Opinion ID: 1382275
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: The letters of June 17, June 21, and June 24, 1976.

Text: Several days later plaintiff received from defendants a letter dated June 17, 1976, as follows: Enclosed please find the information about the ranch sales that I had discussed with you previously. These prices are the market value according to the records of the Grant County Assessor. Please contact me if there are any questions. There were two enclosures with that letter. The first was as follows: JOSEPH C. and ARLENE G. OLIVER 200 Ford Road John Day, OR 97845 Selling approximately 2933 Acres in Grant County in T. 16 S., R. 31 E., W.M. near Seneca, Oregon at the assessed market value of: LAND $ 306,409 IMPROVEMENTS 18,010 ______ Total $ 324,419 Terms available - 29% down - balance over 5 years at 8% interest. Negotiate sale date for December 1, 1976 or January 1, 1977. Available after hay is harvested and arrangements made for removal of hay, equipment and supplies. ALSO: Selling Little Bear Creek allotment permit _ 100 head @ $225 Big Bear Creek allotment permit ___ 200 head @ $250 The second enclosure related to selling approximately 6365 acres in Grant County near John Day  another ranch owned by the Oliver family. Defendant Joseph Oliver testified that this letter and enclosures were drafted by his wife, defendant Arlene Oliver; that he then read and signed it; that he sent it not only to plaintiff, but also to Clyde Holliday and two other neighbors; that it was sent because I told them I would send them all this information and we would go from there, that it was not made as an offer, and that it was his intention that the property and permits be transferred together. Upon receiving that letter and enclosures, plaintiff immediately responded by letter addressed to both defendants, dated June 21, 1976, as follows: Re the land in Bear Valley near Seneca, Oregon that you have offered to sell; I accept your offer. Plaintiff testified that on June 23, 1976, Clyde Holliday called and said he needed to acquire a portion of the land that I had agreed to buy from Joe [Oliver], and I said I have bought the land, and that we would work out an exchange in accord with what we have previously mentioned, but that [h]e said he needed more land. Defendant Joseph Oliver testified that after receiving plaintiff's letter dated June 21, 1976, Clyde Holliday told him that they [Holliday and plaintiff] were having a little difficulty getting this thing worked out, apparently referring to the exchange previously discussed between plaintiff and Holliday, and that he (Oliver) then told plaintiff that:    [T]here seemed to be some discrepancies between what I was getting the two parties and that I didn't exactly want to be an arbitrator or say you are right or you are wrong with my neighbors. I wished they would straighten the thing out, and if they didn't, I really didn't have to sell it, that I would pull it off the market, because I didn't want to get in trouble. I would have to live with my neighbors. Finally, on June 24, 1976, defendants mailed the following letter to plaintiff: We received your letter of June 21, 1976. You have misconstrued our prior negotiations and written summaries of the lands which we and J.C. wish to sell. That was not made as or intended to be a firm offer of sale, and especially was not an offer of sale of any portion of the lands and permits described to any one person separately from the rest of the lands and permits described. The memorandum of ours was for informational purposes only and as a starting point for further negotiation between us and you and the others also interested in the properties. It is also impossible to tell from the attachment to our letter of June 17, 1976, as to the legal description of the lands to be sold, and would not in any event constitute an enforceable contract. We are open to further negotiation with you and other interested parties, but do not consider that we at this point have any binding enforceable contract with you. This lawsuit then followed.