Under the NY Statute of Frauds, which scenario requires a written memorandum?

• A. Real estate contract for sale.
• B. A contract for goods priced at $300.
• C. A service contract to be performed within 6 months.
• D. A lease of goods for 4 months with price under $1000.

Answer: (A)

Contracts for the sale of real estate must be in writing to be enforceable under the NY Statute of Frauds. A written memorandum signed by the party to be charged, containing the essential terms (identification of the parties, a description of the property, the price, and signatures), satisfies this requirement. Thus, the real estate sale scenario requires a writing.

The other scenarios don’t meet the writing threshold. For goods, the writing requirement applies only if the price is at least the statutory threshold (commonly $500), and the $300 price here is below that, so no writing is required. A service contract that can be fully performed within one year is not within the Statute of Frauds, so it doesn’t require a writing. A lease of goods under the threshold and for a term under one year likewise does not require a writing.