How did you manage to find Fethiye

[suecheshireuk]

Well we already live in Turkey, and so many of our friends here said how lovely Fethiye is, so two years ago we visited and fell in love with the place. I remember sitting on a bench overlooking the harbour, and there was snow on the mountains, this was April and warm enough for tee shirts, and I said to Anthony, if we ever move from Akbuk , I want to live here . . . and there we will be this time next year. Sue xx

[paz]

For many years we had the dream of winning the lottery and getting our place in the sun.  One night in a drunken "putting the world to rights" conversation we decided we'd never be that lucky and to re-mortgage and buy a place was the  only option...but where? We had never been to Turkey but some nine years ago when Greek holidays became too expensive we decided to book our 2 week annual holiday in Olu Deniz. Over the next 8 months prior to our holiday I searched the areas surrounding Olu Deniz on the internet, got loads of free buying advise, and chose half a dozen Estate Agents to exchange e-mails with regarding everything from properties available to area info and household bills and eventually went on holiday armed with our property pictures and mortgage loan in place.  The Estate Agent met us at our hotel on our second day but the properties we had "loved" on the site just weren't for us.  She then said about the place called Calis and pulled a surprise apartment "out of the bag". While my husband looked round the inside of the  property, I wandered round the outside and just fell in love with the feel of the place.  All these years later and many visits under our belt we always say this was the best decision we ever made. We love Calis. I grew up in California and still love Calis more.  It's the scenery, the people, the laid back feel. Definatley the complete package.       

[LeeGlo]

We started thinking about our retirement and whether to downsize in the UK or emigrate. Originally we fancied France, but prices of property and cost of living put that to rest. We'd been on holiday in Spain and Greece but didn't really fancy either.

Then a friend told us he had a place in Turkey, Bodrum way I think, a place we had never even considered.  But we started to do some research online and came across Fethiye. Just our size of town, everything you'd need for a permanent life, so in 2005 we came on holiday to the Seril 2 in Calis.

Had a good look around Fethiye and agreed it was just our big enough. In 2006 we put our house on the market and sold within a week, unfortunately I became ill so had to cancel the sale. By 2007 I had been diagnosed as Ceoliac and after follow up tests was given the all clear to emigrate.

We again sold very quickly and booked our one way flights. We arrived at 4 am on September 21st 2007. With our 3 suitcases and a laptop and hotels booked for the next month. As the wave of hot air hit us as we came out of Dalaman airport, we both said this'll do for us.

We've lived in our own apartment in Tasyaka, a rental on a complex in Calis and currently in a rented house in Calis - with hindsight we should have bought in Calis in the first place, but ce la vie. We are happy and have not been back to UK and have no plans to go anywhere at the moment.

We still think ourselves very lucky to have such a nice life in such a beautiful place, just sit on the harbour in the sunshine and look at the snow on the mountains - breathtaking !!

[Menthol]

Wow LeeGlo. Nice story, glad it worked out for you. It's very heartening to hear. To have been here 6 years and never have been back to the UK! 

[sunlover]

7 years ago we had never visited Turkey, then our son in laws brother said he was getting married somewhere called OluDeniz, we had never heard of it, we were invited to the weddiing, but after years of doing the AI Caribbean holidays and after talking to a lot of people we were sceptical about Turkey, we imagined it as a dirty country and a risky place to go, but what the hell we thought, so we booked for a week and stayed in Ten Apartments, i must say after arriving at Dalaman and the journey to the resort was not looking promising.Then we arrived at the apartments, what hospitality we got, such lovely people, the next day we ventured to the beach, and wow, what a sight, amazing mountains and beautiful scenery, the people have amazed us ever since. To cut a long story short, we have been twice a year since staying at private apartments or ten apartments, and am planning our retirement in 5 years time now, to be spent in Calis, we intend renting long term and keeping a base in UK, and cant wait for it all to happen. We have made some friends for life in Calis, and have never looked back after arriving the first time

[LeeGlo]

Thanks Menthol, yes we are happy here, but unfortunately the bureaucratic crap and political unrest at the moment might make us rethink our long term plans. I hope it doesn't come to that, we love Fethiye and our life here.

[Neil B]

The current Mrs B & I have been visiting Turkey on & off since the early 1980's - an Istanbul cruise call started our interest with the history, culture & people.

We were on the first charter flight from Birmingham into Antalya, & have had subsequent holidays in Alanya, Side, Kas, Kalkan, Kusadasi, Bodrum and then Calis & Fethiye over the years.

We kept returning to Fethiye in fact for a number of holidays with no intention of buying a property however a relative passing away led to  a "property swap" a studio apartment in West Midlands for a two bedroomed apartment in Calis.

3 years on we can not get back to Calis often enough, for long enough. Our next visit in April can not come around too quickly.

[spo6666]

My brother in law has had a villa in Calis for about 13 yrs and he had been badgering us to go to his villa for a holiday.
Having snubbed his request for 8 yrs,as I was a Francophile and couldn't possibly holiday anywhere else than France, we gave in and traveled to Calis and to cut a long story short, we have not been back to France since and Gill and I married on Calis beach last year   
we will be back in July for another 3 week stint

[Saga Louts]

Had never been to or fancied Turkey.We had friends who were building on a plot on Bodrum peninsular. What was all the fussabout. they have very good taste. Decided to give it a try and spent a wonderful weekin Icemeler 5 years ago.
We had alwys talked ofhaving a holiday home abroad and had looked at Algarve and various greek islands.
4 years later we went to the holiday show in mancheter to look at properties. We were impressed. Okra homes were very helpful though to pricey for us. One of the companies there offered us a 4 day inspection flights, accom etc included.
What did we have to loose.The next day they rang to ask which area we wanted to look at.
I hadnt a clue. With a map of Turkey in front of me I closed my eyes and pointed.
It was Fethiye. We went out in February and were show around Hisoranu, Ovacek, Oue Denis and Calis. Pauline who showed us around was really wonderful, not only showing us over25 properties but also doing sightseeing with us to show us the area.
We decided on Calis as it was flat and I have COPD. Why spend time looking in other resorts we fellin love with area. We found a lovely appartment  which we fell in love with, but it was over our budget at that time. We were due our lump sums from work in August so decided to hold off till then. We put  a offer in for the appartment the day the money was in the bank.It had sold the day before.

Out again for a week at end of October, we spent the inbetween time researching , contacting agents etc.
We had afull week of viewing arranged with 5 agents.
The third day we were shown a 3 bed 3 story villa on a small complex.
The next day we had a second viewing, made an offer which was accepted. Much under budget and what we regarded and still regard as a bargine. Paid deposit and got keys the day we returned home. Returned again February to complete, and thats it. We come out 5-6
times a year. Spent some money on refurb, new look etc inside gradually changing furniture we inherited ,installing new kitchen and bathrooms ,outside painting etc and still loads of budget left.
In the right place at the right time comes to mind.
No regrets cant grt enough of it.Fethiye and calis are improving by the day.

[Brianbern]

Third time in Turkey in 1982 - in Kusadasi - saw a large poster with a beautiful beach (Oludeniz) asked someone where is that beach? They said Fethiye & we asked is it near here & they said no you can get a bus from here! So we did & 14 hours later we arrived in Fethiye Otogar! Walked from there to the town centre - there were 2 hotels - The brand new Kordon Hotel & the Sema, I think it was called - saw the poster again & asked where is this from here & were told 15 km & there is only one hotel there, Motel Meri - chose to stay in the Kordon Hotel as it was £8 per night for a double room with breakfast & Motel Meri was £16! Travelled by taxi every morning for 5 weeks to Oludeniz & came back in the evening by Dolmus! Never looked back been going ever since - Calis had only reed beds & no housing to speak of - thought it was very cold there if we went on the old bus for sunset! Now have our house in Gunlukbasi after retiring 4 years ago & still got the first friend we made in Fethiye, Mustafa Sikman, who owned the Kordon Hotel & is now the Honorary British Consul!