Selling your Turkish property doesn't need to be a daunting prospect, if you present it well, employ a good agent, price it competitively and market it to the right people, you should see results.

Many assume that simply snapping a few photos or popping a description on a website will sell their home, but there's a little more to it than that. The Turkey Homes team have more than a decade of experience in buying and selling Turkish property. Our teams in London, Bodrum, Fethiye, Antalya and Istanbul are well aware of what it takes to promote a Turkish home and ultimately get it sold. Here's our top tips on how to sell your property in Turkey:

1. Get paperwork in order

Before attempting to sell your villa or apartment in Turkey make sure you have all the legal paperwork in order. Collect together the Title Deeds (Tapu), Habitation certificate (Iskan), any insurance certificates like the DASK (earthquake insurance), and the Power of Attorney if you are not planning on being present during completion. Show these to your agent for due-diligence purposes.

2. Be price realistic

It would surprise you how many people enter into selling their homes with unrealistic expectations. Of course, we all want to get as much money as possible for our property (remember it's also in your agent’s interest), but it is also imperative to price a home correctly to avoid it sitting on the books for months on end. Get a realistic valuation from an established agent in your area. Good agents should know the local market and the price of similar properties. Find out the realistic value and market it in line to compete, or slightly less to achieve a quicker sale.

3. Fix any jobs necessary

Often buyers walk into a property looking for reasons not to buy it or for excuses they can use to warrant a reduction in price. If there's a damp patch or dripping tap, fix it. If the garden needs sprucing up, the rose bush needs pruning, a wall painted, or the patio cleaned, get it sorted. You need to show your property in its best light to make it remembered for all the right reasons.

4. Clear the clutter

Buyers want to walk into a property and feel it could be their own. Untidy and over personalised homes will put buyers off - clear the clutter! Get rid of all the unnecessary things you have accumulated, paint over the bright pink spotty room with a neutral colour, neatly stack the kids’ toys, hide the dirty washing and pop the mountain of dishes in the dishwasher before your marketing photos are taken or a prospective buyer comes around for a viewing.

5. Take great photos

In today's internet driven world it's vital to attract the all important click through to your property. We have all heard the adage, "a picture is worth a 1000 words", and this is true. Clear photos of the front of your home, the pool and garden, all rooms and features will attract a buyer - we have even sold properties to investors over the phone who were initially drawn to the apartment due to the marketing photos displayed. Photos are important, they need to be good. If you're not handy with the camera, invest in professional shots or ask your agent for help.

6. Establish unique selling points

If you have an apartment in Turkey on a complex, or your villa is one of many similar villas in the area, what makes your home different? Have you upgraded the kitchen countertop? Has your pool recently had a new pump or your bathroom undergone a facelift? Are you including the furnishings? If so, these are all great selling points so do point them out to your agent as they view the property.

7. Use a good agent

Choosing the right real estate agent in Turkey is vital. There are many Turkish property agents around. Opt for a well established agent who is fully registered with a knowledge of your area and needless to say has a vast market audience. Look at their website and see how many other properties are being promoted, note if there are any in your area. Read the property descriptions, are they clear and easy to read? This is an indication on how yours would look if you chose them. Ask the agent how they intend promoting your home, if they run advertising campaigns, use property portals, social media or blogs - the more exposure the better! Tip:  Many people believe registering a property with all the local agents will achieve a quicker sale, this is not necessarily the case. An established agent with a strong internet presence will spend time and money promoting your villa or apartment and getting to know you and all the home’s key selling points. Local agents are less likely to splash the cash on additional online promotions. It is often best to trial an exclusive agreement or register your property with no more than a couple of agents to get the best result.

This blog was first published on Turkey Homes.

See also:

Number of foreign investors of Turkish real estate continues to increase

City versus sun: where's best to buy a property in Turkey

Weak Turkish lira fuels tourist and investor spending in Turkey