Property for Sale in Fethiye

Property in Fethiye

Fethiye is a city and district within the Mugla province of Turkey, and one of the most popular areas for British buyers, along with Bodrum and Kalkan.

Also part of the Dalaman airport ‘catchment area’ that covers a large number of micro-markets that include the year-round town of Fethiye (85,000 inhabitants), including Calis beach, the popular resorts of Ovacik and Hisaronu.

It also includes the inland town of Uzumlu, the Dalaman area itself (quite Turkish), the unspoilt areas of Sarigerme and Dalyan, and the chic little yachting mecca of Gocek.

Its popularity is down to the fact it’s a great area for tourism with the vast Saklikent Gorge nearby – and the Saklikent ski resort a little further inland – plus the stunning 18km long Patara beach as well as the much-photographed Olu Deniz (or Blue Lagoon).

This whole stretch is littered with Lycian ruins, some of which are viewed in glass-bottom boat trips along this “Turquoise Coast” or via inland jeep safaris.

It has one of the oldest British (and largest) ex-pat communities who love the fact it is a vibrant year-round town with all the necessary amenities: hospitals, banks, supermarkets etc.

Where to Buy Property in Fethiye 

Prices in this area are propped up by domestic and broad international demand but there may be some scope for negotiation as UK demand has dropped off a little in 2016.

In Fethiye town you’ll pay over £100,000 for an apartment overlooking the marina, whilst on the closest island to the harbour, Sovalye, you can buy a frontline villa for £700k.

The Calis Beach area, just west of the centre, is popular and being flat and compact, is perfect for the retired. It’s got a vast array of bars and restaurants along the seafront, and  good year-round bet. It’s also affordable: a three-bed resale villa can be bought from £100,000 to £175,000, apartments from £50,000.

Whilst Oludeniz area is sought-after for its fabulous beach and lovely laid-back village – it is a big tourist attraction, there is relatively little property permitted for sale there as it is a protected area (so be wary of anything on offer there).

So anyone wanting to profit from the hefty rentals demand around Oludeniz should look at nearby Hisaronu or Ovacik, just inland a little: they are both easily accessible with the regular dolmus minbuses that ply between all these holiday areas.

Two-bed apartments in the livelier Hisaronu (it’s very much a young, British crowd but great for apartment holiday rentals but dead in winter) cost from around £60,000 whilst the pine-surrounded village of Ovacik is quieter, less densely packed with holiday apartment complexes.

You can get an apartment in Ovacik for £50,000, or villas  from around £100,000.

The wine-growing town of Uzumlu 15km inland from Fethiye appeals to those seeking to escape the bars and nightclubs completely for a more authentic Turkish experience. The village itself is a pretty with cobbled streets and Ottoman style cottages, and in the green valley around it, backed by mountains that are snow-capped in winter, you can get a wide choice of detached three-bed villas for around £100,000.

You will need to drive 15 minutes to Fethiye – so elder property hunters should think about the necessity to have a car always and the fact it is cut off from amenities - but the upside is that you get more space and privacy.

In the past five years quite a little expat community has grown up as a result – it’s a bit like a village in France 40 years ago – and there are around 200 British owners there now.

Other options include the rural/beach Sarigerme area (villas from around £145,000), another inland village, Kemer (not to be confused with the larger resort of the same name near Antalya); or the upmarket area of Gocek that has been a playground for the Istanbul set.

Gocek marina has got a great café culture but choose your location carefully - you can get an apartment there for around £100,000, although a small villa would be nearer £200,000, a luxurry apartment £300,000 to £400,000, a six-bed version with views and boat access would be around £1m plus.

Buyers Need to Know

Make sure that land or properties outside village boundaries or in protected natural areas have the correct habitation licences/building permissions. Oludeniz, Sarigerme and Dalyan are areas to treat with caution.