5 good reasons for owning a house in Turkey’s Izmir

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In a place like Turkey where diversity takes roots in the centurieslong history of multiculturalism, every corner of the country brings something unique to the table with regards to culture, tradition, values and overall outlook. Naturally, some areas tend to be more influential and prominent than others.

Izmir is one of such places. An ancient settlement that has grown into a large, modern metropolis proud of its rich history and becoming.

As may be expected, this Aegean city has established a large population, offering its residents a distinct way of life.

Izmir has become a major point of attraction not only for local migrants, but also expats, who established one of Turkey’s largest expat communities in the city.

Evidently, foreigners are also becoming more interested in settling in Izmir more profoundly. The province of Izmir has broken back into Turkey’s top 10 of the most popular provinces among foreign real estate buyers for the past two years. Prior to that it hasn’t appeared on the list since 2013.

That being the case, let’s see why owning a house in Izmir might be a good idea.

1. Bustling city

With nearly 3 million inhabitants Izmir is the third most populous city in Turkey. These statistics alone will help you understand to some extent how large and bustling of a city is Izmir.

It’s a metropolis in every meaning of the word: from job opportunities to comfort, from housing options to entertainment. A city as big as this will accommodate to your every need and desire.

Izmir surely rivals Istanbul in terms of bustle, activity and movement, albeit on a smaller scale – it’s calmer, less chaotic and offers much more breathing room.

Although, when it comes to nightlife, a key feature of a big city, some may argue that Izmir might be ahead of Istanbul. But that, of course, is something everyone would have to see for themselves.

 

2. Abundance of getaway locations

In addition to hosting a metropolis, the province of Izmir is also one of the most beloved tourist destinations on the Aegean.

Here you can take the full advantage of the gorgeous Aegean coast by visiting one of Izmir’s beaches in vibrant seaside towns of Çeşme, Urla or Alaçatı. Alternatively, for a more laidback getaway you may choose the town of Seferihisar, Turkey’s first member of the Cittaslow’s “slow cities” network.

 

You can also unwind in one of Izmir’s numerous small picturesque villages, where you would fully appreciate the famed Aegean lifestyle and cuisine.

To dive deeper into Izmir’s millennialong history you can visit one of the ancient cities around the province, with Ephesus, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, leading the list.

Meanwhile, to experience nature first-hand there is the Gediz River Delta, where thousands of flamingos stay for months for breeding, and many other sites.

The aforesaid places and activities are just the most popular and famous on offer in Izmir, where many more await their discovery.

 

 

3. Comfort

Most large cities suffer from more or less the same challenges that makes life a little more uncomfortable. If we were to choose, primary issues would be public spaces and movement around the city.

Izmir scores well on both.

You will find plenty of great public spaces throughout the city for residents to enjoy, including parks and kilometerslong seafronts. And more resources are pulled to improve and enrich the city in this regard.

When it comes to getting around the place, Izmir has an already robust public transit system that allows residents to effectively reach every corner of the city. Yet a significant effort is under way to further improve the public transport, directing fewer people to using personal vehicles.

The city and province authorities are also betting big on making Izmir a bicycle city, planning to expand the citywide bike lane network by several times by the end of 2020s.

4. ‘Western’ city

Though technically not in Europe, if you research Izmir online, you will most definitely come across several mentions of it being “the most European” or “the most Western” city in Turkey.

And to some extent that is true.

İzmir

A trip to Izmir would reveal that locals have indeed been influenced by “the West” more that perhaps any other place around Turkey.

Though it would be more accurate to say that people here adopted a comparatively more European lifestyle rather than have fully taken it on.

To some it’s a considerable advantage as it gives more sense of familiarity when moving.

5. Sound investment

Even if not for personal use, a property in Izmir is still a reasonable investment.

As with other lucrative regions on the Turkish real estate market, the demand in Izmir is growing and so do the prices.

At the same time, the property can be leased as finding tenants should hardly be problem.

Not only Izmir is a big city that attracts many migrants, it’s also a city that hosts several major university with tens of thousands of students in need of housing.


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