6 minute read
August 2025 ~ Partner Spotlight | David Heekin with Landmark Title
Building One of Florida’s Largest and Most Respected Title Companies
By Nick Ingrisani | Photos by The Real Estateographer
“Our mission statement sums up our philosophy: Helping real estate agents succeed, and buyers and sellers Close with Confidence! That is at the forefront of every decision we make as a company.”
David Heekin was born and raised in Jacksonville and has loved the area since his childhood. He pursued a Business Finance degree, followed by both a law degree and an MBA from the University of Florida. After law school, he’d planned to join a prominent law firm, but after that firm split in two David changed gears and decided that being a solo practitioner was the better fit for him.
His father, a respected commercial real estate attorney, eventually guided him into handling closings for one of his clients, a residential condominium developer in Jacksonville Beach. Over the next six months, handling those closings ignited his passion for the industry.
“I realized I loved the mix of law, business, networking, and interacting with people. I could never be one of those lawyers that sits behind a desk all day.”
David went on to rent a space and focus on real estate closings.
Two years later he hired his first employee and four years later, in 2005, David set up Landmark Title, eager to brand and grow his own company from the ground up. Growth was steady until the 2008 financial crisis hit.
“That knocked everybody out. A lot of my customers were young realtors and young loan officers, who were the first to get out of the business.“Our mission statement sums up our philosophy: Helping real estate agents succeed, and buyers and sellers Close with Confidence! That is at the forefront of every decision we make as a company.”
So I pivoted into the default space. Whether I liked it or not, I unofficially became known as the ‘short sale king’ of Jacksonville.”
Despite the difficulty of the work, the shift in focus got his business through three tough years. At a time when a lot of title companies were still struggling, Landmark Title began to grow steadily as David expanded his network.
“Many real estate agents would give me a short sale, but use another title company for their ‘regular’ deals. But after seeing what a great job we did, they ended up coming around. We slowly converted a lot of real estate agents to Landmark Title in that period. I’m not afraid to take a calculated risk. We started hiring, opening new offices, and were not afraid to take a chance, expand, and see what happens. That gave us another leg up coming out of the recession.”
David’s ability to differentiate Landmark Title in a highly regulated and competitive industry stems from several key areas. Education plays a pivotal role through Landmark University, where the company offers both continuing education (CE) and non-CE classes for real estate agents. This initiative is supported by a robust marketing department that teaches social media strategies, all housed within a state-of-the-art training facility that accommodates up to 100 people and is also available for community use.
The company also boasts an in-house legal team led by General Counsel Rose Alberre, offering real-time support for agents—an uncommon resource in Northeast Florida.
Landmark Title operates alongside a family of companies, including Heekin Law, which in addition to real estate matters, handles business, litigation, probate, and estate planning, and River Survey and Mapping, which does residential and commercial survey work in Northeast Florida. The Landmark Foundation furthers the company’s mission of giving back to the community by donating $10 from every closing to charitable initiatives, such as building wheelchair ramps and providing affordable housing solutions in the urban core.
The company’s experience is unmatched, with 25 attorneys and closers bringing a combined 350 years of expertise to the table, ensuring virtually no scenario is unfamiliar. As David puts it, “There’s nothing we can’t handle!” This depth of knowledge is reinforced by a strong company culture, where clear values guide hiring, rewarding, and advancing, creating a supportive and high-performing team environment.
“We have the best, most highly-trained employees in the industry. Everybody on our leadership team is a phenomenal leader and manager. We run a tight ship where everybody has a part to play and they play it well. We execute at a very high level.”
That expertise paired with 14 offices statewide means that Landmark Title has an exceptional geographic reach to offer comprehensive service across the state of Florida.
“The last 5-6 years have been really good in terms of growing and opening new offices. If I see a need in the market, we’re going to go and fill it if it makes sense to do so.”
When he’s not expanding Landmark’s footprint or fostering new industry relationships, you can find David somewhere in the great outdoors spending time with friends and family. Whether boating, golfing, camping, fishing, or cheering on the Florida Gators and Jacksonville Jaguars, his personal life reflects the same passion and energy he brings to his business.
With plans to open two more offices this year, including one outside Northeast Florida, David remains focused on meeting market demands and serving clients wherever they are.
In an industry where change is constant, David’s ability to adapt, lead, and innovate has set Landmark Title apart. His story serves as an inspiration for anyone looking to turn challenges into opportunities— and build something truly lasting in the process.
