Getting to know the Turkish Riviera

The Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines of Turkey are now on the British property buyer’s map.

For one thing, Turkey is a bridge between Europe and Asia. Its Islamic culture might have made British property investors hesitant to cross over into another culture. Furthermore, the southern Turkish Riviera is difficult to get cheaply. But that’s all about to change with the Easyjet, which is expected to herald low-cost air access to the coastal resorts. With EU membership looking more certain within the next ten years, investment therefore appears less risky in the eyes of prospective buyers. In the past three years, the number of Brits buying property on the Turkish Riviera has grown from hundreds to thousands. These owners have discovered that it is not plainly Eastern, but more like the established resorts on the Med – just with minarets thrown in for good measure.

Last year 1.8 million Brits visited the country; in total, Turkey welcomed 21.1 million visitors. Turkey though is not resting on its laurels. The government has set a target of generating 15 per cent of its Gross Domestic Product from tourism by 2016. Last year it was 5 per cent. In order to achieve this, the Turkish government is thinking ahead. Robert Nixon of Nirvana International explains, “The infrastructure in the Riviera is already in place, miles before property is being built. This shows how seriously the Turkish government takes tourism.”

The bulk of this infrastructure is concentrated on a stretch of the Turkish coastline that runs for several hundred kilometres from the resorts of the central Aegean to the Mediterranean resort of Alanya, collectively known as the ‘Turkish Riviera’. Here, although the summer temperatures can be relied upon to touch or even exceed 30°C and winter temperatures rarely drop below 15°C, both the colour of the sea and the quality of the resorts vary considerably. While the sea laps ashore in a whole paint chart of blues, from cobalt to azure and especially turquoise. The resorts run the full spectrum, from the good to the bad and the downright ugly.

The central and southern Aegean coast was the birthplace of foreign tourism in Turkey. Visitors are drawn to its attractive combination of pine-green forests marching down to quiet coves washed by turquoise waters and its civilised smattering of Ancient Greek archaeological sites.

Cesme, the westernmost town in Turkey, has clocked up a century of tourism. It is just a pebbles throw from Hios in Greece. This proximity to Greece has certainly had an influence on the town, which is built around two streets of old Greek houses. But evidence of other influences is abundant – such as Ottoman-era fountains and a Genoese castle. For Brits looking to buy property, Cesme’s value is as a low-key resort, so it would suit those who would like to have a reasonable number of resort facilities without feeling that they are contributing to the overdevelopment of the Aegean coast. Although Cesme’s beaches are not in this classic category, the coves at Altinkum (’Golden Sand’ in Turkish), nine kilometres south of the town, are both attractive and relatively free of big buildings. One property currently available is a three-bedroom semi-detached duplex villa a few minutes from Cesme’s town beaches. The property is on the market through Holiday Homes in Turkey for approximately £61,000.

Posted on: Turkey

Living and Working in Portugal

Citizens of EU states are so much lucky since they could enter Portugal by just showing a valid passport or identity card. On the other hand, visitors who opt to stay not longer for three months don’t need to apply for a residence permit. For those who intends to stay for three months to about a year need to apply for a temporary residence permit and those new arrivals who intend to stay longer in the year in the country need to apply for a full residence permit. The permits can be acquired from the Servico de Estrangerios Fronteiras. While applying for a residence permit, you will be issued a receipt which you will need to obtain your cartao. A residence permit should be carried at all times since this is your official identification card.

Posted on: Portugal

Morocco attracts British property buyers

“People are drawn to owning a home in Morocco with its cheap property prices and cheaper living costs. However, the country is also a good bet for savvy investors”, says Kate Baddeley.

Just a short hop across the water from Europe one will find the North African kingdom of Morocco. The country is rich with contrasts from the immense deserted beaches to the hustle and bustle of the colourful markets. The last five years have seen a considerable rise in the number of foreigners buying houses in Morocco. The market is focused on second home buyers, but there is strong rental occupancy in Morocco. The country is starting to appeal to those interested in Morocco’s investment potential.

Posted on: Morocco

July 13, 2007

Istanbul set for flights and property boom

Istanbul may soon start attracting more British property buyers than ever. This is before following an announcement that Easyjet will begin a thrice-weekly service to the Turkish city from next month.

Plans for the route had originally been put on hold following a delay in the low-cost airline being awarded an operating licence from the Turkish authorities. However, the final plans for the service have now been approved and from 1st August it will be possible to reach Istanbul from the UK for as little as £30.99, with flights on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. What’s more - as of 4th September - the frequency of these flights will become daily, a measure which could really open up Istanbul’s property market to British buyers.

Posted on: Turkey

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Getting to know the Turkish Riviera

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Morocco attracts British property buyers

Istanbul set for flights and property boom

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