Page 38 - My Memoirs - Max Kurz

beachwear shop. I spent time researching the retail market and developing feasibility studies before commencement. This experience was my platform for my future career as a business broker.
On the home front, 1969 brought about a change in residence, we moved from Garett Street, Kingsford to 5 Hamilton Street, Coogee. Again, there is a story behind the acquisition, I negotiated the purchase price at $97,500 considered to be a premium price. We really loved the home and the location on the corner of Division Street and Hamilton Street on the crest of the hill. It was a double fronted single-story home, lock up garage, 3 bedrooms, living room, kitchen, and a large sunroom with views of the ocean. It needed renovation and modernisation. After the sale of Garrett Street there was a short fall in funds, we would not have had enough deposit to buy Hamilton Street. Therefore, I had to come up with an alternative arrangement. One of my clients was Mr. Harold Rosengarten, a very successful businessman, well known in the business community and director of Chubb Australia for whom I was acting in the development of home units. I already had a record of successful developments for him and our relationship was on a solid footing. I approached Harold with a proposal to advance me management fees yet to be earnt on developments that were in the pipeline and yet to be completed and sold. He agreed to the proposal with covenants inserted into the agreement to protect his interest. That made up the shortfall and gave me sufficient to borrow the balance from our bank and complete the renovations.
Renovations included installation of a swimming pool, landscaping front and rear, 2 new bedrooms for the kids with wardrobes and a 2nd bathroom, new kitchen, painting, and other minor renovations. It was a family home that we all loved and enjoyed. Wayne was 6 years old and Leanne was 4. They loved the pool and so did their friends; we had many birthday pool parties.
Wayne developed asthma at an early age so to assist him, we introduced him to swimming at 18 months old. It was hard at first, but we persisted, and it did help him. What we did not expect was that he was showing signs of a natural ability to swim. His swim coach encouraged us to continue with his swimming lessons and in time he proved himself to be a natural swimmer particularly in freestyle and butterfly. So, the onset of swim meets, and competitive swimming added another dimension to our life.
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