The Practical Islamic Finance Podcast

The Ups and Downs of Finding a Home in Turkey: How much do I Pay?

July 11, 2023 Rakaan Kayali
The Ups and Downs of Finding a Home in Turkey: How much do I Pay?
The Practical Islamic Finance Podcast
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The Practical Islamic Finance Podcast
The Ups and Downs of Finding a Home in Turkey: How much do I Pay?
Jul 11, 2023
Rakaan Kayali

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The Ups and Downs of Finding a Home in Turkey: How much do I Pay?

DESCRIPTION OF EPISODE

I'm currently residing in Turkey and will be discussing my rental costs at the end of this video.
I offer some insights about Turkish tourist visas, which are granted for three months.
If I want to extend my stay beyond three months, I have to apply for temporary residency, allowing an additional six-month extension.
To qualify for temporary residency, I need to have a rental agreement in place for at least six months. In Turkey, rent is generally paid upfront and properties are usually rented out for one year.
There are restrictions on renting in areas where more than 25% of the residents are foreigners. Applications for temporary residency may be rejected in these areas.
Rentals through Airbnb are not accepted for temporary residency applications.
My strategy was to rent an Airbnb for one month initially, with the goal to find a long-term rental during this period.
I noticed the Turkish people's commitment to cleanliness in their homes, businesses, and streets.
The area of my initial rental was far from the city center, lacked continuous sidewalks, and required inconvenient taxi rides, especially since I had a stroller.
I discovered a new suitable area in the city of Fethiye.
The host of the newly found Airbnb asked me to cancel the reservation as he wanted to increase the price.
With just 48 hours left on my initial rental, I had to find a new place on Airbnb.
The new place had low ceilings, causing problems for me and my wife. This experience taught me to be cautious of overly eager sellers, properties with slanted ceilings, and properties without reviews.
I requested a refund from the host due to the problems we encountered, but the host refused.
I then found a new place in a prime location, which I consider my "dream house".
I contacted Airbnb support for a refund from the problematic property. After a few unsuccessful attempts, a representative named Fredo managed to secure a full refund for me.
I'm currently very pleased with my new rental - a three-bedroom house in a prime location for around $1,700 per month. I've heard of others paying less, but I suspect their properties may not offer the same standard of living.
I hope my experiences can provide useful lessons to others.

TIMESTAMPS

Intro 0:00
Visas 0:52
Temporary Residency 1:10
Our Plan 2:56
Second Airbnb 4:02
Third Airbnb 4:52
Airbnb Red Flags 5:28
Leaving "The Grave" 7:25
Talking to Airbnb Support 9:28
Getting the refund 11:13
Turkey Rent 11:42

CONTACT US

salam@practicalislamicfinance.com

ABOUT OUR PODCAST

Our podcast is about helping people build wealth in an ethical way. We cover a broad range of topics including stock and crypto investing, product reviews, and general financial well-being.

DISCLAIMER

Anything you hear in this video is an opinion. It is not personalized financial advice. Make sure you do your own due diligence before making any investment decisions.

Show Notes Chapter Markers

► Kindly, leave us a good review if you enjoyed the episode!

► More from PIF: https://linktr.ee/practicalislamicfinance

The Ups and Downs of Finding a Home in Turkey: How much do I Pay?

DESCRIPTION OF EPISODE

I'm currently residing in Turkey and will be discussing my rental costs at the end of this video.
I offer some insights about Turkish tourist visas, which are granted for three months.
If I want to extend my stay beyond three months, I have to apply for temporary residency, allowing an additional six-month extension.
To qualify for temporary residency, I need to have a rental agreement in place for at least six months. In Turkey, rent is generally paid upfront and properties are usually rented out for one year.
There are restrictions on renting in areas where more than 25% of the residents are foreigners. Applications for temporary residency may be rejected in these areas.
Rentals through Airbnb are not accepted for temporary residency applications.
My strategy was to rent an Airbnb for one month initially, with the goal to find a long-term rental during this period.
I noticed the Turkish people's commitment to cleanliness in their homes, businesses, and streets.
The area of my initial rental was far from the city center, lacked continuous sidewalks, and required inconvenient taxi rides, especially since I had a stroller.
I discovered a new suitable area in the city of Fethiye.
The host of the newly found Airbnb asked me to cancel the reservation as he wanted to increase the price.
With just 48 hours left on my initial rental, I had to find a new place on Airbnb.
The new place had low ceilings, causing problems for me and my wife. This experience taught me to be cautious of overly eager sellers, properties with slanted ceilings, and properties without reviews.
I requested a refund from the host due to the problems we encountered, but the host refused.
I then found a new place in a prime location, which I consider my "dream house".
I contacted Airbnb support for a refund from the problematic property. After a few unsuccessful attempts, a representative named Fredo managed to secure a full refund for me.
I'm currently very pleased with my new rental - a three-bedroom house in a prime location for around $1,700 per month. I've heard of others paying less, but I suspect their properties may not offer the same standard of living.
I hope my experiences can provide useful lessons to others.

TIMESTAMPS

Intro 0:00
Visas 0:52
Temporary Residency 1:10
Our Plan 2:56
Second Airbnb 4:02
Third Airbnb 4:52
Airbnb Red Flags 5:28
Leaving "The Grave" 7:25
Talking to Airbnb Support 9:28
Getting the refund 11:13
Turkey Rent 11:42

CONTACT US

salam@practicalislamicfinance.com

ABOUT OUR PODCAST

Our podcast is about helping people build wealth in an ethical way. We cover a broad range of topics including stock and crypto investing, product reviews, and general financial well-being.

DISCLAIMER

Anything you hear in this video is an opinion. It is not personalized financial advice. Make sure you do your own due diligence before making any investment decisions.

Intro
Visas
Temporary Residency
Our Plan
Second Airbnb
Third Airbnb
Airbnb Red Flags
Leaving "The Grave"
Talking to Airbnb Support
Getting the refund
Turkey Rent