Quick answer
Foreign purchases remain concentrated in a small number of markets. Istanbul leads for work, education, rentals and full-time city living. Antalya and Alanya are the main Mediterranean choices for year-round use. Mersin offers newer housing at lower prices, while Bodrum attracts buyers looking for villas and private coastal homes. Ankara is a non-resort option for residence, education and healthcare.
What the Latest Sales Figures Show
Foreign nationals bought 2,015 homes in Turkey in June 2026, equal to 1.6% of all home sales that month. Istanbul recorded 837 transactions, Antalya 667 and Mersin 149. The January–June total reached 9,083. Russian citizens made 381 purchases in June, while Ukrainian and Iranian citizens bought 170 homes each.
The full-year figures show how the market has changed:
| Year | Homes Sold to Foreign Nationals | Share of All Home Sales | Leading Provinces |
| 2023 | 35,005 | 2.9% | Antalya, Istanbul, Mersin |
| 2024 | 23,781 | 1.6% | Istanbul, Antalya, Mersin |
| 2025 | 21,534 | 1.3% | Istanbul, Antalya, Mersin |
Sales to foreign nationals fell by about 38.5% between 2023 and 2025, while their market share dropped from 2.9% to 1.3%. Istanbul, Antalya and Mersin remained the leading provinces, with Istanbul overtaking Antalya in 2024.
* Important Note: These official figures represent title deed registrations rather than immediate purchase agreements. Since many properties are bought off-plan with delivery taking 2–3 years, title deeds are typically transferred upon final payment at project completion. Therefore, these statistics act as a record of ownership transfers rather than a real-time indicator of current market contract volume.
Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK) ranks provinces, so Antalya’s total includes Alanya, while Muğla’s includes Bodrum, Fethiye and other districts. Demand can vary considerably within the same province.
Main Property Markets for Foreign Buyers
Istanbul
Istanbul combines foreign demand with a large domestic market, giving well-located homes near transport, universities and employment centres a broad year-round audience.
Maslak, Levent, Şişli and Kağıthane provide access to business districts, metro lines and modern apartment buildings. Başakşehir, Kayaşehir, Beylikdüzü and Büyükçekmece offer newer family developments and larger layouts further from the centre. Homes along the Bosphorus, in Nişantaşı and in selected Zeytinburnu projects sit in a higher price range, where the address, view and building standard carry significant weight.
Antalya
Antalya’s airport, hospitals, schools and year-round services support both permanent residence and holiday use. Buyers still need to distinguish established neighbourhoods from construction-led areas.
Lara and Konyaaltı have established residential streets, transport and services. Altıntaş has a large supply of new projects. Kepez usually offers more internal space for the budget and suits buyers who do not need to walk to the sea.
Alanya
The right part of Alanya depends largely on the purpose of the purchase.
| Purchase Plan | Areas | Why They Fit |
| Full-time residence | Oba, Alanya Centre, Cleopatra Beach, Damlataş, Tosmur | hospitals, schools, shops, transport and easy access to central Alanya |
| Established international community | Mahmutlar | large resale market, multilingual services and completed homes |
| Lower-priced resort home | Avsallar, Payallar | newer developments and lower prices than central Alanya |
| Buying in a developing area | Demirtaş | lower-priced new housing, with longer journeys to the centre |
| Quieter coastal setting | Kestel | lower density than Mahmutlar and convenient access towards central Alanya |
Kargıcak still suits buyers seeking villas, sea views and larger residential complexes. It is a narrower market than Oba, Mahmutlar or central Alanya.
Mersin
Mersin offers larger or newer homes at lower prices than Istanbul or Antalya, although its coastal districts differ widely in transport, services and winter activity.
Mezitli is the most practical choice for urban, year-round living. Tece has a large stock of newer developments close to the coast. Erdemli, Çeşmeli and Arpaçbahşiş offer lower-priced options further west.
Bodrum
Bodrum has fewer transactions but higher budgets, with demand centred on villas, private residences, sea-view plots and established bays.
Yalıkavak is tied to the marina and the upper end of the villa market. Gümüşlük offers a quieter setting and hillside projects with open views. Torba, Bitez and Göltürkbükü suit families and seasonal buyers at higher price points.
Ankara, Yalova, Bursa, Izmir and Fethiye
Ankara attracts buyers whose plans are not centred on the coast. It ranked fourth for foreign home sales in 2025 and is mainly considered for permanent residence, work, university education and healthcare. Smaller international markets include Yalova and Bursa near Istanbul, Izmir and Aydın on the Aegean coast and the villa-led market of Fethiye.
What to Check When Choosing a Location
Year-Round Practicality and Local Demand
A short distance to the beach has limited value if transport is poor, services close in winter or healthcare is difficult to reach. Areas supported by local residents, workers, students and year-round tenants are also generally easier to rent or resell.
Building Costs and Readiness
Check the building’s age, management, monthly aidat (maintenance fee), shared areas, heating and paperwork. Extensive communal facilities can raise running costs, while a ready and properly documented home is easier to occupy or rent without further work.
Confident Purchase with TERRA Real Estate
In 2026, choosing where to buy property in Turkey requires more than comparing cities by price or popularity. The right location should fit the buyer’s plans for full-time living, seasonal use, rental demand or future resale, as well as the expected maintenance costs and the maturity of the surrounding area.
TERRA Real Estate has been assisting international property buyers in Turkey since 2004. Our team compares cities, areas and individual properties, reviewing the local market, building condition, monthly charges, documents, year-round infrastructure, rental suitability and the likely resale audience before presenting options that match the buyer’s budget and purpose.