Chinese citizens were the largest group of foreign homebuyers in Istanbul in September, only the second time they have held the top spot since the series began in 2013, according to official statistics analysed by the consultancy Property Istanbul and reported by the real estate news site Emlakkulisi on Oct. 21.
Foreigners bought 817 homes in the city during the month. Buyers from China accounted for 123 of them, ahead of Iranians with 112 and Russians with 53. The figures are based on data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), which records every sale registered at the land registry, where the tapu, or title deed, changes hands.
Istanbul gains share as national demand cools
Over the first nine months of 2026, foreign purchases in Istanbul rose 2.9% from a year earlier to 6,533 homes. Across Türkiye as a whole, however, sales to foreigners fell 4.3% to 15,308 units over the same period. As a result, Istanbul’s share of all foreign purchases increased from 39.7% to 42.7%, meaning that more than four in every ten homes sold to foreigners in the country were in the city.
The figures suggest that the slowdown in foreign demand is being felt more strongly outside Istanbul, including in resort markets such as Antalya and the Aegean coast that rely heavily on Russian, Ukrainian and European buyers. Overall foreign demand remains well below its 2022 peak, when sales were boosted by citizenship applications and an influx of buyers following the war in Ukraine. Industry groups have been lobbying for changes to the citizenship rules, with one body recently proposing a $750,000 citizenship threshold.
Chinese purchases already exceed full-year totals
Chinese buyers acquired 853 homes in Istanbul between January and September, up 64% from the same period of 2025. That is already more than they bought in the whole of 2024 (704) or 2025 (751). Iranians remained the largest nationality over the nine months with 936 homes, their highest January-September total on record.
Cenan Can Tekin, general manager of Property Istanbul, said foreign demand was below its peak but was concentrating in Istanbul, and described the rise of Chinese buyers as the most notable new trend of the year, according to Emlakkulisi.
Foreigners can buy freehold property in most of Türkiye, subject to military and security zone checks. Purchases of at least $400,000 can qualify for Turkish citizenship by property investment, and buyers must now also obtain an official valuation report before the sale. Owners who later want to rent out or resell should be aware that authorities have tightened listing rules for foreign property owners this year.
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Photo: Metuboy / CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
