Opinion ID: 1473775
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: The Scotti Appraisal

Text: On appeal, Marandola insists that the Scotti appraisal should have been nullified by the Superior Court and has argued that if the oral agreement to retain Scotti was made before the agreement was executed, it violates the parole evidence rule. Alternatively, Marandola maintains that if it is determined that the Scotti accord was reached by the parties subsequent to the execution of the agreement, then it amounts to a prohibited oral modification of the agreement and should be set aside. Additionally, Marandola argues that the Scotti appraisal failed to meet the conditions imposed by the agreement because of a variance between the date of the appraisal and the valuation date agreed upon by the parties. Specifically, Scotti based his opinion on a valuation date of April 14, 2000, the last date he inspected the property. Apparently, the parties agreed on a valuation date of December 31, 1999. We note at the outset that the judgment reflects that Marandola abandoned the issues relating to the Scotti appraisal in Superior Court. Further, we are satisfied that Marandola failed to produce any evidence to support his allegations. However, we shall briefly discuss the merits of his challenge to the real estate appraisal. The parole-evidence rule permits the introduction of extrinsic evidence to change, vary, or alter the written terms of an agreement when it is offered to show a condition precedent to the existence of the contract. Bissonnette v. Hanton City Realty Corp., 529 A.2d 139, 142 (R.I.1987) (citing Lisi v. Marra, 424 A.2d 1052, 1055 (R.I.1981)). Marandola has suggested that there was conflicting testimony about whether the agreement to retain Scotti was made before or after the agreement was executed. However, both Ricci and Marandola testified in Superior Court that the oral agreement appointing Scotti as the appraiser of the real estate was made immediately after the execution of the agreement. We therefore conclude that a subsequent accord reached by the parties does not implicate the parole-evidence rule and is not an obstacle to enforcement of the agreement. Marandola's argument that the Scotti appointment constituted a prohibited oral amendment to the agreement is also without merit. We are not satisfied that this oral modification constitutes a prohibited amendment to the original agreement because the appointment of the same appraiser does not constitute a deviation from the original agreement. The agreement provided for the appointment of a real estate appraiser by each party; but it did not expressly or implicitly prohibit the parties from appointing the same appraiser. Therefore, the subsequent oral understanding is consistent with the terms and meaning of the agreement, and Marandola's argument is denied and dismissed. Finally, the variation between the date of the Scotti appraisal and the valuation date agreed upon by the parties is of no consequence and does not amount to a significant flaw in Scotti's appraisal. The difference between the December 31, 1999 valuation date agreed to by the parties and the April 14, 2000 date of the Scotti appraisal is de minimis. In any event, Marandola failed to show any prejudice from the variance in the valuation dates.