Stephanie Gardiner May 29, 2012
A gift to her daughter ... the unit on Wrights Road, Drummoyne. Photo: Ray White Drummoyne
Before a Sydney woman died she scrawled her final wishes on a notepad, leaving her apartment and belongings to her young daughter.
Two decades later a private detective has tracked down the 21-year-old daughter in Boston, telling her she is entitled to about $150,000 in rent and possibly $550,000.
The apartment on Wrights Road, Drummoyne, sold for $600,000 to a young female first-home buyer on Tuesday night.
As the Inner West Courier first reported, Ray White Drummoyne director Chris Wilkins has spent years trying to track down the daughter, with the property managed under a trust.
Mr Wilkins first made contact with the girl years ago, but she was too young to collect the money.
"I think she was a little sceptical of all of this, her mother has been deceased for quite some time, so I suppose the anguish of this being brought up again maybe it all didn't sit too well," Mr Wilkins told smh.com.au
"She went and found a big rock and hid under it and we couldn't find her for a while."
A Californian private detective employed by Mr Wilkins found her recently in Boston, where she was studying, and lawyers helped her understand her inheritance was genuine.
"Someone said to me the other day 'Gee it's a lot of money, isn't she lucky? Wouldn't you love a phone call like that?'
"But she also hasn't had a mum for 20 years. I think one outweighs the other.
"I think she hasn't wanted to really know about it.
"She's now found ... the ability to have some interest in it.
"She's obviously travelled a fairly interesting journey without mum ... she's been able to bring herself to the position to maybe accept her mum not being around.
"I think there's a lot more to it than her receiving a whole lot of money and a property on the harbour in Sydney."
Mr Wilkins was not able to give details about the woman's death nor why her wishes were only left written on a notepad.
He said the block was about 38 years old, with some of the apartments having "gun barrel" views of Sydney Harbour.
The two-bedroom apartment has recently been redecorated and the block has waterfront gardens, a swimming pool, a private pontoon and security parking.
Ownership records show it was bought in December 1986 for $102,000.
Mr Wilkins said he could have taken the easy option and allowed all the money to go to the state, but that would have been a "heartless" alternative.
"I was very keen and motivated that it went to who deserved it.
"Agents don't really get looked upon too favourably and, you know, some of us aren't that bad."