ON 23 December, 1999 Paul Ballinger registered his business name, Real Estate Home Loans.<\/p>\n
Hitting the ground running in 2000, the born and bred Ballarat broker is now celebrating 20 years of helping home buyers realise their dream.<\/p>\n
\u201cClient interaction is what keeps me here. We have a highlight every day, every week. Letting someone know that their finance is approved is the moment at which the dream is realised,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe greatest reward is seeing the smiles on people\u2019s faces and the sheer excitement that they\u2019re going to move into their new home. What we do changes people\u2019s lives and it matters.\u201d<\/p>\n
Although he\u2019s always found his work satisfying and meaningful, as a business owner, Mr Ballinger said not every moment has been fantastic.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery business has its challenges. We\u2019ve been through a Royal Commission recently in the financial sector, which was a very difficult time, but you keep going.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe global financial crisis was a negative time in our lives, but we\u2019ve seen through that too,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The industry has not only broadly evolved while REHL has been in business, but the Ballarat landscape has shifted too.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen I started in broking, I think there were three brokers in Ballarat. There was 55 at one point, and there\u2019s somewhere north of 35 now.<\/p>\n
\u201cTwenty years ago, we were averaging loans of $60,000 to $70,000, a reflection of what house prices were then. Now our average loan is around the $300,000 mark. Chalk and cheese,\u201d Mr Ballinger said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had four locations, starting in Lydiard Street south in the old Jens Gaunt building, we moved across the road, then to Peel Street and now Sturt Street. It\u2019s a great environment here at Dunbar House, a financial hub.\u201d<\/p>\n
REHL was simply just him in 2000, but two decades on there\u2019s a team of three with integrity, including Bernadette Wood and Grant Newell.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s nothing wrong with being small and local. We\u2019ve had fantastic staff over the years, I\u2019ve always worked with wonderful people and that in itself is rewarding,\u201d Mr Ballinger said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe live our core values. Family comes first. You\u2019re in business to make a better life for your family, so it should be a better life for your staff and their families.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ON 23 December, 1999 Paul Ballinger registered his business name, Real Estate Home Loans. Hitting the ground running in 2000, the born and bred Ballarat broker is now celebrating 20 years of helping home buyers realise their dream. \u201cClient interaction is what keeps me here. We have a highlight every day, every week. Letting someone […]<\/p>\n