Job Discussion Forums

[ghost]

The news is not good on the rental front. Prices are going up in most places, and in some - the increases in rent have been dramatic.

A recent article in the Hurriyet newspaper states that "the Central Bank said that the year-end inflation target will be 8%, but the 20% increase in rents was an unexpected development in economy."


The article also said that the falling tendency of inflation is a contributor to the increase in rents.

Further exerpts from the Hurriyet article:

"If the rental fees continue increasing similarly in the next period, its contribution to inflation would reach up to 40 %. "

"Rental fees increased by 1.8 % in November in Turkey. The average rent of 240 million TL increased up to 244 million TL."

"Rents increased by 14 % in a year in Ankara, 21 % in Istanbul and 19 % in Izmir."

"In December. The contribution of rental increase to inflation reached up to 20 %."

All of this is not good news for teachers in Turkey, who in the past had very generous provisions made for them, with many schools giving free accommodation, or in the worst case scenarios sharing the rental costs with the teachers.

Many schools are now hesitant to offer these deals, as rental costs are rising so dramatically, especially in cities like Istanbul, Izmir, Antalya and Ankara.

Teachers like Yaramaz, D.M.B. and F.G.T. will now be digging into their pockets to be able to live like they used to, and this will mean reduced savings and ultimately decisions as to whether to continue plugging away in Turkey. The picture is not a rosy one, and things will only get worse before they get better...

[gelin]

Gee Ghost, one would think that you have an inside into ALL the schools in Turkey -- there when they make their policies and directives. Your one-man crusade to scare teachers away from Turkey won't work. Go work on another country already. What is the average rent in Turkey compared to, say, Canada?

[dmb]

In the last 5 months(when I moved) my rent has remained the same. In the same time period I've had two salary increases. So, I'm not digging any further.

[calsimsek]

As the Turks say 'health to your Mouth' Gelin. I'm really fed up with the crap Ghost drings out. Yes, rents have gone up and one of the reasons is that falling inflation figuers are being matched by falling returnes on bonds. So alot of all time Turks who are not up to speed with stocks and so on, are turning to rent, to supplement their incomes. The C.Bank has already warned against this trend and the Gov't to is credit has stated it will take action if needed.
So one get your facts right.
Two like Geline said how much, is rent in any other big city location. Don't compare Ist to some one dog town somewhere in the world compare it to London New York or other interntional city.
Third point most of the well established schools own their own property, its a tax thing.
Fourth, as ghost might rember, thoses on their own are often renting fully furnished places at $ rates. So the increase in rents can effect them at all.
As Gelin has said this one man crusade has to stop.

[ghost]

[FGT]

I pay 15 mill. TL (about �6) a month for my 2-bedroomed, spacious, single occupancy, sea view flat. The school I work for pays the rest. All teachers get either rent free, shared accommodation or a housing allowance.

I agree that rents are going up at a rate that is higher than official inflation but.....

[Volodiya]

Ghost is acting like a lover, scorned: not being able to let go of the bad experience is a classic sign- all lovers will recognize it.

You had it bad for Turkey, huh, Ghost?

[calsimsek]

Thank you ghost, thats the first personal attack I'v had. I now really feel like I belong, add to this, that I am attack by one, who's views on most things about Turkey are oppersite of mine; only adds to the warm fuzzy feeling I'm getting .
You say that my views are 'uninformed, biased rantings'. Well perhapes you feel that you know and understand this nation better than the rest of us, so thus your views are not biased.

Yes I admite that I love this nation (city), if I did'nt I would not speend my time in a bitter race to hate it. I would get on with my life. I have a life.
Then agian Ghost you serve a very important function, you balance out those like myself. In between your negative view and my posative view lays the truth. It's up to those who do not know Turkey to look at both cases and make call for them selfs

[yaramaz]

I am one of the unlucky minions who doesn't get housing provided but I am not poor by a long shot. I'm actually surprised by how comfortable I am in spite of moving to the big, bad expensive city and paying full rent on a 2 bedroom apartment (not sharing) and kapici, utilities, etc--- after all, I just left a comfy job in the middle of nowhere that paid for everything. Am I happy? Yep, I am. Can I go out and enjoy myself? Yep, I do. Am I saving? Yes. I am.

And, since I just work for a humble lingo academy (traditionally a place known to be full of *shudder* backpackers, apparently, though none actually appear to be such) I am making but a fraction of what the other teachers at kolijs and universities make.

Hmm.

Assume nothing, ghost, unless you are actually here and know what you are talking about.

[dmb]

[ghost]

[dmb]

[Bogazicibaby]

I have to agree with DMB.

I have a group of several friends from my first year here. They all came at the same time I did, or a year before. Two of them have moved on. One because she is working on a Master's degree and she returns every summer. The other friend went home with the children.

I've met many others over the years who fit this "special case".

Sure, there is turn over in places and things don't always turn out the way you want them to. People who stick out the tough times generally end up in a position that works if they want to stay.

[mrauc941]

Sorry couldnt find the exact thread that this topic ran in...but figured it fits in this one...

I remember someone posted about a month ago saying that the dollar wouldnt drop much more. Maybe they even said it wouldnt go below 1.4 YTL? Well of course it has. The question for those of us who get paid in $ is how much more will it drop. I don't think anyone can say for sure, but I thought Id contribute this quote from a recent article in the NY Times.

'The arguments for the dollar to fall further in 2005 seem persuasive to most analysts. There are few signs that the American government is getting its budget or trade deficits under control, and foreigners' appetite for American assets is not limitless. But only one year ago there was a similar market consensus - about interest rates - that proved to be wrong.'

Out of curiuosity...as there is no agreement in my contract for a salary reevaluation...for those of you whose salary has been readjusted recently (ie in accordance with the flucation of currency value-not as a 'raise') what was the increase? Maybe you can post it as a percentage increase? For example...maybe you are making 110% of what you made in August? PM me if you dont want to post here...

[vre]

I understand that a lot of places are reconsidering payment in dollars and instead are heading towards the YTL at a risk, but perhaps a lesser risk than the dollar, considering its history and its future forecast.

...By the way, rents have gone up considerably, but most of us can still get by.