Under the Statute of Frauds, which contract must be in writing to be enforceable?

Under the Statute of Frauds, which contract must be in writing to be enforceable?

• A. A contract for the sale of goods under $500.
• B. A contract for the sale of land.
• C. An oral contract to perform services next month.
• D. A contract to hire a neighbor for a day.

Answer: (B)

Under the Statute of Frauds, contracts that involve real property must be in writing to be enforceable. This requirement exists because real estate deals are significant, prone to disputes, and involve long-lasting interests, so a written contract helps prove the terms and protect the parties. A valid writing typically includes who is involved, what is being sold (the land), the price, and signatures of the parties. Among the options, a contract for the sale of land is the one that must be in writing. By contrast, contracts for the sale of goods under a certain threshold do not have to be in writing (goods over that threshold do). An oral contract to perform services next month can be enforceable if the service would be completed within one year, and a short-term hire for a day is also generally not covered by the writing requirement. Thus, the land sale contract is the one that must be written.

Under the Statute of Frauds, contracts that involve real property must be in writing to be enforceable. This requirement exists because real estate deals are significant, prone to disputes, and involve long-lasting interests, so a written contract helps prove the terms and protect the parties. A valid writing typically includes who is involved, what is being sold (the land), the price, and signatures of the parties.

Among the options, a contract for the sale of land is the one that must be in writing. By contrast, contracts for the sale of goods under a certain threshold do not have to be in writing (goods over that threshold do). An oral contract to perform services next month can be enforceable if the service would be completed within one year, and a short-term hire for a day is also generally not covered by the writing requirement. Thus, the land sale contract is the one that must be written.