AA Wire: Turks Bought $2.4B in Overseas Housing in 11 Months
"Anadolu Agency: CBRT balance of payments data shows Turkish overseas real estate spending hit an all-time high of $2.4B in Jan-Nov 2025. Sector experts profiled Turkish investor behavior for AA correspondents."
AA Wire: Turks Bought $2.4 Billion in Overseas Housing in Just 11 Months
According to CBRT balance of payments data, the amount paid by Turkish residents for overseas real estate purchases rose 26.2% year-on-year in January–November 2025 to $2.423 billion — an all-time high. Peak monthly spending reached $288 million in August; the lowest month was $144 million in January.
The Turkish Property Investor Profile and Preferred Markets
GİGDER Chairman Bayram Tekçe told Anadolu Agency that demand for overseas housing has grown strongly in recent years, citing lengthening domestic payback periods and inflation as root causes. He identified the UAE and Greece as the two markets with the strongest demand, noting that Dubai offers a "secure, institutional, transparent real estate market with low-tax investment advantages." He drew a key yield comparison: domestic Turkish rental payback can reach 30 years, while in Dubai it stands at 12–15 years.
Greece appeals through its Golden Visa program and tourism sector, providing EU residency and Schengen access — though shallower in market quality than Dubai. The US and UK attract steady interest for currency-denominated income, residency or citizenship pathways, and education. Northern Cyprus also registers on investor radars due to its pound-based market and currency income potential.
Average €500,000: Budget and Product Preferences
Tekçe noted Golden Visa purchases range from €250,000 to €1 million, averaging €500,000, with buyers favoring new, centrally located, easily managed properties with no renovation requirements. He also flagged Spain's Malaga and Barcelona under digital nomad visa programs, and noted Hungary — which launched a Golden Visa — and EU-candidate Balkan countries as offering affordable entry with visa flexibility.
Burak Ustaoğlu: 12-Fold Growth and 3 Core Motivations
International real estate expert Burak Ustaoğlu summarized the structural transformation in CBRT data terms: "The level that stood at $216 million in 2021 has now cumulatively surpassed $2.6 billion. This represents approximately a 12-fold increase. The upward trend in overseas investment has been extremely sharp."
Breaking down the three core motivations, Ustaoğlu explained: "These are 'currency risk and asset diversification', 'return calculation', and 'life planning and the visa/residency equation.' Along the Dubai–Athens–London corridor, demand begins as investment and very rapidly turns into a family relocation plan; in Baku, more accessible budgets and regional mobility motivations are at the forefront." He also highlighted Montenegro and Baku as rapidly emerging destinations alongside the established markets.
$6 Billion Projection for 2026–2027 and the Apartment Preference
International real estate expert Özden Çimen projected that spending could exceed $6 billion in 2026–2027: "Behind this growth are not just domestic conditions but investment opportunities in foreign markets. Profit potential, currency-denominated rental income, and improving visa conditions are directing Turks toward overseas property." Çimen noted Turkish nationals rank in the top 10 buyer nationalities in Dubai, with a similar trend in Portugal and Greece. Turkish buyers prefer apartments over villas, gravitating toward newly launched, installment-based, high-return projects.