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uying property in Turkey gives you the opportunity to live on the coast of the warm Mediterranean Sea in a peaceful environment. Besides, you could get passive income from reselling or renting out your property.
But this year the series of earthquakes in Turkey put a bit of concern in the minds of potential buyers and investors. Several well-founded issues related to the seismic safety of the Republic of Turkey popped up. So as we see, choosing a location and type of property must be considered in order to avoid the troubles.
But Turkey is an extensive country and the fact that one region having trouble doesn't says that all of Turkey is affected.
Let's figure out in which areas of Turkey earthquakes are most common, and which areas are considered the safest. And what to look for when choosing real estate in Turkey.
The seismic hazard is the threat of earthquakes in a certain region of our planet. Turkey is located in the zone of geological faults, seismic activity is constantly monitored here, by monitoring data from a network of observation stations throughout the country.
After the catastrophe, this winter Turkish government declared an increase in the level of awareness about the tremors in different regions of the country and launched some recommendations for citizens and foreigners on how to protect themselves and their property.
Seismic zones of Turkey
To answer the question of how often earthquakes occur in Turkey, firstly it is important to have a look at the seismic zones. There are three geological faults on the territory of the country, which time to time cause serious earthquakes: North Anatolian, East Anatolian, and West Anatolian. So obviously, the closer to the fault, the more possibility of tremors.
Specialists of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of Turkey AFAD have compiled an online map, where you can see in detail the seismic regions of Turkey and find out the degree of risk rises. There are five zones of seismic activity: from 1 (maximum) to 5 (minimum).
Seismically dangerous zones of Turkey on the map are marked in red. Areas with a low probability of tremors are colored in white.
Let's look closer. Among the popular resort and tourist regions the most earthquake sensitive is Istanbul, the Aegean coast, Izmir, and Mugla.
Areas of low risk of strong tremors are the Mediterranean and part of the Black Sea resorts (in particular, Trabzon). The maximum magnitude of earthquakes recorded here does not exceed 2.5–4.3 on the Richter scale. In addition, the part of the country located on the Anatolian lithospheric plate is considered not seismically dangerous: Ankara, Konya, Eskisehir, Sivas, etc.
So where in Turkey there are no earthquakes?
The most favorable and safe Turkish cities for vacation, living and purchasing real estate considered Alanya, Antalya, and Mersin. These regions are located in the fourth zone of seismic activity, which means that the probability of destructive earthquakes is very low here. Most of the tremors are not even felt and do not affect the course of daily life.
In Turkey, all developers (at the request of the government) are obliged to build earthquake-resistant buildings only. Moreover, the construction should withstand even really strong earthquakes. Developers are subject to a whole range of regulations and requirements. All works are supervised by authorized state structures.
How to choose a property in Turkey?
When moving to another country for permanent residence, safety is a number one priority. And choosing a house in Turkey with good seismic resistance characteristics is crucial.
If you have made the decision to purchase Turkish property, pay attention to two main factors:
1. Compulsory DASK earthquake insurance policy.
If you have this document, you can be sure that you'll get compensation in case of damage. At the moment it is one of the most effective insurance systems in the world.
The insurance coverage includes damage caused by earthquakes and related consequences (tsunamis, floods, and other natural disasters). Some types of damage are not covered by the policy, you should find out about them in advance. The state pays the full cost of the object, indicated in the certificate of ownership TAPU.
In addition, you can take care of the maximum insurance for your property by getting private insurance in Turkey.
2. Professional approach to real estate selection.
In addition to the basic characteristics, such as location, infrastructure, proximity to the beach, and layout, the seismic resistance of the building should be taken into account. To find out what is the degree of resistance of the building to earthquakes, you need to request the relevant documents from the construction or management company.
If the house was built before the year 2000 the risk of seismic hazard is higher.
When choosing a property, pay attention to:
1. Strength of concrete. Strength characteristics cannot be lower than C10. Your real estate agent can check the necessary documents to be sure that it is safe.
2. Cracks, beams, moisture, and rust. Especially at the lower levels of the building.
3. Availability of reports on seismic resistance and risk assessment. These documents are issued upon request by the municipality, as well as the Department of Environment and Urbanization, the governor of the district. They display the characteristics of the structure's resistance to possible earthquakes and the estimated size of the damage.
Also, there is such thing as independent testing of a residential building which is provided by specialized private companies.
And one more important point: make sure that the purpose of the land plot corresponds to the conduct of construction work. A specific site must be suitable for the construction of a particular house with respect to seismic safety. This should not be forgotten especially when buying apartments in a multi-story residential complex.
If any documents are not available or you are refused to provide them, do not rush to conclude a sale and purchase transaction.
If you do not know where to buy property in Turkey with the best characteristics of living comfort and high seismic safety, please contact a specialized reliable real estate agent. We are here to help you.