Insufficient Proof of an Agreement to Assume a Mortgage at the Time Deed Transferred

The Second Department determined that the writings were insufficient to demonstrate the grantee agreed to assume a mortgage at the time the deed was transferred:

General Obligations Law § 5-705 provides, in relevant part, that “[n]o grantee of real property shall be liable upon any indebtedness secured by a mortgage” unless, “simultaneously with the conveyance,” the grantee executes a writing before a notary agreeing to assume and pay the mortgage debt. Here, it is clear from the allegations in the complaint and attached exhibits that the defendants did not execute a notarized written agreement to assume the mortgage allegedly held by the plaintiff at the time the properties were conveyed … . Thus, General Obligations Law § 5-705 bars the plaintiff from recovering on the theory that the defendants agreed to assume his existing mortgage on the properties as alleged in the complaint. Furthermore, [recovery] is also barred by the statute of frauds because an agreement to answer for the debt of another must be in writing (see General Obligations Law § 5-701[a][2]). Contrary to the plaintiff’s contention, the various writings attached to the complaint, taken together, were insufficient to memorialize the existence of an agreement … . Dahan v Weiss, 2014 NY Slip Op 05767, 2nd Dept 8-13-14