Opinion ID: 2324826
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Remax's motion for summary judgment

Text: Remax moved for summary judgment on its breach of contract claim as well as on defendant's counterclaims for breach of fiduciary duty and tortious interference of contract. The court denied Remax's motion on the breach of contract claim and granted, sua sponte, summary judgment on the claim in favor of defendant. Remax acknowledges the court's decision on the breach of contract claim, but does not bring a cross-appeal on that decision. Accordingly, we do not address that portion of the court's decision. The court's grant of summary judgment in favor of Remax on defendant's fiduciary duty and tortious interference counterclaims is, however, before us. Remax was the buyers' broker and owed a fiduciary duty to the buyers, not to defendant. Indeed, Vermont Real Estate Commission Rule 4.12(d) provides: The brokerage firm representing a seller may compensate a brokerage firm representing a buyer out of the transaction fee without thereby creating an agency relationship. Defendant has presented no evidence that Remax owed a fiduciary duty to defendant. Summary judgment was  therefore appropriately granted to Remax on defendant's counterclaim concerning breach of fiduciary duty. Nor does defendant's tortious interference counterclaim survive Remax's motion for summary judgment. As the trial court noted, defendant's suggestion that Remax encouraged the buyers to sell their own property and begin plans to move from California in spite of the rejected financing application is unsupported by any record reference or citation. Defendant essentially argues that Remax brought her a buyer who did not meet her financial requirements. By closing on the sale, however, defendant waived those requirements. To establish liability for this tort, defendant must show that Remax intentionally and improperly induced the buyers not to perform the contract. See Gifford, 165 Vt. at 612, 686 A.2d at 473. In fact, Remax did just the opposite: it produced ready and willing buyers who, together with defendant, closed on the sale of the subject real estate. The contract was performed with defendant's approval. We therefore hold that defendant has presented no genuine issue of material fact on her tortious interference counterclaim against Remax and judgment was properly granted as a matter of law. Affirmed.