Rent Me

Ned Dewhirst was negotiating to sell a 34-acre parcel on U.S. 41 in Estero to an apartment developer when he got a call from Lee County's economic development office two months ago.

A mystery company was interested in buying the land, but even the economic development officials didn't know who it was. They were working with an intermediary.

“This was eight weeks ago,” says Dewhirst, senior vice president of Oakbrook Properties, whose property was listed at $12 million.