Firms hide their identities in real estate transactions, too

Firms don’t want property sellers to know who they are – both online and offline.

When a domain investor receives an offer, they usually try to figure out who is making it. A big firm might be able to pay more.

That’s why firms often try to shield themselves using a third party broker or shell firm.

This game of shielding your identity didn’t start with domain names. It has long been common in physical real estate transactions.

I was reminded of this yesterday while reading regarding a 145 acre parcel of land just down the lake from me that went on the market. For over 30 years the land has been owned by an outfit called Camelback Corp.

Many were shocked yesterday to learn that Camelback Corp is Exxon Mobil.

An Exxon spokesperson told the local paper “it’s common practice to set up a separate entity when negotiating property purchases and/or sales.”

Sound familiar?