ORLANDO—Pearl Britain Plaza in northeast Ocala, FL, has traded hands. The sale price: $4.44 million.

Mark Thompson, managing director at Crossman & Company, represented the seller, Pearl Britain Development of Troy, MI. A private investor from Coral Gables, FL acquired the retail asset. The 82,216-square-foot Publix-anchored retail center sits on an 18.5-acre site.

"This was a unique value-added Publix with 70% vacancy in the shop space," says Thompson. "Our campaign process generated over 100 authorized confidentiality agreements and several offers for the property. A private investor from South Florida delivered a non-refundable day-one offer to close the deal."

Pearl Britain Plaza is one of three shopping centers Thompson sold over the past 60 days in Central Florida totaling more than $11.88 million and 150,000 square feet.  The 21,600-square-foot Publix Shadow, Shoppes at Andover in Orlando was sold for $4.9 million and the 46,177 square foot Plaza Del Sol on State Road 434 in Longwood, FL sold for $2.55 million.

"The capital markets continue to favor strong performing grocery-anchored shopping centers located in densely-populated urban areas," says HFF director Chris Drew.  "Additionally, we have witnessed an increased appetite from both debt and equity providers for specialty grocers with a strong and loyal following such as Sedano's."

Which Central Florida submarkets are the hottest? Josh Busby, a vice president at CREC, offers some insight in this recent GlobeSt.com article.