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37 Iowa 573

Gamut v. Gregg

Supreme Court of Iowa

Decided December 15, 1873

Supreme Court of Iowa · decided 1873-12-15

Thursday, December 11. The petition claims of the defendant a balance alleged to be due upon the purchase price of lot No. 2 in section 27, township 80. Attached to the petition is the copy of a bond for a deed for said lot, executed by plaintiff to defendant.

Decided 1873-12-15

Day, J.

¶1The vendor of real estate, when part or all the purchase-money remains unpaid after the day fixed for payment, may file his petition asking the court to require the purchaser to perform his contract or to foreclose and sell his interest in the property. In such cases the vendee, for the purposes of foreclosure, is to be treated as a mortgagor of the property purchased, and his rights are to be foreclosed in a similar manner. Revision of 1860, §§ 3761 and 3762.

¶2Upon the foreclosure of a mortgage of real estate, if any thing be found due the plaintiff, the court shall render judgment therefor, and must direct the mortgaged property, or so much thereof as is necessary, to be sold. Revision of 1860, § 3661.

¶3The statute provides the only mode of subjecting mortgaged property to the payment of the debt which it secures. What is known as a strict foreclosure has no place in our system of procedure.

¶4The court erred, therefore, in forfeiting to plaintiff the interest of defendant in the land mentioned.

¶5The decree should have been for a foreclosure and sale of the defendant’s interest therein.

¶6Reversed.

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