Opinion ID: 1730429
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Between Bird and the Seiers

Text: The trial court awarded priority to the Seiers' purchase money mortgage over Bird's lien on the barn and the land on which it is situated, but only to the extent of the portion of the purchase money mortgage attributable to this .062 acres of land, being the sum of $133.60.... The court then ordered the barn and the land underneath it sold, with the first $133.60 going to satisfy the Seiers' mortgage on this portion of the plot. This result is contrary to the provisions of Code 1975, § 35-11-211. This section provides that a person holding a materialman's lien subject to a prior mortgage on the land may have the building sold, and the purchaser may, within a reasonable time thereafter, remove the same. The court properly gave the Seiers priority, because the evidence indicated at most that the barn was begun late on the day the deed and mortgage were executed. This was not sufficient to give the Seiers notice such that they waived their priority or the agreement to build only on the exempted 3.458 acres. See City Realty & Mortgage Co. v. Tallapoosa Lumber Co., 231 Ala. 238, 164 So. 55 (1935). This case, in addition to discussing priority, indicates that the land might be sold and the proceeds apportioned among the liens and mortgages; however, such a result is not proper under the separability and removal provisions of § 35-11-211. Therefore, the land under the barn (much less an additional acre) cannot be sold because of the Seiers' prior mortgage.