Why buy in Turkey?
For foreigners, buying a home in Turkey has been popular for decades. Still, in recent years, even more nationalities have flocked, to take advantage of affordable prices and in some cases, the Turkish citizenship incentive. People buy for various reasons. Perhaps the most popular is the holiday homeowner, who purchased a property for more holidays and without accommodation costs. They created for themselves a perfect home from home.
The second is retirees who choose to live a more straightforward and cost-effective life in a country providing warm weather and good health care. Finally, investment buyers, business owners and developers who purchase land or properties to renovate, rent out or provide as holiday accommodation often dip into the real estate market.
For every type of investor, to buy property in Turkey is a winning situation in many ways. For a start, property in Turkey is generally cheaper than in the EU or the Gulf States. Homebuyers in Turkey also benefit from the cost of living, which is considerably less expensive than western countries. The slower pace of life, healthy food, and summer temperatures are also desirable benefits. Whatever your reason for buying property abroad, here are ten more benefits as to why you should choose Turkey.
Buying a Home in Turkey
1) Home Prices Compared
Any EU property owner knows buying a home is expensive. Even after the property's cost, consider closing-costs like survey fees, lawyer costs, stamp duty and renovations costs. Property prices in Turkey are low, especially compared to declining European destinations, so beautiful luxury apartments or villas don't break the bank. Many new build properties feature the highest quality of decor, such as marble floors and beautifully tiled bathrooms. With the exchange rate taken into consideration, you get an awful lot of home for the money you spend, even considering the buying process costs. In many areas of Turkey, a three- or four-bedroom villa cost the same as a UK one-bedroom apartment.
2) Holiday Climate in Turkey
Vitamin D is a beneficial supplement to our health and well-being, and vitamin D comes from the sun. Along the Mediterranean and Aegean coasts, retirees look forward to 300 days of sunshine a year. Of course, no country's weather is perfect. Turkey has rain just as most other places do and it can be hard and heavy rain, but balmy temperatures can be found all year round along the Turkish Riviera with winter rarely dropping below five degrees Celsius. Envisage yourself spending Christmas or new year on the beach? The beautiful climate is one reason so many people choose to become a first-time buyer in Turkey.
3) Cost of Living
Most things in Turkey are considerably cheaper than in other countries. Electric and gas, council tax, renovations, maintenance, food and drink, everyday groceries, and transport cost less than in other countries. So, not only is property less expensive, running costs are affordable, leaving anyone buying a house with disposable money to enjoy the attractive benefits Turkey brings.
4) House Prices to Invest
Whether you have expensive taste or budgeted finances, a wide variety of housing options suit all lifestyles. In Turkey, property options range from a modest one-bedroom apartment to lavish five or even 6-bedroom villas with private pools and stunning grounds. Decor can be minimalist and straightforward, which saves money, or extravagant and of high quality. Even the grandest of homes in Turkey only cost a fraction of what other countries do, and budget options like a one-bedroom flat with a shared pool start as little as £45,000. Indeed, the property market is an ideal long-term investment.
5) Easy Access
To buy a house in Turkey is to tap into a cheap, reliable, and efficient transport network. With easy access to several airports all year round, your journey home is generally within half an hour in most popular locations. Trains run regularly between major cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, and Izmir. Use dolmus buses for local travel, or the mainstream bus networks to get between major towns. Air travel is regular and inexpensive within Turkey, with most airports offering international travel too.
6) Property Ownership, Residency and Citizenship
You don't have to be a home buyer to get residency, but most homeowners do so that they can spend extended periods in Turkey. Additionally, some home buyers go on to apply for citizenship which has different criteria to fulfil. (More about applying for Turkish citizenship via a real estate investment.) Or you can always invest on a modest studio apartment for sale in Istanbul, as an example and can still apply for a residency in Turkey, which is renewable yearly. Turkey's housing-market also operates on the 'freehold ownership deed' of properties. Whether it is a small apartment unit or a detached home, you are the sole property owner. This gives much more freedom when it comes to renovating or selling property.
8) Turkish Food
Whether in a fancy restaurant or a local lokanta, diners always rely on good quality, authentic Turkish food. One major bonus of being a homeowner in Turkey is delicious and healthy food. All locally grown produce is fresh, leaving it much more nutritious than in your local supermarket at home. Not forgetting the beautiful Turkish sunshine is just as good for the locally grown fruit and vegetables as well. Many areas of Turkey tend to favour local restaurants. Your first-morning meal should set you up for the day, and a Turkish breakfast does precisely that. Accompanied by a delicious pot of Turkish tea, it is the perfect healthy meal.
9) From Istanbul to Antalya
Turkey is a country with thousands of years of history, dating back to the Roman Empire and the latest Ottoman Empire. Whether in Istanbul's old capital, near the Ephesus ancient ruins or incredible caves in Cappadocia, fascinating history is everywhere. Wherever you are in Turkey, you are not far away from a world of history with ruins scattered across the land. Even a hike on walking paths brings across magical little patches of unrestored buildings with a past wealth. In the past few decades, archaeologists discovered increasingly more ruins and local councils restored, renovated, and opened them to the public. But it is not just ancient history that interests visitors, even recent past can be fascinating, such as the 20th-century Greco-Turkish war and the population exchange that has left many old Greek ghost towns across Turkey.
10: For More Advice on Home Buying
We are Turkey Homes, a property investment real estate agent. If you are thinking of buying a home in Turkey, get in touch with us to find out more about the buying process, ideal places and of course, to find your dream home. Alternatively, see our portfolio of apartments and villas for sale in many areas including Bodrum, Antalya, Bursa, Istanbul, Fethiye and more. Each listing contains everything to know, including contact details to arrange a viewing. When you buy a house through us, we are with you every step of the way to owning a place in the sun.