Court Opinion

ID: 9771338
Source: CourtListenerOpinion
Date Created: 2023-08-29 16:39:25.481404+00
Date Added: 2024-06-11T07:31:28.688044
License: Public Domain

SAM BASS, Justice,
dissenting.
I respectfully dissent.
I disagree with the majority’s holding that there was a fact question about whether appellant performed sufficient overt acts to designate the 17 rural acre tract as her homestead. At best, the evidence shows that appellant had an intent to occupy the rural property at an indefinite time in the future, which, without more, is insufficient to raise a fact issue on the question of homestead. Davis v. McClurkan, 378 S.W.2d 358 (Tex.Civ.App.—Eastland 1964, no writ) (no occupation or improvements, but mere intention to occupy at some future time is not sufficient to establish homestead); see also Van Hutchins v. Pope, 351 S.W.2d 642 (Tex.Civ.App.—Houston 1961, writ re’fd n.r.e.) Unlike the city property, appellant never lived on the 17 acre tract nor added substantial improvements that “manifest beyond doubt” the intention to make the property her residential homestead Lilly v. Lewis, 249 S.W. 1095, 1096 (Tex.Civ.App.—San Antonio 1923, no writ) (emphasis added). Overt acts must affirmatively show that the land is being prepared for occupancy or substantial improvements are being made to the property. See e.g. Bell et al v. Greathouse, 20 Tex.Civ.App. 478, 49 S.W. 258 (1899, no writ) (partition fencing, planting *252shade trees, and building sidewalks in front); Houston Lumber Supply Co. v. Wockenfuss, 386 S.W.2d 330 (Tex.Civ.App.—Houston 1965, writ ref’d n.r.e.) (house plans plus staking out and clearing of lot); Lilly v. Lewis, 249 S.W. at 1095 (cultivating the land plus building substantial improvements). All of the overt acts alleged by appellant were too trivial or indefinite to show that the land was being prepared and improved for future occupancy. See e.g. Barnes v. Jones, 118 S.W.2d 647 (Tex.Civ.App.—Austin 1938, no writ) (plans for building on property in future insufficient to establish homestead); Farmers’ Nat’l Bank v. Coffman, 79 S.W.2d 905 (Tex.Civ.App.—Eastland 1935, no writ) (building a fence plus planting crops insufficient to establish homestead).
Accordingly, I would hold that appellee’s summary judgment proof shows, as a matter of law, that appellant had established an urban homestead on the city property at the time the deed of trust was executed, and therefore appellant was precluded from asserting a homestead claim on the 17 acre tract. Appellant’s prior use of the rural property was insufficient to impress it with homestead character when considered with evidence that appellant later purchased the city property, made her family residence there, made substantial improvements on the property, and filed an application designating it as her homestead. To hold otherwise, would preclude summary judgment relief where a claimant merely alleges an intention to create a homestead on unoccupied property at an indefinite time in the future, unaccompanied by sufficient overt acts to justify a homestead designation.