A REJECTED PURCHASE OFFER WAS NOT ADMISSIBLE AT TRIAL TO PROVE THE FAIR MARKET VALUE OF THE MARITAL RESIDENCE (FIRST DEPT).
The First Department, reversing (modifying) Supreme Court in this divorce case, determined a purchase offer was not admissible to show the fair market value of the marital residence:
Order … which … granted plaintiff’s motion to set a minimum net value for marital real property located in Southampton, New York, at $20 million for equitable distribution purposes, unanimously reversed … .
With respect to the parties’ Southampton marital property, we find that the court erred in imposing a minimum value based on a purchase offer of $20 million rejected by defendant, as evidence of an offer to purchase is generally inadmissible at trial to show fair market value … . Lauren S. v Alexander S., 2022 NY Slip Op 03462, First Dept 5-26-22
Practice Point: In a divorce action, a rejected purchase offer was not admissible at trial to prove the fair market value of a marital residence.