What is the advantage of purchasing a property in Turkey as opposed to doing so in Spain, for example?

 Property in Turkey is still the lowest priced of anywhere in Europe that has some kind of infrastructure. The cost of living here is very low too, so money goes a long way.  British people who want to retire here can do so very comfortably, by investing their savings into a high interest bank account and living off the monthly interest.

Is there such a thing as a “licensed” Estate Agency as in the UK?

Yes. If an agency is licensed they will display a tax certificate on the wall. This shows that they are declaring their profits for tax purposes, and are therefore, legal.

Can I get a mortgage here in Turkey, to buy property?

Previously this was not an option however ISBank and AKBank have just started in July 2007 to offer mortgages.  Details will follow shortly.

Will I need to keep coming to sign things, throughout the purchase process?

No. We will manage the sale for you if you are unable to come here. The important thing is the signing for the transfer of deeds from the seller to you.

What if I buy an unfinished property and it is not completed by the due date as advised by the builder at the time of agreement and sales contract?

We will ensure that there is a penalty clause in your contract, whereby the builder will have to pay compensation to you if this happens. This usually has the effect of ensuring that they do, in fact, complete on time, and quite often early.

What if something goes wrong, like the seller changes his mind?

This cannot happen after you have signed a sales contract with a solicitor. If the buyer TRIES to do this, you will be covered by a clause in the original contract. Suenos Overseas will be there to work on your behalf in the unlikely event of this happening.

What if I want to rent out my property?

A waiter/barman I know has told me about a great bargain of a property. Should I buy from him?

What is the minimum amount of money we will need to completely furnish a property?

Can we bring pets into Turkey?

All transactions and contracts are supported by a legally certified English Translator. At the time of the contact an Independent Certified Government translator will be there to type an English translated contract and answer any questions you may have.

Throughout the entire purchase of your property, the solicitor will represent your interests. A contract is drawn up between the seller and the buyer, which is checked thoroughly by both parties before signing. Suenos Overseas will not become involved in any sale without a Solicitor and Translator.

New buildings are surveyed by law by a Government body (the Yapi Denetim) whilst they are being erected. The thickness of horizontal and vertical support columns is checked, the amount of iron in these supports, and the consistency of the concrete too. The seller should be able to give a guarantee of up to 10 years on new buildings. With older resale properties, we can arrange a building survey for you if you wish. We can help you after purchase if you want to take out buildings and contents insurance.

If you notify Suenos Overseas as soon as you have booked your flight, we can arrange return airport transfers and reasonably priced accommodation or ask about our subsidised inspection trips

Yes, now you are able to take money back out of the country in pounds sterling. It is advisable to do this via bank transfer, as then there is a record of the money leaving one country and entering the other.

Yes. You need to pay buyers tax, which is a one-off payment of 3% of the purchase price of the property.  And you will then pay property owners’ tax, which is a form of council tax, every year, which is 0.5% of this price. This is normally due in January, and can be paid all at once, or in two instalments, January and June. There is also a community tax, which is for roads, street lighting, services and rubbish collection. This is now integrated in with the water bills, so there is no separate payment for this.

Yes, no problem as long as you both sign the initial sales contract.

Yes you can, but will need to apply for a residency permit. To get this you need to prove that you have an income or savings of a sufficient amount to support yourself, as you are not legally allowed to work unless you have organised a Work Permit.

Your entry visa will show that you can stay, for touristic purposes for a maximum of 90 days. At the end of this time you should leave the country, but can return at any later date, and will simply purchase a new three monthly visa upon entry again.

Any of the Turkish banks will accept foreigners as clients. Your passport and Turkish Tax No is always required. Cash point cards are available and can be applied for once the account is open. A bank account is especially useful if you will be having monies transferred from the UK.

There is no such thing as NHS here in Turkey. There are government and private hospitals, and the government places are generally frequented by locals who pay insurance through their jobs. Private treatment is very cheap, being about 60% less than in the UK, and for some specialist treatments, even up to 200% less. Dental treatment is the same, with private consultations being a fraction of the cost of in the UK, and very high standards. Private health insurance is available for those who want it.

Turk Telekom is the National telephone company, and you can have the telephone installed, but you will need to have a residency permit.

There is a wide selection of satellite packages available. This is available in many languages, including English. There is a package also named Digiturk which is similar to Sky.  For this package an installation fee and 1 year subscription payment will be required.

Especially in July and August, which are the hottest months, it is a necessity. Most of the modern units available now can blow out cold air when it is hot and warm air when it gets cold.