Capital Growth & Investment

Turkey property is a ‘Prime Destination’ for Investment

Turkey has been described as a "prime" destination for property investment. Turkey's infrastructure has evolved to provide foreign buyers with the support and access necessary for development opportunities to become attractive. The Turkish government is focusing on developing the country's tourist industry to reach 15% of its Gross Domestic Product by the year 2020.

Turkey’s infrastructure has made this destination more accessible, with new roads and enlarged airports being built and existing road and air routes being expanded and has made property in Turkey more popular. This popularity is now evident in Istanbul where Turkey property prices have been increasing steadily for a number of months.

These rises have been underpinned by high tourist numbers and a stable economy, as well as efforts to keep inflation in check.

Turkey’s foreign minister has recommended his top choices for Turkey property investment hotspots in accordance with Turkey’s Tourist Development Regions, these areas include Cesme, Dalaman, Didim, Antalya, Manavgat and Oymapinar.

With Turkey experiencing unparalleled publicity for its rapidly growing tourism industry, this has helped and continues to fuel the massive demand in Turkey property sales. This is set to continue with Turkey rapidly becoming a dominant competitor in the international tourism market.

The area around Dalaman is particularly popular amongst Turkey property investors as the Turkish government is improving the tourism infrastructure in an attempt to make this area one of Turkey’s top tourist attractions. This investment includes the expansion of Dalaman airport, the building of three marinas and the area’s first golf course. As this investment programme is only in its early stages, property prices have not yet reacted. This is certainly an area of great potential to Turkey property investors.

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Turkish Property values to double:

Turkey property values are set to double in the next three years as the government continues to make improvements to encourage investment, a property sector expert has predicted.

In the last two years, property values in Turkey have increased by 40 per cent, but according to New Turkish Properties, the figure will double before the end of the decade.

The Turkish government have and continue to support the growth by building new roads and motorways and increasing the number of chartered flights in to and away from the country.

The Turkish Government are also offering fantastic interest rates to people buying property in Turkey and with the advent of off-plan mortgages also being encouraged for the later part of 2007, the Turkey property market is set to expand and continue.

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Turkey Property Mortgages Available

Turkey has been tipped to become the next property hotspot thanks to the introduction of mortgages in October 2006. Mortgages were only introduced in Turkey a quarter of a year ago, but insiders are already stating that the effect this is having on property in Turkey is extraordinary.

Property expert Assetz have stated that capital growth on homes and dwellings in the Middle Eastern nation is strong, as is demand. With mortgages introduced at completive rates of 5.9% per cent which will only encourage demand for holiday homes and investment property in Turkey

Now the country has been tipped by several experts as the next big emerging property destination for Britons and other overseas property buyers and with the introducing of 80 per cent loan-to-value mortgages, investors and holiday home purchasers will now find it much easier to be able to get themselves a property in the sunny climes of Turkey.

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Turkey is joining the European Union

On October 3^rd 2005, Turkey started the long road to joining the European Union.

Predicted by the end of 2015, according to the European commission’s agriculture report that deals with farming, Turkey is assumed to be an EU member state in eight years time, adding that its agricultural produce equates to that of the last ten nations that entered the union before Romania and Bulgaria.

Because the road to EU membership is going to take time, means there are still another 5-10 years before Turkey property prices raise substantially. Prior to EU membership, there are many factors yet to be discussed and many of Turkey’s issues that need to be corrected before incorporation will be seriously considered. However Turkey has some strong backers for its entry and when it does get accepted into the EU, it is reasonable to expect the price of property in Turkey to rise greatly in line with a huge surge in tourism.

Serious Investors look for key indicators when investing in property worldwide and just one of those indicators is the European Union. They are looking for indicators that will increase steady growth. Joining the EU in the future is a major step to financial security in the countries property market.

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Is the Property Boom in Turkey?

With the indicators shown on this page, it’s very likely to predict that Turkey is at the beginning of a "property boom". Growth in Turkey property prices can be triggered in two ways, under value of property or demand outstripping supply. Both these factors are presently the situation in Turkey especially in the major investment areas such as Antalya, Istanbul and Dalaman.

Real estate and money management experts at Jones Lang LaSalle have claim that Turkey is among the leaders in €26 billion (£17 billion) worth of investment in property. Jeremy Eddy of Jones Lang LaSalle told the London Stock Exchange (LSE) that "investor interest is moving further east" leading to "the first major transactions taking place in Turkey" and other parts of Eastern Europe.

Investment in Turkey during 2006 rose 77 per cent on 2005's figures and during the last quarter of 2006 some €10 billion (£6.6 billion) was pumped in, 40 per cent of the annual total.

These figures are strong indication of increasing popularity and demand for European commercial properties, attracting a growing number of investors year-on-year.

The current attraction for investing in property in Turkey is the current value for money. The Turkish property market still offers excellent quality properties at prices that most other locations of a similar calibre could not offer 10 years ago. These prices, combined with the outstanding expected growth and powered by strong market drivers, offer property investors a unique opportunity.

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Turkish Tourism Market

During 2005, the rate of tourism saw a 29 per cent growth in the number of arrivals to Turkey shores. Incoming tourist receipts also amounted to US$11.9 billion (£6 billion) in 2005.

With over 25 million tourists to visit Turkey during 2007, this in turn will boast the Turkey property market. A major indication of the current state of any property market is the tourist trade. In Turkey the tourist market has been there with the Germans, British and Russians for many years and now is seeking unprecedented growth as the country gains more exposure in the international press. The possibility of Turkey becoming an EU member country will reinforce this exposure in the world property market place.

Current investment demand for Turkey’s property markets is also reflected in the 25 million tourists predicted for 2007.  This translates into solid rental yields by buy-to-let investors who purchase in the best tourist locations.

The golf region of Turkey is located within the Turkish Riviera, on the Mediterranean coast in Antalya, with over 11 championship golf courses, including the Colin Montgomery and Nick Faldo course, with Bernard Langer set to follow. The Antalya region is set to become the hottest place in Turkey for golf property investments and buy to let rental opportunities. No other region has seen massive increases in Tourist numbers and property growth than the Turkish Riviera.

Championship Golf has been an effective market driver in many successful property markets around the world for many years. Spain has used golf to generate a very strong secondary season with thousands of golfers flocking to its shores to play golf during a time when they can’t play their sport at home. With golf being so popular around the world many developments are now being constructed around or near golfing facilities. Turkey and namely Antalya is no different.

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Avoid Capital Gains Tax

Turkey also offers some tax incentives that are of high interest to property investors, such as its regulations regarding capital gains tax. If you sell your Turkey property after four years, there is no capital gains tax. Property that is sold before the period is over will be charged at the standard rate of income tax (between 15% and 35%), calculated on the difference between the buying and selling price.

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Turkey Economic Overview

The Turkish economy continues to strive towards more robust economic stability, which was unprecedented for at least three decades. Macro economic indicators show that economic stability and structural reforms implemented since the 2001, gaining ground and paying off in terms of –among others - five year uninterrupted growth, huge FDI inflow, price stability and increased trade volume.

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Price Stability

The inflation rate which was 63.5 per cent in 2001, has been reduced to 9.65 per cent in 2006.

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Sustainable growth

The Turkish economy which had a minus 9.5 per cent growth rate in 2001, had growth rates of 7.9 per cent in 2002, 5.9 per cent in 2003, 9.9 per cent in 2004 and 7.6 per cent in 2005. In the first nine months of 2006, a growth rate of 5.7 per cent has been realized. Turkey has been continuously growing over the past 19 quarters.

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The Economic factors that make ‘Investing in Turkey’ worthwhile.

• Property prices are still lower than equivalent European hot spots
• Cost of living is 1/3rd of that in the UK
• The process for incorporation of Turkey into the EU has started.
• The Mediterranean coast offers an all round season for good holiday rental opportunities.
• Excellent property investment growth is predicted with holiday operators and airlines increasing capacity.
• Low property acquisition and ongoing taxes
• Fastest going economies attracting large corporate investments
• Rich in cultural history and ancient historical ruins
• Excellent road and air networks providing good infrastructure around the country
• Turkey has some of Europe’s attractive and stunning beaches making it a very popular holiday destination

Voted 3rd in the A Place in the Sun television programme to buy property (2005) and 4th most popular as a destination by the A Place in the Sun reader (2006)