The Turkish real estate market has witnessed notable activity over the past three months, despite economic changes and rising financing costs. Sales have continued at significant volumes in the domestic market, alongside the continued presence of foreign investors.
According to the latest data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), Turkey recorded a total of:
380,992 residential property sales
during June, July, and August 2026.
This figure reflects the continued presence of an active and large-scale real estate market, despite variations in performance from one month to another.
But what share of these sales came from Turkish buyers? What percentage came from foreigners? And which foreign nationalities purchased the most real estate in Turkey?
June 2026: Nearly 130,000 Homes Sold
The period began with strong performance in June.
Turkey recorded 129,979 residential property sales in June 2026, representing an increase of 15.8% compared with June 2025.
Of these sales, 2,015 properties were sold to foreigners, marking an annual increase of 20.1%.
Foreign buyers therefore accounted for approximately 1.6% of total residential sales during the month.
The rest of the market accounted for approximately 98.4% of sales.
Another notable development was the increase in mortgage-financed property sales, which rose by 72.1% year-on-year in June to reach 25,993 transactions.
This is an important indication of continued domestic demand for real estate.
July 2026: Foreign Buyers Continue to Purchase
In July, Turkey recorded 123,603 residential property sales.
Sales to foreigners reached 2,120 properties during the month.
Here, an important positive point emerges:
Despite a decline in total market sales compared with July of the previous year, foreign property sales increased by 1.9% year-on-year.
The foreign share also rose to 1.7% of total sales.
The remainder of the market therefore accounted for approximately 98.3% of sales.
Mortgage-financed sales also recorded an annual increase of 23.7%, reaching 23,888 transactions.
August 2026: More Than 127,000 Sales
The market remained active in August, with 127,410 homes sold across Turkey.
Foreign investors purchased 1,938 properties during the month, representing approximately 1.5% of total sales.
The remaining sales therefore accounted for around 98.5% of the market.
Although total sales declined by 14.7% compared with August of the previous year, foreign sales remained broadly stable, recording a slight annual increase of 0.1%.
Mortgage-financed sales also increased by 7.2% compared with August 2025.
What Happened Over the Three Months Combined?
When the data for June, July, and August 2026 are combined, the picture becomes clearer.
Total residential property sales reached:
380,992 properties.
Sales to foreigners reached:
6,073 properties.
This means that foreign buyers accounted for approximately:
1.59%
while the rest of the market represented:
98.41%
This means that domestic demand is the main driver of the Turkish real estate market, while foreign buyers represent a smaller but important segment, particularly in cities and regions that attract international investors.
Which Foreigners Are Buying the Most Real Estate in Turkey?
TÜİK data shows that Russian citizens remained at the top of the foreign buyer rankings during the three-month period.
In June, Russians purchased 381 properties, compared with 170 properties purchased by Iranians and 170 by Ukrainians.
In July, Russian purchases increased to 394 properties, followed by Iranians with 189 properties and Ukrainians with 145.
In August, Russians purchased 343 properties, followed by Ukrainians with 147 properties and Iranians with 140.
Combining the three months gives:
Russia: 1,118 properties
Iran: 499 properties
Ukraine: 462 properties
Russia therefore remained clearly ahead of the other two leading foreign nationalities in terms of property purchases during this period.
Why Do the Numbers Appear Positive Despite Fluctuations in Sales?
The real estate market should not be evaluated solely based on whether sales increase or decrease in a single month.
Several indicators deserve to be considered together.
First, more than 380,000 properties were sold in just three months.
Second, foreign investors maintained their presence in the market, with foreign property sales recording year-on-year growth during all three months: 20.1% in June, 1.9% in July, and 0.1% in August.
Third, mortgage-financed sales also recorded annual growth throughout the three-month period, making this an indicator worth monitoring when assessing the direction of domestic demand.
Therefore, the market is not moving in a single direction. Instead, it is a large market going through a period of rebalancing, while both domestic and foreign demand continue to be present.
Turkish Buyers Are the Main Force Behind the Market
One of the most important conclusions from the figures is that the Turkish real estate market does not primarily depend on foreign buyers.
Around 98.4% of sales during the three-month period fell outside the category of sales registered to foreigners according to the TÜİK definition, compared with approximately 1.6% for foreign buyers.
This is also an important point for foreign investors themselves.
The market they are entering does not depend solely on foreign demand. Instead, it has a very large domestic demand base.
This makes studying Turkish demand in a particular area an important factor when selecting a property.
If you want to purchase a property as an investment, do not ask only:
“Do foreigners buy here?”
Also ask:
“Do Turkish buyers themselves want to live and purchase property in this area?”
What Do These Figures Mean for Foreign Investors?
For a Gulf, Egyptian, or Arab investor considering purchasing property in Turkey, these figures provide an important picture of the nature of the market.
Foreign buyers are not the main driver of sales, but they remain consistently present.
This means that property selection should not depend solely on areas that are popular among foreigners.
An opportunity may also exist in a city or region with genuine local demand, while also offering characteristics that make it attractive to international investors.
This is where cities outside Istanbul become worth examining from a different perspective.
What About Yalova?
Yalova is one of the cities worth following when studying the real estate market in the Marmara region.
The city is located close to Istanbul, Bursa, and Kocaeli, and combines the sea, nature, thermal tourism, and residential areas.
The province also includes different local markets, from central Yalova to Çınarcık, Termal, and other areas.
For investors, Yalova’s appeal is not limited to its attractiveness to foreigners. It also lies in the presence of a local market and the actual use of properties for residential and holiday purposes.
This is an important factor when considering a long-term investment.
The Turkish Market Through Numbers, Not Impressions
It is easy to hear conflicting opinions about Turkey’s real estate market.
Some say that the market is declining.
Others expect rapid growth.
But investors need to look at the actual data.
During June, July, and August 2026 alone, Turkey recorded nearly 381,000 residential property sales.
At the same time, foreigners continued to purchase properties, with Russian, Iranian, and Ukrainian nationals leading foreign purchases during the period.
Most importantly, the domestic market remained dominant by a wide margin.
This reflects an important reality:
The Turkish real estate market is fundamentally a large domestic market, with an additional layer of international demand.
For a long-term investor, this structure may be more important than monitoring whether sales rise or fall during a single month.
Since 2016, Omran TRK has been active in the Turkish real estate market, with a particular focus on Yalova and its various areas.
The company offers a range of apartments and residential and investment units, including completed and under-construction projects, along with different sizes, options, and flexible payment and installment plans.
Omran TRK helps investors evaluate properties not only based on price, but also location, the nature of demand, potential use, and long-term investment value.
In a market recording hundreds of thousands of sales within just a few months, the real challenge is therefore not finding a property for sale, but:
Choosing the right property, in the right market, at the right price.
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