ORLANDO-Year-end land deals continue to be a hot-ticket item in the metro area's industrial market as nine deals close totaling 180 acres valued at $15.79 million.

"You're going to see more and more small to mid-size deals being completed as the year draws down because buyers understand now they are competing for the first time in years for the dirt with homebuilders, condo developers and speculators," Dean Fritchen, a senior associate in the Winter Park office of Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, tells GlobeSt.com.

In the highest-valued deal, Su-Lee Lin Ltd. of Melbourne acquired an 8.3-acre parcel at 4315 N. Orange Blossom Trail (US 441 North) from Hutchings Technology Inc. of Fort Lauderdale for $2.9 million or $349,398 per acre ($8.02 per sf). Lyle Nelsen of Rebman Properties Inc., Winter Park and Jessica Hu-uang of Remax Properties Southwest co-brokered the transaction.

Chalifoux Business Park LLC of Kissimmee paid Coral Gables-based Avatar Properties Inc. $2.73 million, or $120,000 per acre ($2.75 per sf), for a 22.75-acre tract in the Poinciana Office & Industrial Park, about 20 miles south of Walt Disney World. NAI Realvest Properties brokers Robert Blackwell and Michael Heidrich negotiated for the seller. The buyer represented itself.

In Lake County, Newbard Properties 3 LLC bought a 41-acre tract on Dead River Road in Tavares for $2.35 million, or $57,317 per acre ($1.32 per sf), from Fancy Farms of Tavares Inc. and Eagles Nest Estates Inc. Linda Kemp Berg of Matsche Real Estate Co. Realtors brokered the transaction.

In the highest per-acre transaction, Smet Construction Services of DePere, WI paid Hoffner Commons LLC of Orlando $1.75 million, or $380,434 per acre ($8.73 per sf), for the 4.6-acre Hoffner Commons mixed-use site at the corner of Hoffner and Conway roads in south Orlando. Smet plans to develop office and retail space on the site, according to brokers David G. Calcanis and Joe Rossi of Grubb & Ellis Commercial-Florida who brokered the deal.

Bryce Foster Corp. acquired a potentially prime four-acre parcel on fast-developing Keller Road in suburban Maitland for $1.5 million or $375,000 per acre ($8.60 per sf). Linda Lay and Roger Rebman of Rebman Properties Inc., Winter Park negotiated for the buyer.

In Orange County, Horizons West Investment Group LLC paid Cooper LLC $1.73 million, or $18,956 per acre (44 cents per sf), for 91 acres south of Old YMCA Road and west of Lake Hickory Nut Drive. Preston Hage and Patrick Chisholm of Maury L. Carter & Associates Inc. negotiated for the seller. Bobby Luthra of Property Investment Brokers represented the seller.

Also in Orange County, Richard L. Fletcher Jr. sold a 6.5-acre parcel to Hundred Fires Ltd. and Isabel M. Rey for $1.3 million or $199,615 per acre ($4.15 per sf). The property is on the northeast corner of Goldenrod Road and State Road 408 (East-West Expressway). Hage and Chisholm of Maury L. Carter & Associates represented the seller. PropLogik Realty negotiated for the buyer.

A less than half-acre lot (0.43 acres) at 634 and 642 E. Colonial Dr. in east Orlando was purchased by Quoc-Bao Trinn-Le-Huu for $800,000 from Weiss Realty Corp. and Lake Margaret Co. Jeffrey Bloom of Coldwell Banker Commercial NRT, Winter Park and William Atkins of Atkins Realty co-brokered the sale.

In suburban Altamonte Springs, Tridev I LLC paid CSS Investments LLC $725,000, or $16.64 per sf, for a one-acre outparcel in Seminole County. The parcel is at the Publix-anchored Gateway Crossing shopping center at South State Road 434 and Hillview Drive. CSS Investments is a Maury L. Carter and Associates Inc. investment group. Maury L. Carter & Associates Inc. and Crossman and Co. negotiated for the seller. Nick Stewart and First Winter Park Realty LLC represented the buyer.