Russians and Ukrainians skyrocketed house prices in Antalya: officers want an appointment
Due to the war between Russia and Ukraine, which started in February last year and is ongoing, there has been a significant migration of the two countries to Antalya. Especially after the declaration of mobilization in Russia, the speed of immigration increased. The intense immigration led by Russians and Ukrainians brought with it many problems and discussions.
While rents and house prices have risen astronomically, concerns have been raised about the shift in the demographic structure. A large number of vehicles with Russian and Ukrainian license plates began to be seen in urban traffic. The already problematic traffic of the city has reached even more serious dimensions with vehicles with foreign license plates.
51 THOUSAND RUSSIANS, 20 THOUSAND UKRAINIANS WITH RESIDENTIAL PERMITS
According to the latest official figures; Throughout the city, 177,000 foreigners have temporary or regular residence permits. Of these, 51 thousand are Russians and almost 20 thousand Ukrainians.
It is estimated that the total number of foreigners who come with 3-month or 6-month visas and live in the city exceeds 200 thousand, and the total number of Russians and Ukrainians reaches 100 thousand. It is claimed that the number of residences for foreigners in the city is around 120,000.
10 CLOSED DISTRICT FOR RESIDENCE PERMIT
Because Russians and Ukrainians prefer Muratpaşa, Kemer and Alanya districts, especially Konyaaltı district, rents and house prices have increased in these regions. In districts such as Kumluca, Finike, Demre, Manavgat, Serik, Kepez, Döşemealtı, there was demand for both rental and sales housing.
To avoid price rises, the Ministry of the Interior closed in July last year the neighborhoods where the citizens of these two countries most demanded residence permits. Hurma, Sarısu and Liman districts in Konyaaltı, Kargicak, Mahmutlar, Kestel and Avsallar in Alanya, Topçular in Muratpaşa, AOSB2 and AOSB3 Section neighborhoods in Döşemealtı are closed for applications for new residence permits from foreigners.
‘BİLBORD’ DISCUSSION IN ANTALYA
When the economic concerns caused by the increase in housing prices are added to the concerns of the deterioration of the demographic structure; Russian billboards in which the Antalya Metropolitan Municipality presented the electronic application for public transport for Slavic peoples caused controversy.
There was a debate on ‘nationality’ between the Chairman of the Victory Party, Ümit Özdağ, and the Mayor of Antalya Metropolitan Municipality, Muhittin Insect. While hundreds of social media users joined the discussion, complaints were voiced about rising home prices and traffic density.
LEFT ON SOCIAL NETWORKS
Social media users claimed their rents went up because of the Russians. One social media user said: “We constantly experience traffic problems on all streets in the city, regardless of weekdays and weekends. We are worse than Istanbul. That does not bother you? The city was full. Does Antalya only exist in Turkey? Rental prices have increased 5 times. If there is a casualty of the war, it is the local population of Antalya.”
In addition, the number of posts by Ukrainian women, “The Turks call us foreigners, the Turks have already become foreigners in Antalya,” increased on social networks.
ANTALYA SECOND SALE TO FOREIGNERS
While 12,384 houses were sold in the city in 2021, this figure reached 21,860 with an increase of 76.5 percent in 2022, when the war broke out. Antalya was second only to Istanbul with a small margin in home sales to foreigners.
In 2022, Russians bought the most homes with 16,312 units, an increase of 203 percent compared to the previous year. Ukrainians, on the other hand, came in fourth with an increase of 106 percent and 2,574 houses.
Following the decision to mobilize in Russia in September, the migration of Russian citizens to Antalya, in particular, had a major impact on home sales to foreigners in October, November and December. Antalya became the province with the highest number of sales of residences to foreigners in Turkey in these 3 months. During this period, Russians ranked first and Ukrainians ranked second in the more residential areas of Antalya.
HOUSING PRICES INCREASED 140 PERCENT, RENTS RISE 172 PERCENT
Helmann Yapı board chairman Selman Özgün, who is also a member of GYODER and İNDER, announced the changes after February 2022, when the war started. Özgün said that in the 11 months between the start of the war and the end of the year, house prices in Antalya increased by 140 percent and rents by 172 percent.
Stating that the average house price in the city is approaching TL 2.5 million and that average rents have reached TL 13,600 from TL 5,000, Özgün said: “In February 2022, average prices of sale of houses in Antalya were 1 million 27 000 TL; At the end of December 2022, it increased to 2 million 448 thousand TL.
RUSSIANS TAKE ONE IN 4 HOUSES
Ahmet Öztürk, Chairman of the Assembly of the Antalya Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ATSO), and from the construction sector, drew attention to the increase in home sales to Russians and Ukrainians in Turkey and the proportion of citizens of these two countries.
Öztürk said that in 2022 a total of 21,860 residences were sold to foreigners in Antalya, which is the first choice of Russians, where 1 in 4 residences are sold.
RENTAL EVACUATION CASES CLOSE COURTS
The president of the Antalya Bar Association, Hüseyin Geçilmez, also stated that after the war there were many requests for rent and it was said that more than 100 thousand people migrated to the city.
Impassable, “This has increased prices incredibly. Many landlords try to evict their tenants or not renew expired leases when they see attractive prices. This situation has increased demands for eviction of rents. There’s an incredible blockade in the courthouse right now. A hearing date is given in 10 months. The current hearings continue into the evening. The number of cases has increased enormously. The magistrate courts are clogged. “There are about 60 cases a day,” he said.
‘OFFICIALS DO NOT WANT TO COME’
Passable said: “Our colleagues are having a difficult time in terms of office rentals. There is also congestion in other occupational groups. In fact, we hear that those who have the opportunity to come here for civil service do everything possible not to come. It is a wonderful city with its sea and its nature. But a lot of people don’t want to come here with dating status, and those who come try to leave. Some of the officers even lived in towns. Home or workplace prices are now in the $8 million to $10 million range and can’t be bought,” she said. (DHA)