Irene Finds Key To Her Dreams

Sep 14 2008 Laura Davidson

Nurse Buys Turkish Villa For £60,000.. Before She Sets Foot In The Country Place In The Sun

When Irene Rennie's workmate announced she was buying a holiday home in Turkey, she decided to buy one too.

It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, made before Irene and her family had even set foot in the country. But after snapping up a super three-bed villa for just £60,000, she is sure she and husband Graham made the right decision.

NHS 24 nurse Irene said: "My friend at work had been looking at buying somewhere abroad for ages. "When she brought her brochures for Turkey into work one night, I was amazed at what you could get for your money there.

"Graham and I had been thinking of buying a wee flat as an investment, somewhere our kids could use as they started uni. But when my friend showed me the options in Turkey, we could see the benefits of going down the holiday home route instead."

The couple, who have four children, contacted developers Curbanoglu and were offered a free inspection trip to their site in the Akkaya Mountains, near Dalaman in south-west Turkey. Neither were able to get time off work so they sent eldest sons Josh, 24, and Michael, 20, to suss out the area for them. The couple were impressed by the reports their sons brought home to Mannofield, Aberdeen.

Irene said: "The boys are sensible and we knew they wouldn't fall for any hard-sell tactics but there was none of that anyway. They were blown away by the place, telling us how beautiful it was. That was good enough for us." The couple put down a £2000 deposit in April last year and building work on the development was complete in spring. The family enjoyed their first holiday at their new villa in April and have paid for the remainder of their £60,000 purchase by cashing in on equity on their house in Scotland.

Irene said: "We were excited making that first trip because we had never visited Turkey before. "Part of me was thinking, 'What have we done?' but as soon as we saw the development and our new place, we were thrilled. We were astonished at the high standard of the villa and, most of all, at the surrounding area.

"Our house is built into the hill and we have views to mountains beyond - it's gorgeous. It is part of a small development of 36 villas with two pools for residents to share. It's the ideal place for relaxing holidays. "We have three big bedrooms, great living space and there are three large terraces with fantastic views. We love it."

Irene, 47, and NHS project manager Graham, 58, did not go on holidays abroad when their children were younger as it was too expensive. But with their brood grown up, they decided it was time to go a little further afield.

Josh and Michael, along with brother Callan, 18, and 16-year-old sister Jillianne, are looking forward to holidays at their parents' stunning new pad. When the family aren't using it, they plan to rent it out to help pay for costs. Irene said: "We wish we had the cash to do this years ago but it just wasn't possible. I'm glad we've taken the plunge now."

If you would like to rent the family's villa, contact irene.rennie@googlemail.com FACTFILE

You don't have to be a resident to buy in Turkey but you need a resident's visa if you plan to live there for more than three months each year. Before buying, check there are no outstanding rental agreements or mortgages on the property and that the seller has the title deeds (tapu).

Set aside a contingency fund of around five to 10 per cent over the purchase price for hidden fees. There will be legal costs and, if you're buying through an agent, commission may be payable. The presence of a sworn interpreter during registration at the Land Registry Office is required by law in Turkey. The translation is confirmed by the interpreter's signature and fees for the service are around £50.

For advice on property, call Buying In Turkey on 0845 351 3551. Download a copy of the Buying In Turkey guide at www.buyingin.co.uk