Real estate, which is one of the most important export items in the world today, gains greater value when combined with the unique beauties of our country. Turkey is one of the most distinguished countries in the world with its geographical location connecting Europe and Asia, its climate, natural beauties and traces of many civilizations. Despite this, our country cannot get the share it deserves from international real estate investments and lags behind its competitors.

The process that we define as real estate export, which refers to the acquisition of real estate by international investors from different countries; provides undoubtedly significant contributions to economies.  Considering the global importance given to real estate exports, which has the potential to become the second-largest tourism sector in our country, we see that many countries have signed regulations that will attract investors.

The Real Estate Service Exporters' Association (GIGDER), which we established with Ömer Faruk Akbal, in 2020, has undertaken a very important mission in order to institutionalize the real estate export ecosystem in Turkey and to gain influence areas. The three books in the Real Estate Export Research Series, which we published with the support of our friends when I was the Chairman of the GIGDER Research and Publications Committee; has allowed our sector stakeholders operating in this field to have access to accurate data. Furthermore, GIGDEKS, our country's first housing sales index to international investors, which is prepared by GIGDER and analyzes real estate sales to international investors in Turkey every three months based on quantity, turnover, and average sales price, is a valuable study that includes important indicators of our sector.

We must act with the awareness that international real estate investments can bring different opportunities to our country in the long term. We must make some regulations in order to increase the share we receive from these investments and bring our country to the point it deserves on a global scale.

First of all, our sector stakeholders should be members of the Service Exporters' Association (HİB), and a real estate service export committee should be established within the HİB. Residency by investment programs should be drafted, and in this way, an investment ground suitable for international investors should be created with an understanding that also takes into account the interests of the country. Brokers and brokerage firms must be included in the licensing/certification program. The necessary structure should be established to carry out all transactions regarding international real estate investments at a single point. The residency program through rentals should be abolished immediately, and the transparency, trust and up-to-date flow of data that our industry needs should be provided.

We will continue to work for the development of the real estate export sector with the understanding of happy society, profitable state, working sector and trustworthy investors.