Stars that shone!

I would like to thank everyone for their feedback on the Turkey Twinkles service.  Here’s just a few of your comments … By the way there are many more to be added – so if yours is not there don’t worry we’ll be updating this section soon!

What you had to say…

 
“The Turkey Shoot went very well thanks,
I'd like to say thank you for
all your help. I will happily credit
 Turkey Twinkles in the credits of our programme,
Thanks once again, Sam”

Sam Redman (Researcher Rapid Broadcast 
 Ltd London)... research assistance for Overseas
Property channel Sky TV 287 
 
 

 
 
 

"Amazing how much you have pulled together in such a short time. Thanks again!  Aye yours."

Alec Downie (Manager Popup band) ... viewed Bozburun, Marmaris, Akyaka, Koycegiz, Bodrum, Altinkum

"From the airport pick-up to the Vyletta to the real estate agents, I couldn't have gotten so much done and have had such a wonderful time without your assistance.  My sincere thanks and applause to both of you for making the process so accessible and so easy."   

Kimberly Verkuilen (Regional Director, Kyrgyz Republic, Turkmenistan and Afghanistan, American Councils/ACCELS) ... viewed Bodrum Peninsula

"I have followed your site for a few years with great admiration and recommended it to clients and friends."

Sue Aldridge ... (UK)

" We had a limited time to look for our dream villa in the Bodrum area. Not only did Sally find us exactly what we were looking for, she provided all the information we needed to make us feel confident in our decision. In addition, the after sale service we have received from Sally and Hakan has been exceptional."　

Don and Denise McKay, Canada

“I just wanted to thank you so much for all the help and advice　that you have given me over the last few months, I really appreciate it.  Will be in contact　on my return to let you know how I got on and　what I purchased!!  Thanks Again.”

Trish Johnstone ( Ireland )… bought Altinkum with Sam

“Firstly we would like to thank you for the excellent contacts you arranged for us on our recent trip to Turkey, and especially for your accurate assessment that Sam and I would be interested in the Bozburun Peninsula……..you were spot on!”

Will and Sam Ramage ( Dubai ) … bought Selimiye with Carren

“Just wanted to let you know I have just returned from Bodrum. After being shown round resale and off plan sites I have placed a retaining fee on a new apartment in Yalikavak. This is the last thing I expected to do! Nevertheless with Sally's guidance it is the perfect choice for me and my family.

I also wanted to let you know that Sally and (Natalya too) could not have done more to help. She was professional, courteous, prompt and nothing was too much effort.  At no time did I feel pressurized or abandoned and neither did I have any problems language wise.

I really cannot recommend Sally, (and the team in Bodrum), highly enough.  I am so pleased with the service and am no longer worried about dealing with Sally and the team over long distances with what amounts to my life’s hard earned savings.

Of course I would not have had the introduction without the Turkey Twinkles site.  Your site is inspirational to say the least and I will always highly recommend you to others. Many thanks to you as well.

A great job well done.”

Roy Walker … bought Yalikavak, Bodrum Peninsula

"The trip was definitely worth it as I bought 2 houses !! Malcolm was an absolute star ! Looked after me , put me up & put up with me ! Thanks for all your help .

Chris Eckersley ...  bought Yalikavak/Gumusluk with Malcolm

"I thank you for your service and have recommended it to a number of other Australians looking for property in Turkey ."

Ray Dunn ( Australia )… bought Kas with Hasan

“We had a few dramas unfortunately - one seller pulled out at the last moment and the next collapsed into a coma ten minutes before signing the contract!  However I just wanted to let you know that Nesrin, Serdar and Sally were fab throughout and I finally got the keys to a fantastic house between Yalikavak and Gundogan last week.  The renovation is planned for December with a view to getting the keys next season and I can't wait.”

June Calder … bought Yalikavak, Bodrum Peninsula

“A Big Thank you, April for your prompt reply. I am really looking forward to the inspection tour! I would also like to give you a big compliment on your website; it was a real pleasure going through it and reading your personal comments on everything! It certainly shines through that you´re in the right business! Thanks again!  Best regards, Petra”

Petra Slotte (Finland)… Bodrum

“Well here’s to let you know I have finally done the deed, Malcolm and Sally were very helpful, found a place in Yalikavak, with a great sea view and roof terrace. So that ticked all my boxes....   Once again thank you for putting me in touch with Sally and for all your help, and if ever I can do something for you, please let me know.”

Linda Mac… bought Yalikavak, Bodrum Peninsula

“Appreciative your ongoing pointers, as always of great assistance,  

Thanks April”

Chrissy & Matt Sizeland…  viewed Dalaman

“I got back safely yesterday morning having been delayed for four hours due to dodgy undercarriage! This is just a quick message to say how much I appreciate all that you have done for me over the weekend and indeed the whole sale process. I have never felt so welcomed and am truly touched by your generosity and hospitality, all of which is well outside of your job description. As a cautious person, these are not words I use whimsically, I mean them in every sense.

I would also like to say how reassured I am in having you to organize and oversee my renovation, also how confident I am that you will achieve the desire result. I look forward to meeting with you again in the near future. Until then, take care.”

Mike Lennard…bought Sarigerme with Rey (Dalyan)

“Just got back from turkey had a great time I’ve got to tell you Kate and company were absolutely wonderful their after sales care is second to none they had made the sale they didn’t have to keep looking after us as they did I would really appreciate it if you would get in touch with them and tell them I feel I have made friends I cant sing their praises enough I can tell you quite honestly you can recommend them to anyone without fear also if you would like to give my e mail to anyone who is in doubt and needs reassurance don’t hesitate”

Eileen lutkin … bought Dalaman with Kate

 “It is nice to see that "Potential Customer Service" still means something to some people.  It's such a pity that there aren't more estate agents like you”

Patricia Krefeld, Germany

“Thank you again for your help and may I take this opportunity to congratulate you on having a great website easy to read and enjoyable, many thanks for your help.”

David Frost… bought Dalaman with Kate

“Had a very enjoyable (if a little hectic) trip to Turkey and an extremely well spent day with Heidi. Many thanks for putting us in touch with such a helpful and professional agency. They were friendly, approachable and down to earth with excellent local area knowledge and offer aftersales care that goes over and above the call of duty - they are a credit to you and we would not hesitate to use them were we to proceed with property in the Calis Beach/Fethiye area.”

Lisa Harrop … viewed Calis Beach/Fethiye with Heidi

“Just a note to say that my daughter and I had a great time in Turkey last week. Heidi looked after us really well and nothing was too much trouble for her. She took us to see all the amazing sites and views and this helped us make our final choice. The bar where we stayed was so friendly and the karaoke nights are a great way to let your hair down after a day viewing property. (there are photos to prove it !!! ) We also loved the pool area which was soooooo welcoming in that heat! I am looking forward to seeing Heidi and her hubby again as they made us so welcome and the whole buying process easy and stress free, I will certainly recommend them to my friends and family. Thank you, April for putting me in touch with them in the first place.”

Sharon and Garry Mason … bought Calis Beach with Heidi

What a brilliant and innovative web site, I found it when looking on the Turkish living forum, I enjoyed the piece about Altinkum (where I live) you got it so right; put into words what no one else has.  Anyway just wanted to say “brilliant” and well done!

Anna Harris… Sales Manager Crystal Homes Turkey

 “ We had a lovely trip and fell in love with Altinkum. Ayhan’s agency were wonderful. Very professional and courteous. They helped us look at all the properties that interested us and weren't pushy or forceful.

We bought 2, 3 bedroomed apartments in Hunters Valley in Altinkum. They are in a block of 4 with a shared pool. We visited again last week to make sure all was in order. They are great. We have furnished and insured with their assistance.. Thanks for your support and guidance. You must visit if you are in the region.”

Michelle Astbury… bought Altinkum with Ayhan

“Terrific website… Congratulations!!  One of the most 'user-friendly' websites I've seen... “

Brian Curtis  Realtor & International Property Specialist U.S.

“Dear April, thank you for your thoughtful and prompt reply, my initial impressions of your direct businesslike approach are confirmed!!”

Mel Suleiman… North Cyprus

Reflections from Ken Grubb, Director of Turkey Central Web site

First of all, I want to thank you for what you are doing… I have been trying to start a real estate project but as I began to research the best way to approach it I talked to a very good friend of mine in the business. He had some stern warnings for me, and told me that, in his opinion, many people who are in the real estate business here are really looking for some fast, easy money, and not to trust anyone.

Apparently one day a person may be selling souvenirs, and the next day he’s a real estate broker. I also talked with other emlaks in an effort to work with them in marketing their properties. One was selling used cars and real estate at the same time! But without exception, each of them talked with me about how we could raise the price beyond what the buyer was asking to make even higher profits. I’m not sure if that’s legal in Turkey, but with the apparent lack of regulation of the industry, it wouldn’t surprise me. Another emlak owner, who was referred to me as an honest broker told me that they do this because even if they don’t sell the house, they don’t lose anything, so there is nothing to lose in jacking up the price beyond what the buyer is asking. So overcharging customers seems to be the way it’s done here.

I checked out your site, and you really have the scoop on real estate in Turkey, it can be a dangerous place to buy, depending on who you’re dealing with. Some of the comments had me really laughing, but sadly I am sure they are all true. I also went looking for a place to buy, and even though I was dealing with who I thought was a reputable company because of the brand (believe me, everybody would know the brand). They were going to charge me $100,000 for an apartment flat in Mersin. When I told some close Turkish friends about it, they started laughing. Then one of them took me to the same location (a complex in Mersin) where we found the same one for about $75,000 less, being sold by the owner.

So I can say this, anybody who buys real estate in Turkey without some kind of an advocate they can trust, is taking a huge risk, and may find that their investment isn’t worth anything near what they paid. It nearly happened to me! After seeing your site I even rearranged the Real Estate category to put all of the estate agents in a subcategory, so your site has more prominence in the higher category. Bless you for what you’re doing, if there is anything I can do to assist, let me know…

Regards from Adana, Ken Grubb Turkey Central www.turkeycentral.com

My COMMENTS: Some estate agents said to me … 'Your Words of Warning will frighten the buyers off!' - But as you can see, there is a real cause for concern and that's one of the reasons why I created Turkey Twinkles. I put myself in your shoes and thought… God,

 where do I start? How do I know if somebody is reputable or not? We're not talking about purchasing a T-shirt here … we're talking large sums of money! And yet, I've seen tourists spending more time trying to get the cheapest T-shirt deal, than finding the right 'emlak'.

At the end of the day … It's difficult for me to guarantee anybody's reliability and trustworthiness 100%. But at least at Turkey Twinkles, I've tried to create a criteria that would sort the wheat from the chaff. In fact, I use this process of selection throughout … I not only recommend the 'emlaks' that I would use, I also, only show properties that I think are a good buy!

Since launching this site, I have been approached by estate agents to join … I will be paying them a visit on my next trip to Turkey (not in the too distant future!), as everyone is personally vetted. So a message to all estate agents … if you feel you can fit Turkey Twinkles criteria please write … I'd love to meet you.

I also recommend you visit Ken's site … He's been building it for the last three years and is an excellent source of information. In fact, he has 5,577 links to businesses, culture, hotels, trips and more. You name it; Ken's got it, in his ever growing English language Turkish directory.