PUCINSKI, concurring.)

Court erred in entering summary judgment in favor of plaintiff bank on its mortgage foreclosure complaint. Plaintiff's standing was established as a matter of law, but material questions of fact remain on whether Plaintiff complied with Section 203.604 of Code of Federal Regulations. Plaintiff sent Defendant, via Federal Express, a letter offering a face-to-face meeting. Tracking number on shipping label is not conclusive proof that letter was sent. (HUDSON, concurring; SCHOSTOK, specially concurring.)

As court had subject matter jurisdiction over proceedings, court's foreclosure judgment order was not void. Court did not abuse its discretion in denying appellant's motion to intervene, as it was not filed until after court's entry of order confirming sale, which order had effect of termination of foreclosure proceedings. (HOWSE and LAVIN, concurring.)

(Modified upon denial of petition for rehearing 9/15/17.) Court properly entered summary judgment against Defendants for violation of Residential Real Property Disclosure Act and common law fraud. In their Real Property Disclosure Report, Defendants claimed no knowledge of flooding or recurrent leakage problems in basement or defects in walls and floors. Plaintiffs alleged that within 24 hours of purchasing property, they experienced water infiltration in basement through walls and floors. Evidence was sufficient to satisfy each elements necessary to recover damages under the Act and under claim for common-law fraud, and findings were not against manifest weight of evidence. Remanded for evidentiary hearing on plaintiffs' petition for attorney's fees, as attachment of invoice is inadequate basis for finding of reasonableness. (ROCHFORD and DELORT, concurring.)

Refund requested by tax purchaser, in the amount  of $188,085 which it paid to redeem sale of 2008 taxes, is contrary to Section 22-40(a) of Property Tax Code. It is impossible to obtain declaration of a sale in error while retaining title to the property. Plaintiff never became liable for tax delinquencies that arose after tax sale to Plaintiff; instead, Plaintiff chose to pay taxes for those additional years.(HARRIS and HOLDER WHITE, concurring.)

Plaintiffs filed suit for damages for landlord's failure to return two security deposits for rental of townhouse, under Chicago Residential Landlord and Tenant Ordinance. Court granted summary judgment for Plaintiff and awarded $19,125, and an additional $25,200 for attorney's fees, costs and interest. Circuit court's judgment in favor of named lessee company on arbitrator's award resolved lessee's right to relief based on both security deposits, and identity of causes of action exists. Because question of fact exists as to whether Plaintiff (wife of lessee company's sole shareholder) was in privity with company, whether res judicata applies should not have been resolved on summary judgment. (ROCHFORD, concurring; DELORT, specially concurring.)

Court had subject matter jurisdiction over mortgage foreclosure action. Mortgagee properly complied with requirement that mortgagor is a necessary part defendant to proceedings by naming special representative of decedent who held interest in property. Mortgagee properly served nonrecord claimants by publication, and properly recorded a lis pendens and notice of foreclosure, and properly issued a notice of sale. Thus court properly confirmed sale and denied motion to reconsider order. (HOFFMAN and DELORT, concurring.)