Housing market soars with record sales in April

ANKARA

Türkiye’s housing market surged in April, with 118,359 homes sold nationwide, a 56.6 percent jump from the same month last year, according to the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK).

The first four months of 2025 set a historic high, with 454,145 homes sold, driven by strong demand in urban centers.

Istanbul led the pack with 18,645 sales, followed by Ankara with 10,889 and İzmir with 7,014, TÜİK reported. The January-April period saw a 27.9 percent increase in sales compared to 2024, with April marking the peak month for 2025 so far.

Mortgage-backed sales skyrocketed, climbing 147 percent year-on-year in April to 17,465, accounting for 14.8 percent of total sales. From January to April, mortgage sales nearly doubled from last year, reaching 69,194. First-hand mortgage sales included 4,245 homes in April and 16,388 over the four-month period.

First-hand home sales also shone, rising 43.8 percent in April to 34,633, making up 29.3 percent of the month’s total. The January-April period recorded 134,509 first-hand sales, a 19.7 percent increase from 2024, reflecting robust buyer interest despite economic challenges.

Foreign buyers purchased 1,440 homes in April, up 13.2 percent from last year, though their share remained small at 1.2 percent of total sales.

Istanbul (529), Antalya (497) and Mersin (117) were the top destinations.

However, foreign sales from January to April dropped 13.5 percent to 6,018, with Russians, Iranians and Ukrainians leading purchases.

Experts suggest cooling prices and investment potential are fueling the market’s rebound, though rising interest rates may temper future growth.