Just bought an apartment in Yenişehir district of Mersin.

[PeteJF 41]

We spent almost two weeks looking round apartments trying to find something we liked within our price range. We thought we had found a suitable place on Tuesday   only for it to be sold before I could get the money transferred. Still at last we have found and paid for an apartment, going back to Antalya next week to sort out the removal of furniture and stuff from stepsons apartment to the new place, also have to get the shipping company in the UK to send our stuff over.

[Ken Grubb 1,258]

Congratulations, Pete! Great to hear you found a good place.

I am wondering, for my own education. Isn't there a way you can pay a deposit on a property, so the owner can't sell it until you get the money together?

Good luck to you on your move.

[JustinM 27]

They can accept a deposit, but unfortunately the past has made both buyer and seller very weary in Turkey. Lots of fraud in the Real Estate Sector in the past and still ongoing in many parts of Anatolia. It's imperative to use a realtor and have signatures and written statements for every transaction along the way. It's getting better from what I'm told as police finally start to build cases and courts decide to prosecute. 

[PeteJF 41]

Hi Ken

My Turkish stepson who has had experience of working at an emlak office dealt with the buying of the apartment. He confirms what JustinM said about getting  signatures and written statements for every transaction along the way.  We bought the apartment in my wife's name, since she is Turkish it apparently saved on the need for bureaucratic  checks on myself.

[PeteJF 41]

We finally moved into the new apartment on July 16, Stepson#1 moved in a few days before to get things sorted out but was not able to do everything. The internet connection was not yet ready, it turned out that the delay was due to a manager being off sick and so not signing the work order. Still some things to be done, we do not yet have gas connected so are having cold showers and it took until yesterday to get the hob fitted in the kitchen.

Still waiting for my stuff from England to be shipped, not sure when the company will do that or how long it will take.

It looks like we will not need air conditioning as we are a bit inland and can get a cool breeze through the place by opening doors and windows. There is a regular minibus service into central Mersin. Still some developments going on in the area which is a mix of new apartment and older village housing. The area in front of us is undeveloped and apparently designated as "not for housing"  we have been told that it may eventually be turned into a park.

It is very quiet in the daytime but last night I could not sleep and noticed that the dogs in the area were having a barking session between one and two in the morning - I wonder what they were discussing?

[Ken Grubb 1,258]

Thanks for the update, Pete, I'm glad things are (mostly) going smoothly!