Ben Mallah adds Fort Myers property to portfolio

June 4, 2026 - 02:36

YouTube real estate personality Ben Mallah has added a Fort Myers property to his growing portfolio, acquiring a university building for $17.25 million. The deal, structured as a 1031 exchange, allows Mallah to defer capital gains taxes by reinvesting proceeds from recent sales of properties in Jacksonville and Tampa Bay.

The purchased asset is a commercial building previously used for educational purposes, located near a major highway corridor in Fort Myers. Mallah, known for his direct-talking real estate advice videos and large-scale property flips, has been active in Florida markets for years. The 1031 exchange strategy is a common tool among investors to roll gains from one property into another without immediate tax liability.

Mallah did not disclose specific plans for the building, but his typical approach involves repositioning or leasing commercial spaces for higher returns. The Fort Myers market has seen steady demand from both investors and tenants, partly driven by population growth in Southwest Florida. This acquisition marks another step in Mallah's expansion beyond his core holdings in Tampa and Jacksonville, where he recently sold multiple assets to fund the exchange. The deal closed earlier this month, according to public records.