According to feedback we received when we conducted a poll of our readers relating to the areas of Turkey that they are most interested in for property purchases there are fourteen distinct areas where people looking for property for sale in Turkey are currently focused.
The areas are Alanya, Altinkum, Dalaman, Fethiye, Side, Marmaris, Bodrum, Antalya, Kusadasi, Calis, Kalkan, Hisaronu, Belek and Bitez. In this article we provide a brief overview of each location to assist those beginning their research into property for sale in Turkey.
Fethiye is in the Western Mediterranean region of Turkey and located about 45 minutes drive from Dalaman airport which makes the resort very accessible. At the moment few tourists actually stay in the resort centre itself, rather they prefer to be located in the likes of nearby Calis for example which also has a large British expatriate community.
Other locations close to Fethiye that are popular are Uzumlu, Hisaronu and Ovacik but potential buyers are warned to avoid the nearby village of Kayakoyu as there are some title deed disputes going on. In terms of the most popular areas in Fethiye then most people are looking for bay views and as a result Karagozler, Tasyaka and Deliktas are all popular locations in terms of property for sale and rent.
Altinkum is on the Aegean rather than on the Med and it is about a one and a half hour drive from Bodrum’s airport. One of the things that make this location popular is its continuing affordability, as Altinkum is that much further away from an airport its less than perfect location means that prices for apartments still start from as little as GBP 35,000.
However – buyer beware - the lower priced apartment developments are generally less well built and suitable only for holiday letting. Investors shouldn’t get too excited by this fact either as there is currently a plethora of supply and a less than impressive level of demand for holiday accommodation in Altinkum meaning that some are struggling to raise an income from their investment properties in Turkey.
The nearby resorts of Camlik and Aytepe offer better accommodation and property for sale options, there is also a marina in the planning stages which should improve property prices and the desirability of the overall location in the near future. Akbuk is another attractive location in the vicinity of Altinkum - it’s about 10km away but quieter and even cheaper than Altinkum and you get more for your money in Akbuk.
Marmaris in the Western Mediterranean region is also about an hour and a half away from the nearest airport which is in Dalaman. This hugely popular resort has recently been subject to a terrorist bomb attack but this does not seem to have affected the level of tourism interest in Marmaris which regularly receives a million plus visitors annually.
Marmaris has fantastic amenities and facilities which add to its attraction and the fact that there are physical geographic restrictions to the amount of property that can be built means that property prices are rising quite quickly in and around Marmaris. An area that’s popular is Icmeler; Armutalan is popular with Turkish buyers looking for a holiday home and Beldibi is a cheaper area that benefits from good transport links into Marmaris town centre.
Alanya in the Eastern Mediterranean region is about an hour and a half away from Antalya airport which has year round charter flights from all across Europe making it incredibly accessible and giving investors the chance to rent out their properties all year round.
In the recent past Alanya has proved popular with Scandinavians, Dutch and the German property buying public but of late the property hungry British and Irish are beginning to make their mark on the investment property scene in and around Alanya. Alanya is a large resort that benefits from plenty of tourism traffic and it has a large expatriate retiree market as well.
Of the development under construction in this part of Turkey there are many apartment buildings so those looking for villas or to get away from the madding crowd could consider Oba or Mahmutlar as alternatives.
Calis is in the Western Mediterranean and about three quarters of an hour from Dalaman airport - as stated previously the resort is close to Fethiye (5km to the north) and it is British heaven in terms of tourists and expats. The downside of Calis, if there is one, is that it is really only a summertime resort and in the winter it’s a bit deserted and empty.
Kalkan which is also in the Western Mediterranean region of Turkey is about 2 hours from Dalaman Airport which has restricted its appeal until recently. Today Kalkan is expanding quickly and remains a very pretty resort – but because infrastructure is not so good and accessibility is limited, prices have stayed low and rental potential has also been quite low.
Only the best located properties rent well in Kalkan – basically those will the best views and in reach of the town’s amenities are most in demand.
Bodrum on the Aegean is just a short drive from Bodrum Airport which is serviced by an increasing number of flight operators especially in the summertime. It’s an incredibly popular resort and an area of Bodrum favored by the British is Gumbet.
Those looking for new developments could consider Gumusluk but it’s worth spending time in and around Bodrum for those seriously interested in property for sale in Turkey because there is so much available but artistic and poetic license sometimes makes the estate agent’s blurbs a little over the top!
Basically Bodrum is a great location for rental potential and there is long term potential too as Bodrum is ever increasing in popularity.
Hisaronu is in the Western Mediterranean region about an hour from Dalaman and quite close to the resort of Fethiye. Recently Hisaronu saw sharp land and property price increases because of an increase in demand and a lack of suitable real estate for sale. Price increases have now slowed down but the supply/demand ratio anomaly still exists which should create ongoing price increases. In terms of potential rental income Hisaronu is a good location for seasonal rental income for the right property.
Belek is in the Eastern Mediterranean and about half an hour or so from Antalya airport and it is HUGELY popular because of one small word - GOLF!
There are already six international standard gold courses available in and around the resort and all are accessible for 12 months of the year. There are great beaches and fantastic amenities in and around Belek too plus seriously good accessibility so Belek is hot, hot, hot.
More golf courses are in the planning and development stages meaning that competition is heating up forcing courses to lower fees thus improving the popularity of Belek with a wider base of tourists. Belek is also one of the Turkish government’s dedicated and designated tourism areas so there is a great deal of investment being ploughed into infrastructure and amenities.
Belek is great for investors and tourists but less great for home seekers as beach access is being restricted by the amount of hotel development. As with other popular areas of Turkey only the better built and best located properties actually do represent good value for money.
Side in the Eastern Med is three quarters of an hour away from Antalya airport. The Kemer residential area of Side is most popular with British expats and overall the town is seeing a lot of new development but some new properties are actually a long way away from the resort’s amenities making them poor investment choices.
Side is definitely a family resort and a summertime one at that; in the winter it’s quiet. Prices are shooting up quickly because of land availability restrictions and the increase in popularity of the resort as a whole. As in most areas of Turkey currently most popular with overseas buyers, apartment developments are the main property type under construction meaning that there are fewer villas available for those looking to live long term in Side.
Bitez is on the Aegean and just over half an hour from Bodrum’s airport – it’s a small resort popular with windsurfers but with only a few expatriates in permanent residence. Currently there are limited property options but as Bitez is gaining in popularity and its reputation as a beautiful place to live or relax is increasing so demand and developer interest is increasing meaning that it’s one to watch.
Kusadasi is also on the Aegean and about three quarters of an hour away from the airport at Izmir. It’s a strange resort in that it should be popular with holiday makers but it doesn’t quite cut it yet. There is a shorter summer season in Kusadasi which has put off investors and it also means that the rental potential is not so good for those who do commit to Kusadasi as there are only so many tourists and the season is shorter than elsewhere in Turkey.
However – Kusadasi is another one to watch because apparently golf course is a’comin’ and the town is a major stop off point for tourists visiting nearby remains and national parks. There are quite a few Turkish buyers interested in Kusadasi already but all buyers are advised to watch out for bad building practices. A better alternative could be Ozdere which is closer to the airport, lesser spoiled and it’s cheaper.
Dalaman on the Western Mediterranean is probably the most accessible of the fourteen resorts covered in this review. Depending on where in the resort you’re living, staying or investing you’ll be between a 5 and 30 minute drive from the airport and even more importantly than this Dalaman has been earmarked by the Turkish government to become a major tourism hotspot.
There are very large investment plans afoot - plans to develop everything from golf courses to spas to hotels to more housing. Naturally enough these plans have pushed up property prices already but those who buy now are still buying at a speculative point…after all the government could change its mind!
Land prices have apparently risen by as much as 500% in 2 years in Dalaman but buyer beware - be careful where you’re looking as there could be building and land use restrictions. Basically if the plans for Dalaman are pulled off then this will be a property investment goldmine.
Antalya – our final destination is on the Eastern Med and just a quarter of an hour or so from Antalya Airport. Antalya is close to Belek and its golf courses which boost its appeal but it is actually better developed and far prettier than Belek making it even more attractive for those looking for a home in the sun.
Property prices vary massively – for example a simple apartment close to Antalya’s Lara Beach is an excessively expensive option but a villa just that bit further away from the coast can be an affordable and more preferable alternative.
The fact that the town’s airport has year round, Europe-wide flights means that the whole area around the town is very accessible indeed and because amenities and social facilities are good, as is the infrastructure and standard of living, Antalya is popular, its property prices are generally high and they are definitely growing.
