Is Torba Ideal for Turkish Property Investment?

Torba, a small village on the hedonistic Bodrum peninsula of Turkey, deserves to win awards for its stunning and open landscapes. Sitting outside of the central town area, life is good for locals who enjoy the crystal blue waters of the Aegean Sea, cool summer evenings and an average of 300 days of sunshine a year.

Surrounded by green forests, the seaside village also laps up unlimited supplies of fresh fish, namely sea bream and bass. Masses of olive groves on the outskirts and surrounding districts are a major production item and its weekly market selling fresh, organic fruit and vegetables is still a social tradition.

So, life sounds quite idyllic but is the village ideal for foreigners who want to buy property in Turkey? Torba has a particular property portfolio so much depends on your budget and reasons for buying.

What Type of Property Are You Looking For?

Despite the rise of tourism in Torba and the Bodrum peninsula in general, it has maintained a village appearance and ambience. As such, apartments in Turkey for sale are few and far. This is not unusual because apartments are only plentiful in places that aspire or have potential to become a large town that Torba does not. Indeed Bodrum apartments buyers will find more choice in other coastal resorts of the Bodrum peninsula.

Most properties are villas in Bodrum averaging in price from £170,000 to 2 million pounds. The good news is that if you are looking for a family home or holiday villa, there are many choices including bungalows that are a rare feature in most modern places in Turkey.

Featuring the latest in modern architecture and design, these country golf club homes are a perfect example of just how far your money will stretch in Torba. Suitable for permanent living because of the gardens and onsite car parking facilities, they will also serve their purpose as a buy-to-let property because of leisure facilities including golf, archery, spa and fitness centre as well as horse riding.

Is Torba Ideal for Potential Expats?

Torba may be just a village, but it still has appeal for foreigners looking to relocate in Turkey. Much of this is because it is outside of the main town area and therefore a slower pace of life ensures everything ticks over just fine. In fact, it might even improve your health. Scientists in the last decade concluded that coastal living is better for us and Torba being a seaside village fits the bill.

Studies have proved a beach environment and view activates neurones that de-stress and reduce anxiety, and many villas in Torba have fantastic sea views to wake up to every morning. At the same time, it also encourages physical activity such as swimming and the real aspect of being at one with nature beats the brick wall of a gym and treadmill any day.

Therefore, if we couple these facts with Turkey’s age-old traditions of eating a diet of fresh fruit and vegetables as well as the trend in Torba of newly caught fish, you have all ingredients for a healthy lifestyle. However, are there amenities and facilities for everyday living? Well, Torba is a fully functioning village in its own right, and local shops sell all essentials items, but just a 15-minute drive away is the main town centre of Bodrum that is a hub for everything and anything.

Is There Buy-to-let Potential?

So, you might be looking for a buy-to-let property instead, in which case, there is potential. Torba is part of the Bodrum peninsula that has its very own airport, just a 30-minute drive away. The central bus station also interconnects with places throughout Turkey, ensuring frequent and easy travel. These two facilities partly explain why Bodrum is a top tourist destination for not only foreigners but also Turks. Torba is also part of the Turkish Riviera, and during summer, yachts frequently dock into the bay.

However, from our experience, Bodrum town or cosmopolitan Yalikavak with its multimillion marina offers more possibility and sources of rental income. Torba although charming, is a lesser-visited tourist area and obviously to maximise your returns, in this case, location is a key aspect. Read more about purchasing buy-to-let property in Turkey and on the Bodrum peninsula here.

Where ever you buy, to boost your rental income, take advantage of free advertising services mostly offered by accommodation websites. Alternatively, you can hire a rental management team on a commission only basis but don’t forget to tell your friends and family because we’ve learned from experience that the best type of advertising is word of mouth.

Do I Need to Learn Turkish?

Many expats and property buyers contemplate the potential language barrier. Regarding a property purchase, you do not need to speak Turkish because, by law, an official and registered translator is required for all legal documents including signing for your title deeds. Regarding living in Turkey, many expats arrive here with high hopes of learning the language.

Unfortunately, not many succeed because it is a known fact that as we get older, it gets harder to learn the language. The good news is that many of these expats stay because it is easy to live in Turkey without knowing the language. For many decades, intellectuals and creative types have occupied the Bodrum peninsula. It has also been a pioneer in tourism for Turkey and because of these reasons; English is widely spoken across the peninsula.

Further Reading

- Download our complete guide to buying property in Turkey. Including the purchase process, residency permits, and taxes, we cover it all.

- See our complete property portfolio for apartments and real estate in Bodrum peninsula.

- Read our extensive area guide about the Aegean coast of Turkey, including information on all districts and neighbourhoods, climate, and things to do.