Where is the best place to buy in Turkey? This is the question most people ask. Followed by what are the resorts like? What can I get for my money? Only you will know which resort feels right for you. For many, their decision on where to buy in Turkey has been shaped by their holiday experiences. Others have fallen in love with Turkey on their first visit to view property. So why not book your holiday now and find out what everyone else is talking about.

What about these bargain properties? Where are they? Turkey continues to offer excellent value for money when compared with the rest of Europe. So if you want an affordable home close to the beach, shops and restaurants, with a swimming pool by which to chill out and catch a few rays, then you can still get that in resorts such as Altinkum, Didim & Akbuk. In more established resorts such as Bodrum, Marmaris and Cesme you will have to dig a little deeper to get a nice property. But you can still find great value properties all along the Turkish Coast, many of which have wonderful sea views.  

Who is buying where? Foreign buyers tend to buy property along the Aegean and Mediterranean Coastline. All have the advantages of a great climate, breathtaking scenery and wonderful sea views, easy access to Europe, plus a developed and continuously improving infrastructure. Statistics shown below, taken from the Turkish newspaper Yeni Asir, in March 2006 will give you a better idea of who lives where and the number of foreigners that have bought in those resorts. Not all the main resorts were covered in this report.  

Contents Source: Yeni Asir Newspaper, March 2006. Reproduced and translated by Villas in Turkey for the benefit of prospective property buyers. Villas in Turkey cannot accept any responsibility for the accuracy of these figures. This does not cover all the places in Turkey where foreign people have bought property. It is merely a snapshot of the Turkish property market in Spring 2006.

A Guide to the Popular Resorts along the Aegean Coast & Mediterranean Coast

Bodrum is the resort that everyone is talking about as the next property hotspot and has been on the tourist trail for a number of years. On arrival you will instantly notice the low rise, flat roofed, white washed buildings that scatter the hillsides overlooking the sea, making Bodrum seem much closer to its Greek neighbours than other resorts. The town centre of Bodrum dominated by St.Peter’s castle, its marina and narrow shopping streets provide the holiday atmosphere you would expect on the Aegean.

Despite the huge influx of tourists Bodrum still feels Turkish as it is popular with Turkish celebrities and the bohemian and society folks from Istanbul. But what makes Bodrum truly special is that whilst the town provides the central meeting point, there is a whole peninsula waiting to be explored. Consequently it is still possible to find a small fishing village by the sea with traditional wooden boats at Gundogan as opposed to luxury yachts at Yalikavak. Freshly caught fish straight from the sea at Guvercinlik versus spaghetti bolognese in Gumbet. The tourism and infrastructure is extremely varied on the Bodrum peninsula and served by it’s own airport, a plethora of experiences await you. Property prices like the area, vary somewhat and have increased over the years but there still remains to be some good value properties in this region.

Cesme is one of the last remaining holiday resorts that you can truly call Turkish. Tourism and property sales are largely geared to the domestic market with only a handful of foreigners. However, with only a 45 minute drive to the city of Izmir and its expanding international airport it will not be long before Cesme is firmly on the map for foreign buyers. Especially now British Airways flies into Izmir 3 times a week throughout the year.

Turkish investment groups are catering to Turkey’s elite with exclusive projects such as Port Alacati, thermal tourism and a proposal for the region’s first golf course. The region already has a number of marinas and wealthy Turkish people love to pose around in their flash cars and designer clothing. However, it’s not all about posing in this area as it is still possible to find charming fishing villages by the sea which have retained their rustic allure. Just spend an afternoon watching the world go by in the village of Ciftlikkoy and you will instantly notice the contrast. Life is so relaxed in these traditional fishing villages that you will soon forget about the faster pace of life. We guarantee you will think it’s truly magical to have discovered such a place.

Kusadasi is a lively resort and has always been a popular package holiday destination since the first tourists started to arrive in Turkey. In recent years, Kusadasi has established itself as a popular place to buy property for British & Irish nationals who have fallen in love with the town due to its friendly atmosphere that caters well to tourists and is close to Izmir airport. The residents of Kusadasi accept that it may not be the prettiest of resorts due to some of the rapid development in the 1990s, but you are oblivious to this when you are enjoying one of its numerous sandy beaches or walking along its palm lined boulevards. Kusadasi is the stopping point for many cruises along the Aegean, as it is situated on the doorstep of a number of historical sites such as Ephesus, Didyma, Priene & Miletus. And if that’s not enough, it’s still possible to obtain some property bargains in this area, hence another attraction for prospective property investors. 

Altinkum is one of those resorts that at first you can’t quite figure what all the fuss is about. But once you head to the long sandy beaches and walk along the promenade you start to realise what makes this such a popular destination with British holiday makers and property buyers. Forget Turkish Lira – virtually everything is priced in £’s in Altinkum. There is no mistaking which nationality predominates in this resort, and they even have their own local English newspaper. But if you want a friendly resort town, lovely sandy beaches and a cheap property in the sun to call home, then don’t dismiss this place. Everything from food, entertainment and properties represent great value for money and the fact that they’ve been catering to British tastes for a number of years, means the locals really do understand that you may like your chips crispy & your egg yolk runny.

Didim & Akbuk are the resorts close to Altinkum which the property developers have slowly encroached upon due to the demand for property in the area. If you want to escape from the hustle & bustle of Altinkum’s bars, restaurants & beaches, then Akbuk situated 10km south of Altinkum may be just the ticket as you feel closer to nature than tourism in Akbuk. Didim is famous for the Tempo of Apollo and is close to the other archaeological sites of Miletus and Priene, thus forming part of the archaeological triangle in this region. When the Temple of Apollo is floodlit at night, it is then that you realise what a magical place this is. Where else in the world can you buy such affordable property so close some of the most outstanding remains of the ancient Greek world?

Marmaris is the holiday resort that everyone has heard of in Turkey and there is no disputing that Marmaris has a party town atmosphere. But take time to enjoy a drink by the marina, in the backdrop of the pine clad mountains and explore the narrow streets of the old town near the castle, and you will discover the other side to this town. For properties close to Marmaris, but away from the thick of the action Armutalan and Icmeler are a good choice. To get away from it completely then you must visit Turunc. The village by the sea where the day trippers visit, but you feel you’ve discovered somewhere special as the “high street” is nearly always deserted.

Datca should be visited if you want to explore the real Turkey, get off the beaten track, experience picture postcard views and enjoy small towns and villages where time stood still. This coastline is famous amongst the sailing community and both Datca and Bozburun are stopping points for sailors needing to replenish their stocks and recharge their batteries at the local eateries. Datca is a charming town and is relatively unknown by foreign tourists as those who have discovered Datca tend to have stopped off for a few hours or a couple of days on their sailing holiday. Previously Datca was only popular with Turkish second home owners and only recently, the road to Datca was improved making access easier for motorists. Hence property prices are lower than in Marmaris, but are increasing as property developers have started to realise that there is foreign interest in this little fishing town. Bozburun still remains to be a small town where not a lot goes on and you would struggle to find any new development at present, but things will slowly change. Selling properties to foreigners is still in its infancy in this region given the 3 hour drive to the airport. But well worth the drive if you’re looking for pure escapism.

Dalaman – The New Golfer’s Paradise? Everyone is talking about Dalaman but where’s all the development and new apartments at bargain prices? At the moment, not alot appears to be happening, but start to explore the outskirts of Dalaman, the flat lands near Sarigerme and into the mountains and you will start to notice the development. The Turkish government & business community is investing heavily in this region. There is the development of several new golf courses, hotel complexes promoting thermal tourism and of course not forgetting the expansion of Dalaman airport, with airlines such as British Airways now offering flights to Dalaman. So something is definitely going on? However, you currently need exceptional vision because at the moment there is little in the way of visible tourist infrastructure. But given the cheaper property prices in the Dalaman area and the short transfer time to the airport (10 mins), it makes this an area worth considering as prices will rise once the developers are close to completion. So for keen golfers or budding investors who can no longer afford a place near the golf course in Spain or on the Algarve, don’t delay. Think of Spain twenty years ago and secure your place now!

Sarigerme also put on the map by property developers, is a small resort village where little goes on. Imagine yourself in the scene of a cowboy film arriving at the last chance saloon. The main street is empty but you can sense that people must be around somewhere. Gradually people start to appear from their shops and restaurants. You now have a description of life in Sarigerme. Given its close proximity to the airport and the new hotel and golf projects it will eventually dust off this image, but for now, there is very little to do. Sarigerme is ideal for those who want a quiet place to escape within easy access of the airport.