Ian and Steve, Altinkum

In September 2010 my best mate for 30 years, Steve, asked me if I was interested in possibly investing in a property in Turkey either as a half share or a property each. As he had always been a bit of a wiz with investments I confirmed that I would definitely be interested.

Steve had done homework on the internet to see which areas were affordable to us. He had found a company Turkish Connextions which was featuring properties in a place called Altinkum. I had never heard of the place. Steve contacted the company and arranged a viewing trip for us in October.

I arrived a day ahead of Steve as I had more time available off work. I was met at Bodrum airport by Jayne and Izzy who seemed pleasant enough and provided an informed transfer from the airport to the resort. We were accommodated in a lovely apartment that was very nicely furnished. There were snacks, a bottle of wine and a couple of beers provided (being the first to arrive I managed to polish off the wine). Jayne and Izzy suggested a 10.30am pick up to meet and talk at their office about our requirements.

At the meeting they asked what we were looking for and I said a decent apartment or villa as an investment either individually or jointly within a certain budget (in my mind the ideal would have been a property with a sea view but I didn’t say this for fear of them laughing after I had already told them our budget). They felt sure there would be some properties of interest. On the first morning, following on from a guided tour of the Altinkum area, they took me to look round several apartments including a block that had been partially built. After a lunch break they picked me up again in the afternoon to continue viewing more apartments and duplexes. I was impressed with the size and quality of some of the duplexes but there was only really one property that captured my imagination.

That evening I travelled with Jayne and Izzy to the airport to collect my mate Steve. That night I told him about the properties I had seen and was able to explain some were not what we were looking for and that in my mind there was only one that outshone the others for our purposes. I didn’t tell him which one so as not to influence him. The next day we toured around some properties I wanted to take a second look at and several other apartments and villas. The villas we saw were beautiful and tempting but on reflection Steve and I agreed they would probably be more suitable for someone wishing to live in Turkey.

In the evenings we were taken out for some delicious, simple Turkish meals and drinks in a local bar. We also met British ex-pats who live in Altinkum so were able to learn more about life in the area. At the end of the evening, back in the apartment, Steve and I talked for a couple of hours about our thoughts on buying a property. We both agreed that Beachfront Residence was the one we were interested in and although buying an apartment each would have been possible we decided not to stretch our finances and buy just one. The next day in Turkish Connextions office, a holding deposit was paid and the rest of money due was paid in several instalments during the continuing building process of the apartment (we received photographs of the apartment at various stages of the apartment’s construction).

At no time did we feel pressured by Jayne and Izzy into buying a property – it’s not their style – if we hadn’t seen one we liked we would not have felt it a problem to say so. But, in the end, the pull was enough for us to offer to buy. With Turkish Connextions mix of British and Turkish management we felt confident in them assisting in the legal and logistical process of buying a property and supplying of utilities.

Construction was completed in April 2011 and I also visited Altinkum in April in order to furnish the property. June 2011, I stayed in our lovely new apartment with its sea view. We rented out the apartment for a couple of weeks during the summer to raise some cash. In September, Steve and I visited and were able to collect the Tapu (deeds). During that visit we also met some of our neighbours and people who operate local businesses. We now have a very nice apartment to visit whenever we wish and are satisfied that our apartment with its unique location is a sound investment.

Ian & Steve

Turkish Connextions Aegean House, 418 Blackpool Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 2DX
Tel:
01772 735151
Fax:
01772 735252
Email:
mail@turkishconnextions.co.uk
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Tel:
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