Expat Community > Turkey

gnat
Joined 2021
Posts: 6

Visiting / living in Istanbul area for American

9 months ago

Hi, I'm expecting to visit Istanbul for the first time in February. But I'm not a tourist. Once I get there, after a few days to of orientation, I'm going to begin looking for a place to buy (up to, say, $500K USD) , to live for a few years. I presume I'm going to like Istanbul well enough; everyone I know who has been there tells me it is quite nice.

What are the nicer/safer/more-friendly areas around Istanbul (say, within a 1.5 hour drive of the airport) I should consider? I want the neighborhood to be clean, safe, and --ideally-- reasonably “walkable” for groceries, cafés, parks, etc. Someone told me some neighborhoods are favored by social European expats (Germans, etc.) -- and I think that might be nice?

I could also use a recommendation or three for a decent, but not extravagant, hotel for a week or two. Maybe something near city center or, at least, walkable to things worth seeing?

There are probably a million questions I'd like to ask, but I think I should start with neighborhood recommendations?

P.S. Can anyone recommend a website with a good selection of residential real estate for sale?

Thanks!

William Russell

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William Russell

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William Russell

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Visiting / living in Istanbul area for American

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