The number of residential properties sold in Turkey increased 33 percent in the January-March period, totaling 341,038 units, the country’s statistical authority said on Wednesday, according to the state-run Anadolu news agency.
In the first quarter houses financed by mortgages increased by 238.6 percent, totaling 129,299, Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat) data showed.
“First time sales amounted to 107,432, down by 0.4 percent, while previously lived-in residences numbered 233,606, a 57.2 percent increase,” it said.
In the January-March period, 10,948 homes were sold to foreign nationals, an increase of 13.8 percent over the same period last year.
Meanwhile in March, 108,670 houses were sold in the country, marking a 3.4 percent increase compared to the same month last year.
“During the month Istanbul enjoyed the highest number of house sales with 18.3 percent and 19,846 residences sold.”
This was followed by the capital, Ankara, with 12,409 sales and Izmir, with 7,131, 11.4 percent and 6.6 percent of the total, respectively.
Housing sales to foreigners decreased by 3 percent in the month compared to the same month last year, totaling 3,036.
Iranians topped the list of foreign buyers in March with 465 houses, followed by Iraqis (426), Russians (227), Afghans (184) and Palestinians (119).