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.