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Newman v. Wells Fargo Bank

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department
Jun 7, 2011
85 A.D.3d 435 (N.Y. App. Div. 2011)

Opinion

No. 5092.

June 7, 2011.

Order, Supreme Court, New York County (O. Peter Sherwood, J.), entered on or about February 5, 2010, which granted defendants' motions to dismiss the complaint pursuant to CPLR 3211 (a) (1) and (7), unanimously affirmed, without costs.

Randall S. Newman, P.C., New York (Randall S. Newman of counsel), for appellants.

Hogan Lovells US LLP, Washington, DC (Jessica L. Ellsworth of the bars of the State of Virginia and the District of Columbia, admitted pro hac vice, of counsel), for Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., respondent.

Zeichner Ellman Krause LLP, New York (Steven S. Rand of counsel), for Countrywide Home Loans, Inc., respondent.

Winget, Spadafora Schwartzberg, LLP, New York (Scott B. Tenenbaum of counsel), for Quality Real Estate Appraisals, Inc. and Richard S. Marra, respondents.

Before: Concur — Mazzarelli, J.P., Sweeny, Acosta, Renwick and DeGrasse, JJ.


Plaintiffs allege that defendant Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. fraudulently misrepresented that their home would be classified as a two-family instead of a one-family home for mortgage purposes. That claim is refuted by the terms set forth in a mortgage commitment letter signed by plaintiff Randall S. Newman on the date of plaintiffs' closing. Plaintiffs' remaining claims are not viable because they are based on the premise that plaintiffs detrimentally relied upon fraudulently inflated appraisals of the home. Appraisals are not actionable because they are matters of opinion ( see Mandarin Trading Ltd. v Wildenstein, 65 AD3d 448, 450, affd 16 NY3d 173; Stuart v Tomasino, 148 AD2d 370, 372).


Summaries of

Newman v. Wells Fargo Bank

Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department
Jun 7, 2011
85 A.D.3d 435 (N.Y. App. Div. 2011)
Case details for

Newman v. Wells Fargo Bank

Case Details

Full title:RANDALL S. NEWMAN et al., Appellants, v. WELLS FARGO BANK, N.A., et al.…

Court:Appellate Division of the Supreme Court of New York, First Department

Date published: Jun 7, 2011

Citations

85 A.D.3d 435 (N.Y. App. Div. 2011)
2011 N.Y. Slip Op. 4730
924 N.Y.S.2d 264

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