Case Name: Phil GEVAS and Monique Gevas, Appellants, v. Ted FERNANDEZ, Appellee
Court: Florida District Court of Appeal
Jurisdiction: Florida
Decision Date: 2004-10-27
Citations: 905 So. 2d 149
Docket Number: No. 3D03-1406
Parties: Phil GEVAS and Monique Gevas, Appellants, v. Ted FERNANDEZ, Appellee.
Judges: Before GERSTEN, SHEVIN and RAMIREZ, JJ.
Reporter: Southern Reporter, Second Series
Volume: 905
Pages: 149–151

Head Matter:
Phil GEVAS and Monique Gevas, Appellants, v. Ted FERNANDEZ, Appellee.
No. 3D03-1406.
District Court of Appeal of Florida, Third District.
Oct. 27, 2004.
Rehearing and Rehearing En Banc Denied July 13, 2005.
Jordan Burt and Jeffrey B. Crockett and Enrique D. Arana, Miami, for appellants.
Katz, Barron, Squitero & Faust and Richard A. Morgan, Miami; Lauri Wald-man Ross, for appellee.
Before GERSTEN, SHEVIN and RAMIREZ, JJ.

Opinion:
PER CURIAM.
Phil Gevas and Monique Gevas, ["Sellers"] appeal a final judgment of specific performance in favor of Ted Fernandez, ["Buyer"]. We affirm.
The trial court properly ordered the Sellers to convey the property with the custom-built home to the Buyer who contracted for its construction. The Sellers were obviously seeking a way out of the real estate purchase contract because the home had appreciated by roughly $3 million dollars. The record is clear that the protracted litigation and delays were caused by the Sellers — not the Buyer. It is well settled that a seller cannot take advantage of a delay in performance that he or she created. See Forbes v. Babel, 70 So.2d 371 (Fla.1953); Harrison v. Baker, 402 So.2d 1270 (Fla. 3d DCA 1981); Smith v. Crissey, 478 So.2d 1181 (Fla. 2d DCA 1985). Here, the Sellers' own conduct prevented the closing from taking place, and therefore, the Buyer was entitled to the relief of specific performance. Accordingly, we affirm the judgment.
Affirmed.
GERSTEN and SHEVIN, JJ., concur.