Turkish Riviera - What Makes It An Attractive Real Estate Investment Opportunity?

Standing between the Eastern and Western tradition, Turkey is today one of the hotspots of Europe. The Turkish Riviera, also known as "The Turquoise Coast", encompasses thousands of kilometers of shoreline, crystal clear waters, and it is literally strewn with ancient cities, harbors, memorial tombs, beaches, little coves, lush forests and streams.

Purchasing properties located somewhere along the Turkish Riviera is becoming an increasingly profitable business with more and more home owners and real estate investors coming from around the globe. The combination of a favorable climate, warm sea, the hospitality of Turkish People, and abundant natural and archaeological points of interest makes this stretch of Turkey's coastline a popular destination.

One of the most important cities of the Turkish Riviera is Marmaris which is on track to becoming one of the top performing European real estate markets. Marmaris real estate offices are selling all kinds of property, including villas, apartments and houses, in addition to commercial properties and extensive land areas. The sea and sun, nature and history, along with several top level marinas make Marmaris property appealing to jet-to-let investors, tourists, and sailing lovers.

But still, what makes Marmaris real estate market such a potential money spinning investment? The short answer contains several keywords: price and liberal legal framework on top and above the setting, beauty, and climate.

The town of Marmaris is located at the meeting place of the Aegean Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, a harbour surrounded by pine-clad hills. It is Turkey's most sophisticated and multi-faceted holiday resort. This makes Marmaris real estate an inviting world of hotels and apartments for leisure and business visitors. Marmaris has its own charm and an exceptional natural beauty, even though its traditional architecture has been less vividly preserved when compared to other coastal towns. In addition, Marmaris is a very popular wintering location for hundreds of cruising boaters and tourists, also providing regular blue cruise tours, yacht charters combined with the Greek islands, diving tours and daily tours to archeological sites.In addition to all travel services there are also ferry services from Marmaris to the Greek island of Rhodes.

Considering the natural beauty of the city location, it goes without saying that yachting and the tourism industry is the main source of income for Marmaris. In short, we can say that Marmaris has become "the Sailing Holiday Center of Turkey".

As is usually the case, tourism goes hand in hand with a flourishing real estate industry, and Marmaris real estate market is no exception. There are all sorts of Marmaris properties available, either for sale or for rent, from gorgeous villas, stone cottages to city central complexes of sunny duplex apartments. Investors are keen to get the opportunity to purchase prime development land overlooking beautiful picturesque areas, such as Orhaniye Bay, where even the famous Roman Abramovic recently decided to invest.

After starting talks with the EU, Turkey experienced economic growth, which particularly kick-started a boom in Marmaris property prices. Even so, the Marmaris real estate market is comparatively much cheaper than housing markets in Spain, France, the US and Italy, all of which were formerly much preferred by jet-to-let investors.

The option to "live and let" is certainly alluring to a lot of people, thanks to the binary possibility offered: use the property for some of the year yourself and let it out for the rest. That makes Marmaris property such a good investment.

The foreign purchase of Marmaris real estate is widely supported by the Turkish government. The principles governing the purchase of property by non-Turkish individuals or companies, established back in 1934 through the Property Law, were last amended in January 2006, bringing notable changes especially with regard to size limitations. Essentially, the Property Law is predicated on a reciprocity clause, allowing foreigners to buy properties only within municipality and no more than 25,000 sqm of land, constructed or not. For bigger land surfaces, the special consent of the Turkish Council of Ministers is required, which authorised to increase the limit up to 300,000 sqm per person provided that the foreign national ownership of real estate does not exceed 5/1000 of land in any designated province.

Therefore, with such an investor-friendly governmental policy, it is easy to see why more and more foreign investors have entered the Marmaris real estate market.

Gurhan Ebren is a retired naval officer and currently runs El Paso Travels, a Marmaris travel agency specializing in yacht and gulet charters and cruises in Turkey. You can learn more about the blue cruises which visit Cnidus and other sites at http://www.elpasotravel.net/itinaries.htm

Turkey Holidays on the Mediterranean Riviera

The Mediterranean Riviera

The beautiful southern coast of Turkey makes an arc around The Gulf of Antalya, where the sea washes the shores of some of the best seaside resorts in the Mediterranean. The Riviera is where you'll find the top destinations for Turkey holidays of Kemer, Lara, and Belek.

Kemer's Turkey Holidays

On the west of the Antalya Gulf is the resort of Kemer. Perhaps the best of Turkey's luxury hotels in the area takes the name of the region as its own: The Kemer Resort Hotel. This is the foremost family, all-inclusive hotel on these western shores, and Turkey holidays here benefit from the region's fine scenery. Kemer has beautiful views all around with its beach looking east over the sea towards Asia, and behind - looking inland - are the magnificent Taurus Mountains.

The Kemer Resort Hotel is as grand as its backdrop, and modern too. The interior is stylish and vibrant, with giant glass doors, trickling indoor fountains and halls twinkling with lights. The lobby atrium has a high ceiling with a glass lift that ascends a central column. From here you can explore the hotel during your Turkish holidays, taking a tour of the hotel's five restaurants - which include French and Japanese - each styled to match the cuisine.

To make sure your Turkey holidays are relaxing, the hotel has a selection of spa treatments available, but it's the variety of activities on hand that make the hotel great for family Turkish holidays. As well as the pool with its water slides, there is mini golf, tennis, bowling, billiards, water polo, beach volley ball and a cinema, to name a few. And if you feel like leaving the hotel, there's a water park and a dolphinarium not far away.

Turkish Holidays in Lara

Moving clockwise around the Gulf to the north takes us to Lara. This resort is not far from Antalya, the city after which the gulf is named. From here you can see the Taurus Mountains in the distance across the gulf.

In Lara, you'll find The Marden Palace Antalya, the venue of maybe the finest luxury holidays in Turkey. This is a five star deluxe hotel that ranks among the most opulent luxury hotels Turkey and the Mediterranean has to offer. The hotel combines Ottoman architecture with a stylish imitation of a Turkish palace, including hand-painted ceilings, gold leaf adornments, rich fabrics and marble floors.

If you treat yourself to Turkish holidays here you can enjoy a restaurant that has aquariums for walls, filling the dining area with watery blue light. There are fish close by outdoors too, with eagle rays in the reef adjoining the Marden's beach. If you don't want to snorkel with them, you can enjoy the gondolas on the hotel's canal, or take a dip in one of the world's largest swimming pools.

Belek: The Best Luxury Hotels in Turkey

Following the bay away from Lara to the East will lead you towards Belek. The Turkish holiday town of Belek is positioned in the centre of The Gulf of Antalya, halfway to Manavgat. The Kempinski Hotel - the Dome, The Gloria Serenity, and the Rixos Premium Hotel are the three best Belek luxury hotels in Turkey's central Riviera.

You will be blown away if you choose the Rixos Premium hotel for your luxury holidays in Turkey. When a hotel is rated as Five Star Deluxe accommodation, you know you'll be happy with the luxury part of your luxury holidays. Turkey becomes France here in a mall area of boutiques known as "French Street", which looks like an outdoor street scene, but is in fact under cover. The rest of the hotel also has a spacious and open feel, with giant indoor palms along polished tiled hallways, and pretty walkways, bridges and gardens outside.

On the beach, a wooden pier extends into the sea with a decking area of sun-loungers at the end for attaining that Turkey holiday tan. As well as the beach, the Rixos has its own water park with steep and spiralling slides, river channels, fountains and a wave machine.

Whichever side of the Antalya gulf you choose to stay we know you'll enjoy your Turkey holidays on the Turkish Mediterranean Riviera.

Jane Wilkinson is the marketing manager for Cadogan Holidays. This multi award winning travel company has been providing tailor made Turkey holidays [http://www.cadoganholidays.com/destination.aspx?Id=F516853E-8911-49CB-B3FB-90180B00618B&show-tips=false&type=country] with inspirational experiences and the very best luxury hotels in Turkey.