Job Discussion Forums

[yaramaz]

Yep, ms wyldfire, that is exactly my situation in a nutshell (a spat-out sidewalk sunflower shell?), though I'm not so lonely as it sounds like you were. I have a nice, small community of arkadaslar to keep me sane. Also, I have a feeling that Kayseri is not as conservative as it once was, or that it is slowly opening up. It certainly is not more Islamic than Saudi because the women too often wear the infamous camel-toe styled trousers and leopard print lycra; because you can buy drinks in off-licenses everywhere (though not in bars); because women drive cars just as badly as the men... It's just not my kind of town... I need more! Bright lights and big city and all that. Two years is enough: any more would be redundant.

Can anyone give me info on the housing situation in Istanbul? Mike, didnt you do a write-up last year about costs? I understand rent has increased exponentially as of late. Is it at all possible to find a furnished studio flat on the Asian side near Suadiye without going bankrupt or will I be sharing again for the millionth time?

I am excited though...

[dmb]

I'm taking over my friend's flat at the end of the month. It's situated about 20 metres from Istiklal Cad. and costs 650 million a month.

[Mike_2003]

Hi Yaramaz,

Rent does seem to have increased more than wages over the past few years. The biggest problem I had was with furniture. Most of the properties in Istanbul seem to be unfurnished to the point where you even need to provide your own light switches! I saw a few furnished properties but these were few and far between and obviously more expensive. The whole process of finding a place, paying the deposit and commission (if apl.), furniture and then putting all the bills in your name is extremely costly. Sharing might be the way to go until you can find somewhere suitable, or maybe using the school's acc. for a while.

I was looking in the Bakirkoy area and the smallest properties were one-bedroomed flats, normal in the basement. These were around 350-400mTL per month. I saw one which was furnished for 450mTL. I went around five or six agents and none of them had any studio flats on their books but you might have more luck on that side.

Looking at www.sahibinden.com for Suadiye, prices seem to start at about 450mTL. There is one place on their list for 275mTL which seems to be a one-bedroomed roof flat. Places advertised on the net seem to be the more expensive properties so you might get something for 350mTL or so.

Good luck!

Mike