Welcome To The Nut House

Feb 24 2008 Laura Davidson

Place In The Sun Tony And Margaret's Choice Of Name For Their Turkish Holiday Home Raised A Few Eyebrows

You could be forgiven for thinking Margaret and Tony Merriman were a pair of party animals after hearing what they called their holiday home in Turkey - The Nut House.

But the couple insist there's a perfectly tame explanation for their choice.

Tony laughed: "Some of the first trees we planted at the house were little nut trees, so the name came from that...but I'm sure a lot of our friends would say it's pretty appropriate in other ways!"

Tony, 65, and Margaret, 57, both retired deputy headteachers, bought their place in Oludeniz, five years ago. They were directed to the west coast resort by a couple they met on holiday.

Margaret said: "We met a young couple in Crete who were very well travelled and seemed to have lived all over the world. With our own next holiday in mind, we asked them where was the most beautiful place they'd ever visited and they said Oludeniz.

"They said the turquoise blue sea had to be seen to be believed and we were intrigued. When we got home, we booked a break there."

They flew out in July 2003 and Margaret, of Longniddry, East Lothian, says she immediately saw the attraction of the place.

She said: "It's just breath-taking.

The scenery is gorgeous with so many unspoilt historical sites to visit and the beaches are stunning."

The couple had been thinking about investing in property abroad for a while and had looked into buying in France and Italy but never saw their ideal spot.

Margaret said: "We really thought that the time of finding an affordable property that we liked had passed us by but arriving in Turkey changed all that.

"We felt we'd found an unspoilt little corner where we could be happy. We began contacting agents and looking at property immediately. We didn't want to waste any more time."

The couple finally decided to go with Kate and Hakan Cinar of PropertyInTurkey.com.

The husband-and-wife team took the Merrimans to see more than a dozen properties until they found their dream home, a stunning detached villa with pool on the outskirts of Oludeniz.

With four bedrooms, three bathrooms and a large open-plan sitting, dining and kitchen area, it was everything they wanted.

The house also has three large balconies and a huge garden.

In 2003 the couple paid £130,000 for their property but it's now valued at £200,000. They funded their purchase by extending the mortgage on their home in Scotland.

Tony added: "We love the place and we try to visit three or four times a year. It's first and foremost a holiday home but also a great investment.

"We rent the place out when we're not using it and we have a great management company in place who look after the villa when we're not there.

"We're so glad we stumbled upon Turkey as a destination because we wouldn't necessarily have picked it ourselves.

"It's a beautiful country and the people are so nice. When I was landscaping the garden, two young men saw me struggling with planting some heavy trees and they came to help, staying till midnight to get the job done.

"They wouldn't accept any payment, just said they were happy to help. That, to us, is typical of the Turkish people.

"We feel we've found a real home from home here and we've also bought another plot of land so the option is there to build our own house later on.

"We have two daughters - Sarah, 24, who lives in Cornwall, and Lucy, 16, who's in fourth year at school.

When she's off to uni we fancy the idea of spending half the year in Scotland and half in Turkey."

If you'd like to rent the villa, click on www.the nut-house.com

Factfile

You don't have to be a resident to purchase a home in Turkey but you will require a resident's visa if you plan to live there for more than three months a year.

Before buying, check that there are no outstanding rental agreements or mortgages on the property and that the seller has the title deeds (tapu) giving them the legal right to sell it.

Set aside a contingency fund of around 5-10 per cent over the purchase price for "hidden" fees. Remember there will be legal costs and if you're buying through an agent, commission may be payable.

The presence of a sworn interpreter during the registration at the Land Registry Office is required by law in Turkey. The translation is confirmed by the interpreter's signature. Fees for the service are around £50.

PropertyInTurkey.com are exhibiting at the Place In The Sun Live exhibition at Manchester's GMEX from February 29-March 2. To buy tickets, log on to the website www.aplaceinthesunlive.com or call 0871 945 9400.