Cengage Advantage Books: Fundamentals of Business Law 9th Edition by Roger LeRoy Miller

Exercise 5

Case Problem with Sample Answer In 2002, Farrokh and Scheherezade Sharabianlou were looking for a location for a printing business. They signed a purchase agreement to buy a building owned by Berenstein Associates for $2 million and deposited $115,000 in escrow until the time of the final purchase. The agreement contained a clause requiring an environmental assessment of the property. This study indicated the presence of tricholoroethene and other chemicals used in dry cleaning, and it recommended further study of the contamination. Because of this issue, the bank would not provide financing for the purchase. When the deal fell apart, the Berensteins sued for breach of contract. The Sharabianlous sought the return of their $115,000 deposit and rescission of the contract. The trial court awarded the Berensteins $428,660 in damages due to the reduced value of their property when it was later sold to another party at a lower price. The Sharabianlous appealed. Do they have a good argument for rescission? Explain your answer. [ Sharabianlou v. Karp, 181 Cal.App.4th 1133, 105 Cal.Rptr.3d 300 (1st Dist. 2010)]