Ahmad Basam sold a four-bedroom apartment at 402/3-5 Clydesdale Place, Pymble, for $1,595,000 in 15 days after the property had spent 198 days on market with another agent.
That previous listing had also been on market with another agent before Ahmad achieved a building record. When the owners of 402/3-5 Clydesdale Place saw the result after their own 198-day campaign had stalled, they reached out.
The creative repositioning
The property had originally been marketed as a three-bedroom apartment, however Ahmad identified an opportunity within the existing layout to present the space as a functional fourth bedroom.
The owners had previously installed built-in robes in the room, meaning no structural changes were required — simply styling the space with a bed and side tables allowed buyers to clearly recognise it as an additional bedroom.
“Four-bedroom apartments are typically limited to penthouses, which sit at a very different price point,” Ahmad said.
“If you needed four bedrooms, this presented a rare opportunity within the local apartment market.”
The repositioning broadened the property’s appeal to a different segment of the market — particularly families seeking additional space but priced out of houses in the area.
The database buyer who came back
Ahmad’s database included a local family in West Pymble with three kids who were planning to build their dream home on their current property. They needed somewhere to live during construction — and four bedrooms weren’t negotiable.
The family initially held back when Ahmad approached them pre-market, wanting to see how other buyers responded in the current climate. But when the property went live and a second family showed serious interest, the original buyers committed.
“What triggered it in the end was fear of loss from the other buyer,” Ahmad said.
The competition created the urgency that pre-market engagement alone couldn’t deliver.
The Pymble apartment market
The apartment sits in a quiet, tightly held security complex of 34 full-brick residences in Pymble, a family-oriented suburb where 30 per cent of residents are under 20. The property falls within the catchment for Pymble Public School and St Ives High School, with recent comparable sales including properties in Gordon, Turramurra, Killara and Wahroonga.
The sale marked Ahmad’s second apartment transaction in Pymble — both achieved building records, with this one also setting a street record.
What vendors noticed
After the stress of their previous 198-day campaign, the vendors highlighted Ahmad’s communication style as the standout difference.
“They were quite pleased throughout the campaign with the way I explained the process, meeting in person and going through everything,” Ahmad said.
“When the property sold, they said everything was very smooth and that’s what they really liked.”
The Pymble lesson
For other property owners in the area, Ahmad’s advice centres on avoiding the cookie-cutter approach that dominates apartment marketing.
“Every single property is unique and different,” he said.
“You need to analyse the buyer types for that property and work out how to get the best outcome — sometimes that involves looking at it with a different lens.”
In this case, that different lens turned a space with built-in robes into a fourth bedroom, a 198-day campaign into a 15-day sale, and a standard apartment into a street record.
About the Agent
Ahmad Basam from The Marshall Group RE brings a client-focused, modern perspective to real estate on Sydney’s Upper North Shore. Known for his energetic approach, honest communication and creative problem-solving, Ahmad combines cutting-edge marketing strategies with strong negotiation skills to deliver results for his clients. His track record includes multiple building records in Pymble’s tightly held apartment market. Visit Ahmad’s website for more information or call Ahmad on 0405305795