Property in Turkey: Furnished or Unfurnished?

The Turkish property market offers a truly wide choice of properties. Local developers can meet any buyer's wishes. Besides high construction quality, buyers get a choice of layouts and wide opportunities to realize their individual wishes. One of the special options when buying property in Turkey is the chance to buy a home that is fully ready to move into, with furniture, plumbing, appliances and so on. Many buyers find it hard to decide whether to buy a furnished apartment or an unfurnished one. We have prepared an article covering the pros and cons of each option, as well as other opportunities when buying a home in Turkey.

An unfurnished apartment: pros and cons

The term "unfurnished apartment" can be understood in different ways. In many countries, it can mean not only the absence of furniture but also, for example, no renovation or only a shell finish. But in Turkey, an unfurnished apartment is a home without furniture that is otherwise fully ready to move into. That is:

the floors, ceilings and walls have a high-quality finish;
the interior finishing is done;
a neat renovation has been completed;
there are spaces for installing appliances;
air conditioners are installed;
the bathrooms are fitted with quality plumbing;
the kitchen has fitted units.

There are also unfurnished apartments with pre-installed built-in appliances: a refrigerator, dishwasher, washing machine and so on. We have covered in detail what different developers include in the finishing and what to look for at handover in our article on apartments with finishing in Turkey. It is best to check the specification of a particular apartment, including whether it has air conditioners and built-in appliances, with a sales manager before signing the contract and to have it written into the contract.

In other words, an unfurnished apartment in Turkey lacks only furniture. The owners can furnish it as they see fit. This is a good option for those who want to create a cozy new home to their own taste but are not ready to spend a lot of time buying everything, from the necessary plumbing to home textiles. Unfurnished Turkish apartments have the essentials for basic comfort, while the furniture and home decor are left to the buyer's choice. The owners can buy all this to suit their taste and budget and arrange it as they like.

This option is usually chosen by families with children who plan to live in Turkey seasonally or vacation there, as well as by those moving to Turkey permanently. Bear in mind that furniture and appliance prices in Turkey rise with inflation (29.73% year on year in September 2026), so it is best to budget for furnishing in lira right before buying.

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A turnkey apartment

The second type of apartment you can buy on the Turkish market is a fully furnished one. This includes:

a full set of appliances, including a kettle, coffee machine and other necessary "small items";
a quality renovation;
a full set of furniture;
a well-thought-out single space with a particular design style and solutions;
color and style unity throughout;
home textiles: rugs, curtains, cushions, bedspreads and so on.

In other words, turnkey Turkish apartments are modern, ready-made homes with an exclusive, well-thought-out design.

This option is preferred by retirees buying property for their own use or holidays, and by students for temporary accommodation. It is also an excellent choice for those planning to buy an apartment to rent it out. In this case, the owner will not have to make any further investment in the property and can rent it out immediately. This is true for long-term rentals. To rent the apartment to tourists for up to 100 days, since 2024 you also need a permit from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism and the consent of all the owners in the building.

As for the disadvantages of fully furnished properties, it is worth noting that interior design is a matter of taste. You may find an apartment that is ideal for you in terms of location, layout, size and other key features, but it may be sold with furnishings that are not to your taste at all. And furniture, appliances and other furnishings are reflected in the price of the property. That said, Turkish designers take their work seriously, so the furnishing of such apartments is usually excellent. As a rule, neutral, positive designs are used, without any particular features that someone might dislike. We have collected ideas on how to furnish an apartment in the Turkish style in our article on furnishing an apartment.

An apartment to your specifications on the Turkish property market

If you do not want to spend time furnishing an apartment and do not want to live in a ready-made interior created by someone else, Turkish developers are ready to create an apartment fully in line with your individual wishes. To do this, you just need to buy property from a developer in a residential complex under construction. In this case, you will be able to agree all the details personally:

any changes to the layout;
additions to the project;
specific design;
preferred finishing materials;
development of a personal design project and so on.

Such changes will alter the final price of the property somewhat, but since buying at the construction stage is the most profitable option, the price will not change dramatically. For a certain extra payment, you will get an apartment that embodies all your preferences, your unique sense of style and individual taste. All agreed changes should be set out in the contract or an annex to it. Changing the layout inside the apartment is only possible if it does not affect the load-bearing structures and complies with the approved building project.

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What this means for the property owner

Question	Unfurnished apartment	Furnished apartment
Long-term rental	Suits families who bring their own furniture	Rents out faster; an inventory of furniture and appliances is added to the lease
Short-term rental to tourists	You will have to furnish it first	Ready right away, but a ministry permit is needed
Insurance	DASK covers only the building structure	Furniture and appliances are covered by optional home insurance (konut sigortası)
Resale	The buyer will furnish it to their taste	Furniture raises the price if it is in good condition and in a neutral style
Water and electricity connection	In the new owner's name; a DASK policy is required	The same

The deposit for a long-term rental is no more than three months' rent. It also covers possible damage to the furniture, so an inventory with photos at move-in protects both parties.

"Buyers who plan to rent out the apartment more often choose the furnished option: that way it can be rented out right after receiving the keys. For those who are relocating, we advise taking an unfurnished apartment and furnishing it gradually: it is cheaper and everything will be to your taste," says a sales manager at Yekta Homes.

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Which option does not suit whom

A furnished apartment does not suit those moving with their own furniture. Paying for someone else's furniture and then selling it is not worthwhile.
An unfurnished apartment does not suit those who want to rent it out right after buying. Furnishing and delivery will take weeks, and the income will start later.
A custom project does not suit those who need an apartment in the next few months. It can only be done in a building under construction, and the apartment will be ready along with it.

Each of these situations is visible in advance, so the format is best chosen to match your goal: living, renting out or reselling.

Frequently asked questions

What does "unfurnished apartment" mean in Turkey?

An apartment with full finishing, plumbing, fitted kitchen units and usually air conditioners, but without furniture.

Which is better for renting: furnished or unfurnished?

For tourist and short-term rentals, furnished. For long-term rentals, both work, but furnished apartments usually rent out faster.

Does DASK insurance cover furniture?

No, only the building structure. Furniture and appliances require optional home insurance.

Can you change the layout of an apartment with the developer?

Yes, if you buy at the construction stage and the changes do not affect the load-bearing structures. The details are set out in the contract.

The Turkish property market: a variety of offers

The Turkish market offers a wide choice of properties for every taste and every type of buyer. Here you can buy a small studio in a completed residential complex and head off right away on a long-awaited seaside holiday, or buy a spacious apartment at the construction stage so that your whole family can vacation in it in future without overpaying for accommodation. Turkey also has luxurious offers: penthouses, luxurious two-level apartments with wraparound terraces and more. In short, in Turkey you can find everything you dream of. To see this for yourself, look through the catalog of property in Turkey directly from the developer Yekta Homes. As of October 2026, prices start from €103,000 in complexes under construction and from €139,000 in completed ones; it is best to check what is included in a particular apartment with a sales manager. To get started, leave a request on our website or call us at +90 533 782 0000.