Just about to buy an apartment

[PKHUGHES100]

I am new to the forum and was wondering if any one had any advice about some of the awful postings I have read about crime in the area, over development and properties that are not seeling etc. It appears that holiday homes are the target of break ins etc, is this the case or are things being blown out of proportion. I am also wondering if the time is right to buy, I have managed to negotiate a discount of over 30% (£73K to £57K)on a property that is fully furnshed etc.. do you advse that I go for it! AQny advice anyone has would really be useful. Is there a permanent Brit Community in Ovacik or is it somewhat a ghost town in the Winter. Is this forum the best one to get a great response to a range of questions I have about my purchase, so any news and advice etc would be great. One last thing, any recommendations in terms of  competetive maint companys or individuals etc.

[Scunner]

Welcome to our little World Kevin. I'm no expert on Ovacik, there are plenty of people in a better position to answer some of your questions. I would say that the amount of break ins is not large, but we have a forum here where all the good and all the bad are both discussed in some depth. Many break ins are reported here as they are important events, what we don't have of course are new topics from people telling us how they didn't get broken into, that isn't something worth writing about  

You do need to be vigilant, and a number of the break ins I've known of first hand came down to woefully lax security and care. You can't leave the windows open and go to bed, and you must be sure that any security work has been done properly.

It sounds like you got a great deal on your property, treat it as something worth protecting and I'm sure you'll never regret it.

[kevin b]

30% discount   best of luck.Ovacik is a nice area we have holidayed there several times.Plenty of Brits around there & Hissy.

[Talk Turkey]

Hello Kevin and welcome to the CBF where (overall) you will find a very helpfull group of individuals and a wealth of informaton and advice. Good luck with your quest and below I'll answer your questions to the best of my knowledge. Having read through them do feel free to post further questions - bearing in mind the comment about using the Forum's search facility. TT  .

Burglaries
Yes, there have been quite a few break ins in the area. recently. It would appear the villan's preference is for premises with 'holiday' makers staying - possibly for the greater likelyhood of small, easily transportable and easily disposable pickings e.g. cash, travellers cheques, cameras, phones etc. If you look around you will notice many properties (Turkish and British oweners) have security grills fitted and yes, even Turkish properties get broken into. In fairness it's no different from good old blighty. Take/install as many security measures as you can in an effort to deter the burglars and DON'T be tempted to leave windows/doors open at night.
 
Is now the right time to buy?
That's not really a fair question to ask of others who have no idea of your financial situation, circumstances etc. If you think you've got a good deal (and from what you say it appears you have) then only you can decide if it's right for you to take the plunge. All I can say is that I'm glad I did a number of years ago.

Is there a permanent Brit Community in Ovacik
Yes - there are many and it's growing. The Ovacik Resident's Forum has been in existence for a number of years and meets regularly during the closed season (Meetings times/dates/locations have previously been posted in the Land of Lights publication which is freely available throughout the area. Many are expat residents, others stay for a couple of months at a time

Is it a ghost town in winter?
Yes and it's great. I've been out for three times for Chritmas and New Year. During the day it was like an English spring day fresh but with sun. Even though it gets cold at night the air is crisp and clear. Fethiye/Olu Deniz are always a few degrees warmer during the day. Over the years more and more bars/resturants shops are staying open during the closed season.

Is this forum the best one to get a great response to questions
That's why it's known as the Carlsberg site! Whilst there are many other Turkish sites on the www, to date, I've not found any better than this. The CBF has been around for a good few years now and is well established. Other sources of information also include 'The Fethiye Times http://www.fethiyetimes.com/ and the Land of Lights publication which is also available at http://www.landoflights.net/

A word of advice. Given the fact the CBF has been around for a good while, I'm sure a good many of the questions/queries you have (like us all when buying a property in Turkey) will have already been posted on the Forum. Consequently I would respectfully suggest you make full use of the search facility before posting a question that more than likey has been previously posted and answered. e.g. Getting English TV programmes.

Maintenence Companies/Individuals
Again, it's down to experimentation and personal choice. What I might think is a good service/price might not be the same for you. This Forum even carries an ad for one such company. So as they used to say on Blind Date - the decision is yours.

[Old Daffodil]

Ovacik and Hisaronu are a lot quieter between November and May without the tourists. It still has four or five supermarkets open, Bim, Azda, Migros and some others as well as small village stores.The Post Office is still open and there is a small clinic. Refuse is collected daily.There are still restaurants and bars open although not as many as in the summer months. The quiz nights start for real in the winter at the Fez bar and the Morning Star.The Ovacik culture centre has some classes on Turkish language, handicrafts  and dancing. It is pleasant to walk around and there are walking groups if you want company and some social life.There are many British people living in the area and a few Russians, Belgians and Dutch. I know of Turkish people now buying in the area who come from Istanbul to retire. A dolmus still travels into Fethiye regularly (I think it is two an hour but am not sure). We have a car here. Heating in some form is needed at night once the sun has gone down but the days are still mild most of the time. We went to football matches at the lovely new football stadium in Ovacik and you can see the snow capped mountains in the distance as you watch them play.You can also catch a dolmus to Olu Deniz which is very pleasant in the winter and a few places stay open there and people sit reading or chatting in the beach front cafes.Underneath the Kumsal restaurant in Olu Deniz there are also some ten pin bowling lanes and we had a couple of games there last winter.

Ovacik is still a rural farming village and animals are a common sight here (you can buy milk straight from the cow and boil it up before use). There is a weekly market in Hisaronu and this is where a lot of people meet up for a bit of socialising in one of the food stalls. Someone I met said that they thought the area had a lot in common with a village in Britain during the fifties.  

I do not know of any robberies personally this year but they may have happened. Same as anywhere that people go on holiday I think.

[PKHUGHES100]

What a great response from all you guys, I am already findinding and using the advice offered.  I will be a regular on the forum, using the "search" facility as recommended of course!

Once agin thans a lot and here is to many more happy times in Ovacik.

[doody]

Is your apartment on the ground floor or on higher level? as ground floor apartments/villas seem to get more robberies. I have had two burglaries and one attempt in three years. Not a good advertisement, but i was stupid in thinking I was in heaven when i purchased mine and forgot about security. I have all security in place now, had no more problems.

[PKHUGHES100]

My apartment is on the first floor and I have added "sorting out security" to my list of things to discuss with Lycia Homes when I come out on the 13/11 to sort out purchase and paper work. We fancy a night out in Ovacik when we come out to meet owners, is there any one place people met on say a Saturday night! As an aside, has any one used this Company, have searched but nothing is obvious. Thanks.

[PKHUGHES100]

Doody, I noticed you are a new member and that you own property, any chance of e-mail discusion on your experience and useful tips etc.

[Scunner]

If you click on doody (the underlined word to the left of the messages) it will take you to their profile. In there, click the link that says 'click to send doody an email' or something like that, a little box comes up, write your message and press the send button at the bottom