Property for Sale in the Marmara Region: Istanbul to Sapanca
The Marmara region is the centre of Turkey: Istanbul with its two airports, Bursa on Uludağ, Lake Sapanca and the coast from Yalova to Tekirdağ. Property for sale in the Marmara region is usually a flat to live in or to let, not a pure holiday home. We show you which location suits you.
Saturday morning in Kadıköy: you pick up a simit from the baker on the corner, the tea arrives in a tulip glass, and outside the ferries cross the Bosphorus. Two hours further east, someone sits on a veranda by Lake Sapanca and hears only birds and water. Both are Marmara, and you can buy either.
The Marmara region at a glance
The region lies around the Sea of Marmara in the north-west of Turkey. Istanbul is the middle, and Bursa, Yalova, Kocaeli, Sapanca and Tekirdağ lie in the surrounding area. Further south-west, on the northern Aegean, come Balıkesir with Ayvalık and Edremit, and Çanakkale on the Dardanelles.
People work, study and live here. Demand for flats runs all year, because people live here and do not just come on holiday. Istanbul is loud and fast. Sapanca and Yalova are the opposite: weekend places where Istanbul people escape when the city gets too much.
- Airport
- Istanbul (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) airports
Who the Marmara region suits
- Investors who want to let in Istanbul
- Buyers of Turkish heritage with family in the region
- A weekend house by the lake or on the coast
- A year-round home in a real city
Property for sale in the Marmara region: flat, house, plot
Buying a flat in Marmara
City flats and residential complexes are the offer you find most often: older flats in established neighbourhoods, new-build on the edge of Istanbul, residences with services.
Buying a house or villa
Houses and villas stand in the surrounding area, at Lake Sapanca, near Yalova and on the Thracian coast. In Istanbul itself, a house with a garden is the exception.
Buying a plot
Plots are available in the surrounding area. We check the development status and the earthquake zone for you before you even meet the seller.
By the sea, with a sea view or an affordable start
Sea view here means a view of the Sea of Marmara or the Bosphorus, and in Istanbul that costs more accordingly. You can get in affordably in the residential complexes on the edge of the city and in the coastal towns near Yalova and Tekirdağ, where the money for a flat in central Istanbul buys you a house. Villas with a pool are in the surrounding area and at Lake Sapanca, and right on the sea more on the northern Aegean near Ayvalık and Edremit. If you want a classic beach life, you are better off on the south coast, and we tell you that openly.
Why the Marmara region
- Economic centre with demand all year
- Two international airports with direct flights from Germany
- City, lake and coast within two hours‘ drive
What we check in the Marmara region before you buy
- We check the earthquake zone, year of construction and structural safety
- Traffic in Istanbul costs time
- Prime locations on the Bosphorus are expensive
Places in this region
Istanbul
Metropolis on two continents, a market for every budget
Bursa
Green big city on Uludağ, two hours from Istanbul
Yalova
Thermal baths, greenery and ferry views of Istanbul
Kocaeli
Economic region between Istanbul and Sapanca
Sapanca
Lake, bungalows and weekends in the green
Tekirdağ
Coast, vineyards and quiet west of Istanbul
Balıkesir
Province between the Sea of Marmara and the Aegean, olive groves and coast
Ayvalık
Stone old town, olive groves and islands
Edremit
Gulf, olive groves, thermal springs and Akçay
Çanakkale
Dardanelles, Troy, Bozcaada and Gökçeada
Still not sure Marmara is right?
Then let’s talk. One conversation, no obligation, and afterwards you will know whether Marmara is your place or another one is.
Have a quick chatWhat we do for you in the Marmara region
In the Marmara region we work with a network on the ground that we have known for years, and we coordinate from Antalya. We listen, look for suitable properties, have them viewed on site and send you photos, video and an honest opinion. We check the Tapu (title deed), building permit, Iskan (occupancy permit) and any charges, and we work out the additional costs for you beforehand. Advice costs nothing, and if a property is no good, we say so.
What buying in the Marmara region costs
Allow around 4 to 5 percent of the purchase price: Tapu fee, valuation report, DASK insurance (compulsory earthquake insurance). We work out the exact sum for your property. Everything is in the guide to additional costs, and the process is in the guide to the buying process.
Before you fly to the Marmara region
Why Marmara instead of the coast?
Because here you get a city where you can live and let, with demand in January as in July. If you want beach and holidays, look at Antalya or Alanya instead. If you love Istanbul or have family in Bursa, you are in the right place.
Can I buy a flat in Istanbul as a foreigner?
Yes, buyers from the UK and Europe can buy flats, houses and plots in Turkey, except in military zones. You need a tax number and a Turkish bank account, and we help you with both. Ownership only passes with the entry in the Tapu.
How high are the additional costs of buying?
Allow roughly 4 to 5 percent of the purchase price. That includes the Tapu fee of 4 percent, which in practice the buyer usually pays, the valuation report from about 5,000 TL and the DASK earthquake insurance, without which you cannot get an electricity connection. We work it out exactly for your property.
How safe are buildings in the earthquake region?
We clarify that for you: we look at the year of construction, structural safety and the building permit documents before every viewing. New-builds to current standards and checked older buildings make the shortlist, the rest do not.
Is a weekend house near Sapanca or Yalova worth it?
If you live in Istanbul or are often there, yes. Both places are one to two hours away and fill up at weekends. For pure holiday letting you have to allow for the season.