Mattlage v. Mattlage, 243 S.W.3d 763 (Tex. App.—Waco 2007, pet. denied).
Testator’s will devised a home to Beneficiary. Later, Testator
entered into a contract to sell the home to Purchasers. Testator died
before the closing. The trial court held that the devise adeemed and
that Purchasers were entitled to specific performance of the contract.
The appellate court affirmed.
The court explained that once Testator executed the contract to sell the
home, equitable conversion occurred. In other words, in equity, Testator
no longer owned real property (the home) but instead owned personal
property (the contract right to the proceeds of the sale because the
sale contract was specifically enforceable). At the time of Testator’s
death, he no longer owned the home and consequently the devise adeemed.
Moral: Each testator who makes a specific gift of real property must be
warned that the gift is likely to fail if he or she enters into a
contract to sell the land even if the sale is not completed at the time
of death.