Expat Community > Turkey

gnat
Joined 2021
Posts: 6

Visiting / living in Istanbul area for American

11 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!

AGS Worldwide Movers

AGS Worldwide Movers can move you to and from anywhere in the world.
Get Quote

AGS Worldwide Movers

AGS Worldwide Movers can move you to and from anywhere in the world.
Get Quote

Living in Turkey Guide

Expats share tips for living in Turkey from job search advice to house hunting to expats' experiences with culture shock and the treatment of women in Turkey.

Turkey Forum
Join our Turkey forum to meet other expats and talk about living in Turkey.

Contribute
Help other expats and newcomers by answering questions about the challenges and adventures of living in Turkey.

Best Places to Live in Turkey

If you're dreaming about living in Turkey, here are the 15 Best Places to Live in Turkey in 2023.

Healthcare in Turkey

An overview of healthcare in Turkey. Topics include: health insurance requirement for residence permit, hospitals in Turkey, quality of medical care and more.