Agents’ Section

Chair, Agents' Section
Carver Darden Koretzky Tessier Finn Blossman & Areaux LLC

Bio

Brian W. Hoffman is a partner with Carver Darden Law Firm, practicing in the firm’s Pensacola office. Mr. Hoffman is Board Certified by the Florida Bar in Real Estate. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration majoring in Finance with high honors from the University of Florida in 2000 and received his Juris Doctor with honors from the University of Mississippi in 2002. His practice focuses substantially on real estate litigation and real estate transactions. Mr. Hoffman is a member of the Executive Council of the Real Property, Probate and Trust Law Section of the Florida Bar. He is actively involved with several substantive committees within the Section. He currently serves as Vice-Chair of Commercial Real Estate and the Real Property Problems Study Committee and previously served as Chair of the Title Insurance and Title Insurance Liaison Committee for several years. Brian and his wife, Stefanie, have three children and reside in Pensacola, Florida.

FLTA Agent Section

The FLTA Agent Section plays a vital role in advocating for the interests of Florida title agents—and, most importantly, for the buyers and sellers we serve. Through active participation in the legislative process, we help shape laws that directly impact real estate transactions and property rights in our state.

Past Section Chair Tim Steele emphasized to the FLTA board the importance of staying engaged in the legislative process to protect our customers and the integrity of our industry—a message that continues to guide our work today.

To support our advocacy efforts, the Agent Section retains professional lobbyist David Daniel of Smith, Bryan & Myers, a respected expert in government relations and public affairs. David works closely with us to ensure the voices of Florida’s title agents are heard by lawmakers and regulatory agencies.

Recent legislative initiatives we've monitored and influenced include:

Marketable Record Title Act (MRTA):
Senate Bill 266 (Sen. Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples) and House Bill 617 (Rep. Katie Edwards, D-Plantation) propose changes to laws governing covenants and restrictions. These bills aim to simplify the renewal and revitalization process for extinguished covenants, ensuring clarity and continuity in property governance.
Homestead Waivers:
Senate Bill 512 (Sen. Dana Young, R-Tampa) and House Bill 421 (Rep. Lori Berman, D-Boynton Beach) seek to clarify when a spouse’s homestead rights are waived in property transfers—especially in cases where a spouse joins in a deed transferring property to a trust. This legislation addresses longstanding confusion in Florida case law and promotes legal certainty for homeowners and estate planning.
Online Notarization:
Senate Bill 1042 (Sen. Jeff Brandes, R-St. Petersburg) and House Bill 771 (Rep. J.W. Grant, R-Tampa) would authorize remote notarization via secure internet platforms. While offering convenience, these proposals raise critical questions about identity verification and signer duress. We are actively engaged to ensure any such legislation safeguards the integrity of the notarization process.

Our continued involvement helps protect the rights of property owners and ensure a fair, functional real estate market across Florida. We invite all members to share concerns or ideas about legislation affecting our industry—your voice strengthens our efforts.

Agents’ Section

FLTA Agent Section

Florida Land Title Association