PANAMA REALTY, INC., A FLORIDA CORPORATION, APPELLANT,
v.
W. F. ROBISON, JR., AND BAY GULF DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION, A FLORIDA CORPORATION, APPELLEES
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Panama Realty sought a real estate commission after Robison, acting as an undisclosed agent for Bay Gulf Development Corporation, listed property with them but ultimately sold it through another broker who found a buyer first. The court held that because Robison failed to disclose his principal and another broker produced a buyer before Panama Realty, neither Robison nor the corporation owed Panama Realty a commission.
An undisclosed agent is liable under a contract to the same extent as the principal would be liable, but only to that extent. Since the principal was not liable for the commission because another broker produced a purchaser first, the agent (Robison) incurred no personal liability, and judgment was entered for the appellees.
[1] An agent is not personally liable for authorized acts when the principal is disclosed.
[2] An agent may be personally liable for authorized acts when the principal is undisclosed.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligence“An agent contracting with another and disclosing his principal is not liable for his authorized acts. Only the principal is liable. But if the agent does not disclose his principal, then he himself is liable under the contract as the principal.”
Establishes the legal principle governing undisclosed agency and agent liability.
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Join FLexlaw to unlock all legal intelligenceBay Gulf Development Corporation owned land whose stock was held by Robison, Brown, and Miers. Robison listed the property with Panama Realty without …
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PER CURIAM.
Appellee, Bay Gulf Development Corporation, held the legal title to certain lands. Its common stock was owned by Robison, Brown and Miers. Appellee Robison and Miers both listed the property for sale, Ro-bison with appellant Panama Realty and Miers with another. Robison did not disclose to Panama Realty that anyone other than himself was the owner of the property.
Panama Realty presented to Robison a' binder contract for the property on terms agreed to be in accord with the oral listing. In the meantime Bay Gulf Development Corporation had conveyed the property to Robison, Miers, and another. Panama Realty’s salesman was then advised by Ro-bison that Miers had also listed the property, and that he would have to check with Miers before his signature would be effective ; and, in any event, the contract would have to be signed by Miers and Brown, the other owners. They tried to contact Miers via telephone but could not reach him.
Miers, when contacted later, advised Robison and Panama Realty’s salesman that they had received a binder and contract in accord with the listing from another before Panama Realty had presented its purchaser. The property was sold to another. Panama Realty brought this action to recover a commission. Jury trial was waived. The trial court, on the evidence and stipulations in the record, held:
“5. Plaintiff [appellant] contends Robi-son is obligated to also pay it a fee because Robison represented an undisclosed principal. Representation of an undisclosed principal with authority of the principal does not create a personal liability on the part of the agent unless there would be liability against the principal. Here, both Robison and Miers had authority to act for the principal. As stated above, a purchaser was produced by Miers’ broker before Robison’s broker produced one. The principal was, therefore, obligated to sell to the first" purchaser produced and was obligated to only that broker for a commission. An agent contracting with another and dis closing his principal is not liable for his authorized acts. Only the principal is liable. But if the agent does not disclose his principal, then he himself is liable under the contract as the principal. See 3 Am.Jur.2d, Agency #317. The party contracted with can hold either the agent or the principal liable. See Collins v. Aetna Ins. Co., [103 Fla. 848] 138 So. 269. Here Plaintiff [appellant] has elected to go against the agent who is liable to him to the same extent, but only to the same extent as the principal. The principal not being liable to Plaintiff for the reason that another broker produced a purchaser ahead of Plaintiff, there is no liability on the part of the agent.”
The findings of fact supported by substantial, competent evidence are binding on us. The conclusions of law are correct.
The final judgment for the appellees, here reviewed is affirmed.
RAWLS, C. J., and SPECTOR and JOHNSON, JJ., concur.
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Mathieson v. Gen. Motors Corp., 529 So. 2d 761 (Fla. 3d DCA 1988)…y is a conclusion of law rather than an allegation of fact, that conclusion appears here to be so elemental as to constitute a permissible pleading. See H. Trawick, Florida Practice and Procedure § 6-6 (1987) (citing Panama Realty, Inc. v. Robinson, 305 So. 2d 34 (Fla. 1st DCA 1974), cert. denied, 320 So. 2d 395 (Fla.1975)). As to the count for breach of express warranty, from the con-clusory allegation it appears that a cause of action can be stated and the complaint cured by amendment. The trial court, the…
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Panama Realty, Inc. v. Robison, 320 So. 2d 395 (Fla. 1975)…Certiorari denied. 305 So. 2d 34. ADKINS, C. J., and ROBERTS, OVERTON and SUNDBERG, JJ., concur. BOYD, J., dissents.…
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William v. Ehrens, 487 So. 2d 1140 (Fla. 3d DCA 1986)…everyone knew the purchaser was the defendant’s client, one Yablon, who was a tenant in the unit. Hunt v. Adams, 111 Fla. 164, 149 So. 24 (1933); Van D. Costas, Inc., v. Rosenberg, 432 So. 2d 656 (Fla. 2d DCA 1983); Panama Realty, Inc., v. Robison, 305 So. 2d 34 (Fla. 1st DCA 1975). Therefore the judgment under review is affirmed. Affirmed.…
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- Collins v. Aetna Ins. Co., 103 Fla. 848 (Fla. 1931)