Turkey is back in favour with international holidaymakers, with 2018 set to be a record year for tourism. Foreign interest in coastal property is on the rise again too, with destinations such as Kusadasi offering great value second homes. We take a closer look…

Turkey’s pretty beach resorts, affordable lifestyle and bargain holiday homes are once again proving irresistible to foreigners, including Britons, with 2018 shaping up to be a bumper year. In 2016, Turkey suffered a steep fall in interest from overseas tourists and property-buyers, due a period of political disruption and its proximity to the war in Syria. But today, all signs point to a turn-around.

In March alone the number of Turkish properties bought by foreign buyers increased by almost 16 per cent compared to the same month in 2017, according to the Turkish Statistics Institute. Turkey welcomed three million foreign visitors in the first two months of 2018, which is not only a 35 per cent hike on the same period last year but puts it on course for attracting a record 40 million overseas tourists for the whole year. Echoing this trend, leading holiday company Thomas Cook said package holiday bookings to Turkey are already up 84 per cent for this year compared to 2017 and the country is the standout success of all its destinations in 2018.

Resorts along Turkey’s pretty Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines remain hot spots for foreign homeowners and one of those enjoying a rise in popularity is Kusadasi.

Some of the best value properties in Kusadasi can be found in the newer neighbourhoods of Degirmendere and Guzellikici, which are within walking distance of the beach and amenities, and still not far from the resort’s lively waterfront. Or for a quieter, more traditional community, there is the village of Davutlar, 15 minutes south of Kusadasi and close to Paradise Beach and the scenic Dilek Peninsula National Park.

David Morris [pictured above] from Manchester owns a three-bedroom villa in Davutlar with his Turkish-born partner Sibel. They were one of the first people to invest off-plan in their complex, paying a deposit of approximately £22,000 in 2015. Their property took just nine months to complete and in summer 2016 David paid the final balance, using a mortgage from the London branch of Turkish Isbank, and collected the keys.

David and Sibel chose to buy in Kusadasi as it’s where Sibel’s family also own a second home. Having their own property in the resort means the couple and their two young children can spend summers there with their relatives.

“It’s great that the children are able to spend quality time somewhere nice with their Turkish family,” continued David. “We treat the property as a second home so we don’t rent it out. We’re planning to purchase another villa at the development in a couple of years, which we could let to friends and family. When I retire a few years down the line I’d like to spend half the year out there.”

David and Sibel’s semi-detached property includes upstairs and downstairs bathrooms and balconies off each of the bedrooms, while outside they have a large covered terrace. With 24-hour security, communal facilities include three swimming pools, some with water slides, landscaped gardens, play areas, and tennis and volleyball courts.

Surrounded by fruit trees and in the shadow of the Dilek Mountains, unspoilt Davutlar is famous for its natural thermal springs and clean air. Historically a popular second home destination with Turkish city dwellers, the small complexes of semi-detached houses and villas being built there are beginning to attract foreigners.

“It’s a lovely place to spend time,” concluded David. “Eating out is especially good value and enjoyable. Right now there is a wave of artisan-style restaurants opening up, where fresh meat and produce from local farmers are cooked over open coals. One has just opened five minutes’ walk from our villa – four of us recently ate there and the total bill, including wine, came to just £27!”

Home to the Mediterranean’s fourth largest cruise port and one of Turkey’s largest marinas, Kusadasi boasts a lively old town and kilometres of sandy beachfront, which includes the famous Ladies Beach. Other highlights include the nearby UNESCO-designated Ephesus ruins, three world-class water parks and at least one golf resort. Izmir Airport is just an hour’s drive away via motorway while Bodrum Airport is an hour and 45 minutes, and there are regular ferries to the Greek islands of Samos and Patmos.

Turkey’s pretty beach resorts, affordable lifestyle and bargain holiday homes are once again proving irresistible to foreigners, including Britons, with 2018 shaping up to be a bumper year. In 2016, Turkey suffered a steep fall in interest from overseas tourists and property-buyers, due a period of political disruption and its proximity to the war in Syria. But today, all signs point to a turn-around.

In March alone the number of Turkish properties bought by foreign buyers increased by almost 16 per cent compared to the same month in 2017, according to the Turkish Statistics Institute. At the same time, Turkey welcomed three million foreign visitors in the first two months of 2018, which is not only a 35 per cent hike on the same period last year but puts it on course for attracting a record 40 million overseas tourists for the whole year. Echoing this trend, leading holiday company Thomas Cook said package holiday bookings to Turkey are already up 84 per cent for this year, compared to 2017 and the country is the standout success of all its destinations in 2018.

Resorts along Turkey’s pretty Aegean and Mediterranean coastlines remain hot spots for foreign homeowners and one of those enjoying a rise in popularity is Kusadasi. Home to the Mediterranean’s fourth largest cruise port and one of Turkey’s largest marinas, Kusadasi boasts a lively old town and kilometres of sandy beachfront, which includes the famous Ladies Beach. Other highlights include the nearby UNESCO-designated Ephesus ruins, three world-class water parks and at least one golf resort. Izmir Airport is just an hour’s drive away via motorway while Bodrum Airport is an hour and 45 minutes, and there are regular ferries to the Greek islands of Samos and Patmos.

Some of the best value properties in Kusadasi can be found in the newer neighourhood of Degirmendere and Guzellikici, which are within walking distance of the beach and amenities, and still not far from the resort’s lively waterfront. Or for a quieter, more traditional community, there is the village of Davutlar, 15 minutes south of Kusadasi and close to Paradise Beach and the scenic Dilek Peninsula National Park.

David Morris from Manchester owns a three-bedroom villa in Davutlar with his Turkish-born partner Sibel. They were one of the first people to invest off-plan in their complex, paying a deposit of approximately £22,000 in 2015. Their property took just nine months to complete and in summer 2016 David paid the final balance, using a mortgage from the London branch of Turkish Isbank, and collected the keys.

David and Sibel chose to buy in Kusadasi as it’s where Sibel’s family also own a second home. Having their own property in the resort means the couple and their two young children can spend summers there with their relatives.

“It’s great that the children are able to spend quality time somewhere nice with their Turkish family,” continued David. “We treat the property as a second home so we don’t rent it out. We’re planning to purchase another villa at the development in a couple of years, which we could let to friends and family. When I retire a few years down the line I’d like to spend half the year out there.”

David and Sibel’s semi-detached property includes upstairs and downstairs bathrooms and balconies off each of the bedrooms, while outside they have a large covered terrace. With 24-hour security, communal facilities there include three swimming pools, some with water slides, landscaped gardens, play areas, and tennis and volleyball courts.

Surrounded by fruit trees and in the shadow of the Dilek Mountains, unspoilt Davutlar is famous for its natural thermal springs and clean air. Historically a popular second home destination with Turkish city dwellers, the small complexes of semi-detached houses and villas being built there are beginning to attract foreigners.

“It’s a lovely place to spend time,” concluded David. “Eating out is especially good value and enjoyable. Right now there is a wave of artisan-style restaurants opening up, where fresh meat and produce from local farmers are cooked over open coals. One has just opened five minutes’ walk from our villa – four of us recently ate there and the total bill, including wine, came to just £27.”