Rob Heaslip (left) and Peter Hooper.
Peter Hooper joked he was too fast on a wing playing for South Clare in the North Eastern Football League to be collected by a wayward elbow from Rob Heaslip charging from centre half-back for North Clare in the 80s, but seriously, they are now closer than ever in a new field.
They have surprised the local real estate industry by teaming to launch South Coast Realty. Rob has terminated his franchise with Raine & Horne, while Peter has left Harcourts after also earning enormous respect in an extremely challenging environment.
Their new joint venture as principals involves retaining both the premises under the previous R&H banner in Ocean Street, Victor Harbor, and Cadell Street, Goolwa, and all staff members. Their property management remains unchanged.
Rob said for a long time during his enjoyable 30 years in the industry he wanted to meet the challenge of ‘going out on his own’ and felt the new partnership with Peter, given his also impressive real estate background and strong standing within the community, was a perfect scenario.
“After 20 years with Elders, five with Toop & Toop and the last few with Raine & Horne, I felt I had a good cross-section with Elders being a 160-year-old company, Toops being innovative and always thinking outside of the box, and Raine & Horne being a steady-as-you go company with a bit of the others blended,” Rob said.
“Once I had those qualities or experience behind me I knew I could extract the best from them. I then had to find the right person to share the experience, which I have with Peter.”
It was 30 years ago this year that Peter managed his first business venture in Clare; a video rental store that finally closed down last year. The experience working with the community was obviously invaluable, and later in a big homemaking centre, but the ultimate plight of the video shop in today’s ever changing multi-media environment is perhaps a reflection of a changing real estate world.
Rob said there was a big swing from the corporate structure in all type of businesses or industries, more so in recent years, and it was also happening in real estate. “I saw it happen in the stock agency business in the 1980s,” he added.
“It’s because the corporates had too much control; ‘this is the way you will do it’ they say. No longer being under any corporate banner means we can make decisions in the best interest of our vendors on the spot. It gives us more flexibility; we can now put together marketing packages which can suit individual homes, whereas under a corporate banner we were guided by certain protocol and processes.”
Peter believes their new independent venture will allow South Coast Reality to provide marketing and advertising to best suit the property or home. “We can make decisions on the spot to help the vendor,” he said.
“Regrettably, some industries are losing their local identity. We are pleased to announce we are expanding ours.”
According to Rob, there is a new principal on board with new ideas. “Peter brings a lot of professionalism and enthusiasm to the business, and importantly all of the staff under the Raine & Horne banner are still with us,” Rob said. We are actually looking for more staff; we want to grow the business.
“South Coast Reality may be new, but our combined experience in the real estate industry is 130-plus years… we have a very experienced team behind us. With the stability of our staff, and Peter coming on board, we believe we have the perfect mix.
Rob and Peter have been long entrenched in the community through sport, business and events, and their new venture has been totally structured using local businesses. “We have ticked all the local boxes, and we will continue with that policy,” Rob said.