How to buy property in Turkey

TURKEY is a vast country, more than three times the size of the UK, with a total coastal length of 5000 miles. Discover Turkey Homes specialise in property along the entire holiday coastline from the Aegean through to the western Mediterranean coast, an area stretching from Kusadasi in the west to Alanya in the east. Antalya, Bodrum, Izmir and Dalaman are all served by their own international airports, which also serve the various other resorts we cover. Another recently opened airport is Gazipasa which is only 30 minutes’ drive away from the centre of Alanya.

Looking at a map gives no hint of the enormous variation from one place to another, just as someone planning a visit to the UK could not be expected to appreciate the differences in our coastal settlements such as Torquay, Brighton and Fishguard, much less the subtle change in character from one suburb to another. We are well aware that a summer spent on the west coast of Wales would be very different from a holiday on the west coast of Devon or Scotland; yet on a map, the distance between them is not vast.

A UK resident faced with selecting property in Turkey needs to consider similar issues. Discover Turkey Homes, with its partner companies Romance of Turkey in Alanya and Oracle Properties based in Didim in the west (amongst others), have extensive knowledge of the various regions and can help to match you with the area and property type that best suits your personal preferences.

Altinkum, which is located on Turkey’s south Aegean coast, is very popular with British holiday makers, but unlike its neighbours Bodrum & Kusadasi, it is small and relatively quiet, making it perfect for families with young children and those seeking an easy going relaxed lifestyle. The name “Altinkum” means “golden sands” and the town boasts three long sandy beaches offering a range of watersports. These beaches are the town’s main attraction.

The town is packed with many good restaurants and bars although the British influence is significant with many of the restaurants offering English fare and a number of British style pubs.

Whilst not as rowdy as some of the major Turkish holiday resorts, those who wish to indulge will find plenty of after dark entertainment and fun in Altinkum, where nightlife is centred mainly in Dolphin Square and in the bars along the sea front promenade. Everything from disco dancing, karaoke and belly-dancing to bingo and pool is on offer.

There are two golf courses planned for the area which will provide an added attraction and have a positive impact on property prices.

Sandwiched between the sparkling sea and the magnificent Taurus Mountains, Alanya is one of the most important towns on the Mediterranean coast. The ancient castle sits majestically high on the steep cliffs above the town, providing a breathtaking backdrop to Alanya’s two long, sandy, spotless beaches.

The old town is a maze of meandering streets and alleyways, tempting shoppers with their colourful boutiques and stalls. A major revitalisation and expansion of the old harbour allows cruise ships to dock, and the picturesque promenade is lined with vibrant new restaurants and cafés. Alanya was a notorious pirate stronghold in Roman times and its 13th century shipyard, flanked by a mosque with its ancient guardhouse is still in evidence today.

The main road, lined with flowers and palm trees, runs along the seafront from the beautiful park to the lively new yacht marina which is in the Old Harbour area. The town has a lively Mediterranean character, reflected in its popular fish restaurants, modern hotels, bars, clubs and large supermarkets.

Alanya enjoys a mild climate, with 210 to 320 sunny days per year. The mountains to east, north and west shelter the town from the cold winds from the interior, making it possible to bathe in the sea throughout the 12 months of the year. These ideal weather conditions, together with the extremely fertile land, means that a large range of tropical plants and fruits can be cultivated all year round. Beach activities include windsurfing, parasailing, jet-skiing, banana boating and dinghy sailing. The wildlife reserves and unspoilt rivers are well worth seeing in this modern natural paradise.

During the winter season, it’s possible to mix days on the beach with skiing and snowboarding up in the mountains. All-year-round golfing is easily accessible from Alanya. Twelve-month access to your holiday home could be supported by a good rental demand, as the town is less than two hours’ drive from Antalya airport.

Direct charter airlines run flights throughout the year to Antalya airport, making this one of the best shortfall destinations available to western Europeans. The flight time from most UK airports is less than four hours.

The largest city on this coast, Antalya is a well-established tourist destination with its own international airport. Direct flights from the UK bring visitors all year round to enjoy the stunning scenery and historical sights. Winter sports have also attracted tourism to Antalya: just 50 km inland is Saklikent, located on the slopes of the dramatic Bakili mountains.

In March and April, it is possible to ski there in the morning and relax on the beach at Antalya later in the day. There are good buy-to-let opportunities here due to the proximity of the airport and Antalya’s popularity as a tourist destination.

A relatively new area for tourists, but fast becoming an extension of Alanya, its close neighbour. With a much smaller town centre, Avsallar has a more relaxed atmosphere.

The beach here is one of the finest on the Turkish Riviera, with golden sands in a natural bay. Most of the property is set back in the hills and forests that overlook the town, offering tranquillity and wonderful views.

This area may be the most natural of the Turkish Mediterranean coast, with an abundance of wonderful picnic areas.

Located between Antalya in the west and Side to its east, Belek has become Turkey’s foremost golfing centre, recognised as such by the Turkish government.

There are nine top-class courses with a further five planned. This area offers great investment potential, but not just to golfers: the town itself has undergone major regeneration, with fountains and tree-lined avenues and many new shops and bars. The beach is long and sandy, offering new facilities for a wide range of adventure sports such as windsurfing, rafting, sailing, water-skiing and mountain climbing.

See “Discover... the golf courses” for full details.

Bodrum is a charming and bustling town situated on the southwest coast of Turkey where the Mediterranean meets the Aegean.

It is a vibrant place with many ancient buildings including the medieval Castle of St. Peter, now a museum, which was built by the Knights of St. John from Rhodes, and the Roman amphitheatre that has been restored. The castle is set on a rocky headland between two bays and the main road leading from it, together with the bays either side, form the town centre.

There are numerous shops, bazaars and markets where haggling for goods has become a tourist sport. The town is a very popular holiday destination offering the charm and character of the older quarter with its beautiful harbour and marina, its narrow streets adorned with bougainvillea and it’s white-washed houses which are to be found everywhere, while at the same time catering for those looking for a more lively holiday.

Bodrum town also offers a vibrant nightlife with many clubs bars and restaurants, catering for all ages.

Bodrum Peninsula is situated on the southwest coast of Turkey, where the Mediterranean meets the Aegean.

This stunningly beautiful part of Turkey remains unspoilt by tourism and suits those looking for peace and tranquillity in a relaxing atmosphere. The Peninsula is full of enchanting villages, with guest-houses, small hotels and restaurants set in quiet bays.

Beautiful sandy beaches, orange & tangerine groves, tranquil bays, white-washed houses and stunning views typify what the Peninsular has to offer.

Didim is located on the north shore of the gulf of Gulluk opposite the Bodrum peninsula. Tourism is the main source of income for the area, especially in summer, and over the last 10 years there has been a massive influx of British who have bought holiday homes here. Altinkum is part of the Didim district.

The area is served by both Bodrum & Izmir airports.

For the most part Didim is a quiet family resort with a great coastline, and whilst it has a number of small discos, bars and clubs, those wanting a more vibrant nightlife are likely to prefer Bodrum town.

A new $50m marina has recently opened and it is anticipated that this will have a very positive effect on both the level of tourism and property prices in the area.

Formerly known as Telmessos, Fethiye is located on a beautiful island strewn bay on the lovely Turquoise coast of the Mediterranean. It is set against the magnificent backdrop of the Taurus Mountains and is only one hour’s drive from Dalaman airport.

The town is now a vibrant holiday destination, with the picturesque old quarter being packed with bazaar-style shops, restaurants and bars. A wide range of boat trips are available at the nearby waterfront and the town’s natural harbour offers a sheltered haven for visiting yachtsmen. It also offers a plethora of water sports such as wind surfing, sailing, paragliding and scuba diving.

The town has access to a variety of lovely beaches with Oludeniz (15kms) offering one of the largest and most stunning beaches in Turkey.

In the last ten years Fethiye has become a magnet for British citizens. Apart from its climate and natural beauty, Britons are attracted by its less expensive lifestyle and the hospitality of the local people.

These two typical Turkish villages which are adjacent to one another, have joined forces to become the most active focal points for tourism in the area.

Only 15 minutes from Fethiye town centre, Ovacik and & Hisaronu are surrounded by stunning mountains and lush green pine forests. These once sleepy villages have combined to create a lively resort which has a distinctly British atmosphere.

The nearest beaches are the famous lagoon of Oludeniz (regarded as one of the best beaches in Turkey), which is only 5 minutes drive away, and the pebble and sand beach of Belcekiz. A dolmus (small bus) leaves the resort every five or ten minutes for the beach. The villages have an array of bars, restaurants and shops.

This is a small, charming, peaceful Mediterranean resort and fishing town on the lovely Turquoise coast of Turkey. It is set around a beautiful bay, with a sheltered and historic harbour which nestles at the foot of the magnificent Taurus Mountains.

The town remains unspoilt and untouched by mass tourism and exudes a charm and character which according to the Sunday Times, "attracts the kind of visitor who would enjoy Tuscany or the Dordogne!"

Narrow streets twist down to the harbour and are lined with old whitewashed villas with shuttered windows, situated alongside small local specialty shops and restaurants in historic buildings. Kalkan is noted for its fine choice of restaurants and bars, many of them roof terrace restaurants, which offer wonderful views over the town, the harbour and the sea.

Set on a spectacular rocky stretch of Mediterranean coastline, the lovely unspoilt town of Kas with its pretty harbour, is similar in character to its neighbour, Kalkan.

This beautiful, charming little town offers many sea front cafes, restaurants and bars, while the harbour is used as a base for boating & scuba diving excursions to explore various sunken villages and towns in the area and also as a safe haven for visiting yachtsmen.

Built on a hill running down to the vivid blue Mediterranean, Kas has an abundance of narrow winding streets scented with jasmine flowers and offering plenty of little guest houses, bars and restaurants.

Steeped in a colourful history, there are many fascinating places to visit within easy reach of the town.

Kusadasi is one of Turkey’s principal holiday resorts. Situated on the west coast of Turkey, about 90kms south of Izmir, Kusadasi attracts many visitors interested in seeing such historical sites as Ephesus & Didyma. It boasts a “Mediterranean” type climate with 300 days of sunshine a year.

It is said to be one of the most beautiful cities facing the Aegean Sea, since the scenery and landscape of the area is just as fascinatingly beautiful as its history. It has been a centre of art, culture and history since it was founded in 3000 B.C. Today, it resembles a modern European city.

The city offers numerous sandy beaches providing an array of water sports facilities and a great choice of bars discos and restaurants.

Kusadasi also boasts one of the largest marinas in Turkey.

Mahmutlar is an extension to Antalya, some 10 km to the east. The town itself is very new and fresh, with the infrastructure following the rapidly expanding development.

The local scenery is pretty, with a long beach promenade from the centre boasting shops, supermarkets, restaurants and bars. Being slightly further from the main airport at Antalya, property prices here tend to be more affordable than the rest of the area, with most developments being apartment buildings close to the sea.

Set against a backdrop of pine clad hills, Marmaris is a resort that combines natural beauty with an astounding zest for life. Famed for its nightlife, the most extravagant on the entire South coast, this highly developed resort offers the best of both worlds; the nightlife is un-ending, and numerous clubs and bars stretch along the coast from the elegant Marina to the curve of Icmeler, the smaller resort close by.

On the other hand, the surrounding countryside offers the best in culture, due to the succession of scenic roads and sympathetic villages which lead to ancient ruins and unspoilt beaches. Perfect for all age groups, Marmaris is one of the most popular resorts in Turkey.

The pretty and historic town of Side (pronounced See-Day) is spread over a large area, each with its own shopping centres, bars and restaurants.

Two golden beaches stretch either side of the main town, which is entered through the ruins of an ancient amphitheatre that contrasts vividly with modern architecture.

Side would suit an investor looking for peace and quiet rather than the excitement of a bustling resort like Alanya.