TÜİK data shows a very important point: Turkey’s housing market is not dependent on foreigners. In 2024, Türkiye recorded about 1.48 million house sales, rising 20.6%, while sales to foreigners fell 32.1% to 23,781 units. That means foreigners represented only around 1.6% of total house sales; the remaining 98.4% came mainly from domestic buyers.
For 2025, the pattern became even clearer. Total house sales rose to about 1.69 million units, while foreign sales declined to about 21,534–21,535 units, around 1.3% of total sales.
Market Data Overview
| Year | Total House Sales | Sales to Foreigners | Foreign Share | Domestic Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | ~1.23 million | 35,005 | ~2.9% | ~97.1% |
| 2024 | ~1.48 million | 23,781 | ~1.6% | ~98.4% |
| 2025 | ~1.69 million | 21,534 | ~1.3% | ~98.7% |
Interpretation:
This proves that Turkish real estate resilience comes mainly from domestic demand, not foreign buyers. Foreign buyers, including those linked to the citizenship-by-investment program, are useful for foreign currency inflow, international visibility, and premium-market liquidity. But the real foundation of the market is Turkey’s own population, urbanisation, family formation, internal migration, and inflation-hedging behavior.
Economic, FDI and Social Implications
Economically, this makes Turkey’s housing market more resilient than many externally dependent markets. Even when foreign demand falls, domestic buyers continue to support transaction volume.
For FDI, citizenship-by-investment should not be seen only as “passport buying.” It is a capital-attraction tool. But Turkey should improve quality control: attract investors who bring business, education, tourism, and long-term economic contribution — not only short-term property purchases.
Socially, there is a warning. If foreign purchases are concentrated in Istanbul, Antalya, and Mersin, they can create local affordability pressure. Policy should balance foreign capital attraction with housing access for Turkish citizens.
