This is sections from Ross Viner (dad) the founder of our business, on his account of our history for our 25 years celebrations.

Prior to the legislation which introduced the licensing of Settlement Agents and which came into effect in 1981, the Real Estate firm of Bogle Bros offered a partial conveyancing service as part of the office structure. Generally speaking this was a very basic service and there were no fees payable. If there were complications, conveyancing matters were normally handled by solicitors although there were a few small conveyancing businesses that operated at that time.

The 3 partners in Bogle Bros, Ian Bogle, Bob Elliott and Ross Viner each had their own areas of responsibility, the Ampol fuel distributorship controlled by Ian, the Real Estate sales and valuations controlled by Bob and administration, office management, real estate rentals, a building society agency and conveyancing requirements controlled by Ross.

In 1981 it was decided to split up the partnership with Ian and Bob taking over their areas of responsibility and with the introduction of licensing, Champion Bay Settlements was formed. At that time, the future of conveyancing was really unknown and to even up the split up of the partnership, Ross retained a half share of the fuel depot and Ian was a part owner of the settlement agency.
Back then, the licensing of Settlement Agencies became a reality despite strong opposition from the legal fraternity. Ken McKenzie and Doug McKenna, both ex “bank johnnies”, who established Documentary Services and operated as Settlement agents well before licensing, had a lot to do with the lobbying which finally saw the profession gain recognition.

However in its infancy, there was little co-operation within the profession which did very little to promote or market itself, and it was not until an association was formed several years later that any form of unity was evident. Very few people understood just what the term “Settlement Agent” meant or what role they played in the real estate process. It was regularly suggested the real estate agents regarded the settlement profession as the “poor relations” of the real estate industry and had very little idea of what we did or the difficulties we faced at times in overcoming some of the problems – many which could be said were of their making. particularly due to poor completion of the offer & acceptance at the point of sale.

In those early days it was almost a “cottage” industry with quite a number of agents being quite happy to get their 2 or 3 settlements a week while operating from home and saving the overheads involved in running an office. This did change somewhat following the formation of the association, but the importance of the settlement agent’s role has never really been in the public domain.

Even in today’s business community and the real estate industry at large, the conveyancing profession does not have the respect, profile or understanding for an extremely important and demanding role associated with the real estate process. As we often say, you can buy and sell as many properties as you wish, however you need a conveyancer to complete the transaction. Of course there is still the option of a solicitor which was the only service av ailable until the “settlement Profession” was introduced.

And probably there is no better way to indicate the standing in which conveyancers were held than to look at past fee structures in comparison to real estate commissions. The maximum which applied when C.B.S. was first licensed for the settlement of a property worth say $20000 was $110 if you acted for the vendor and $165 if acting for the purchaser. Bearing in mind that most vacant residential land could be purchased for under $10000 in Geraldton, and vacant land settlements formed a significant part of our files, unless you were fortunate to be nominated to act for both parties you were accepting considerable responsibility for about $15 per hour out of which overheads had to be deducted. Is it any wonder our profession was so poorly looked upon and lacked any real professional profile within the community.

In 1992 after some intense lobbying, the fees for the settlement of a property worth say $50000 increased by $4 if acting for the purchaser and the princely sum of $3 if acting for the vendor and at that time the increase was considered reasonable simply because settlement agents in Perth rarely conducted a settlement for a property with that low a value. But bearing in mind that the increase was less than 2% and was the first rise in 4 years, it indicates the disparity between real estate fees, solicitors fees and conveyancing fees. More significantly it indicates the apathy that was widespread in the profession and the failure of the hierarchy to promote the value of the service we were offering.

But back to our own history. As a requirement of the new Act, Ross Viner did a part time intensive training course which involved a trip to Perth every weekend over 6 weeks. The course was certainly full on, running from 9 to 4.30 each Saturday and Sunday over that period with a 4 hour exam at the conclusion which one had to pass before a license was even considered.

Having gone through the necessary formalities we had to choose a name. Champion Bay Settlements was actually our third choice, our first being Geraldton Property Settlements and our second, Geraldton Settlement Agency, both of which were unacceptable to Consumer Affairs. Interestingly, Geraldton Settlement Agency had been registered by a local solicitor but the name has never been used in a business operation. Local identity Harry Dymond, who was then President of the local Branch of R.E.I.W.A. was adamant that we should have taken advantage of the fact that I was pretty well known around town and that my name should have been included in the title.

After a few more minor hiccups, we finally opened our doors in the Geraldton Shopping Centre which was our home until the move to our present site, Post Office Plaza, just a few years ago. We took our first paid settlement, a property worth $35500 and during that first month we handled a total of 13 settlements with a value of $366000 – an average of just over $28000 each. In that first year we settled 135 transactions with a sale value of just over $5m.

Of interest is that we acted for developers known as Property Acquisitions in the sale of the “Racecourse” Estate in Dongara. Although prices were in the $5/$6000 range sales were very slow. We actually handled the Dongara area for the new Bogle Bros as part of the dissolution arrangements. The developers were very anxious to market their land and after what we believed to be a reasonably intensive marketing campaign, I set up a sales office on site one Saturday and sat there all day for one enquiry from which nothing developed. I would certainly like the same opportunity today.

Our total fee income for our first 6 months operation was $7500 and things were not looking too rosy with running costs being about $6300 for the same period. Our sole employee was Gloria Nelson, who worked on a part time basis having previously been with the old Bogle Bros firm. She earned the princely sum of $1350 for that 6 month period. My own earnings were about $300 per month inthose early days but fortunately a bit of real estate commission, a bit of secretarial work and my sports broadcasting helped our survival.

Things did start to improve and by the end of year 2 we had opened a further 220 files, increasing our fee income to $34500,

An average of about $150 per file. In December of that year we recorded a new file for each day of the month for the first time. By this time Gloria was working full time and by 1986 we employed our first junior. Unfortunately I can’t recall who that was and don’t appear to have those records. Our turnover had increased to $60000 and we earned a further $8000 in real estate commission.
When I look at the current boom times, my thoughts go back to 1987/88 and although currently there is not much sign of abatement, I wonder just what the future may bring.

Back 20 years ago we saw the stock market crash, but real estate went through the roof in a very similar fashion as has happened in recent times. From approximately 300 files with a sales value of about $8.5m in the 1986 financial year, the sales value of the files had increased to $11m by June ’87 and by June 1988 we had opened 600 new files for the year and the sales value of those files was over $34m.

Between 1985 and 1989 the average sale value of files opened increased from about $42000 to over $65000 and while there was a continuing small increase in the number of files opened, the ‘90s saw a flattening out of the market that continued into the present decade. There is no doubt in my mind that at least part of the reason for the boom we have witnessed in recent times is the fact that market prices did not truly reflect the value of properties in a coastal community such as Geraldton and we are now catching up on prices that existed in other similar areas for most of that ‘90s period.

Over the past 25 years a feature of the business has been the low staff turnover. Since those early days the staff has always been a close knit group who have worked with loyalty, enthusiasm and a strong sense of ethical conduct. Although her service has not been on a continuous basis, Julie Brennan typifies the loyalty and enthusiasm of our staff, having started with the firm in 1987. Apart from raising a family, Julie has been with us on a full or part time basis since that time. Gloria Nelson and Jan McCaughan were both with us for more than 10 years, Maxine Maughan is now in her 12th. Year and of course our present Principal, Tony Viner joined the firm in February 1994 after working in Perth and completing his settlement agents licensing course. It should be noted that this course was very different to the licensing requirements when conveyancers were first licensed back in 1981. Helen Quinn  rejoined the firm after a break of a few years, she too having first begun work with us in 1995. With few exceptions, our staff appeared to have enjoyed the experience and generally marriage or greener pastures away from Geraldton appear to have been the reason for leaving.

I am proud of the fact that the business is now 25 years old and the buoyancy that now exists is richly deserved. I believe that there is now widespread acceptance of the profession and its importance is generally acknowledged. Looking back, one wonders how we survived, but looking back is always dangerous and it is the next 25 years that is now important.