Seller's Duty to Maintain Property Between Preliminary Agreement and Final Deed

Seller's Duty to Maintain Property Between Preliminary Agreement and Final Deed: A contract for the sale of real estate, stipulating a preliminary agreement before the final deed, was held to require the seller to maintain the property in its agreed-upon condition until the final act, and the seller's failure to do so, resulting in damage to the property before the final sale, constituted a breach of contract; therefore, the appellate court properly ordered the seller to compensate the buyer for the damages sustained due to the deterioration of the property between the preliminary agreement and the final deed, as the preliminary agreement, which incorporated all the essential terms of the future sale, was binding upon both parties regarding the preservation of the property's state.