New Thermal Insulation Requirements in Turkey from April 1, 2025
Starting from April 1, 2025, new thermal insulation requirements for residential buildings will come into effect in Turkey. The official decree has already been published in the Government’s Official Gazette, and now developers are required to adhere to the new thermal insulation standards when designing buildings.
New TS 825 Standard for Thermal Insulation in Buildings
The new TS 825 "Building Thermal Insulation Rules" standard mandates that homes be designed to meet both heating needs in winter and cooling needs in summer. As a result, from April 1, 2025, developers will only be able to obtain construction permits for projects that comply with these new regulations.
These new regulations will significantly increase construction costs. The implementation of additional insulation and cooling systems will require extra investments from developers, inevitably impacting property prices per square meter. Adjusting existing projects to meet these new requirements may cause delays in completion, and additional insulation costs may arise in projects that are already under construction.
Meanwhile, Construction Costs Continue to Rise
According to TÜİK (Turkish Statistical Institute), as of December 2024, the Construction Cost Index for civil construction increased by 33.0%. The material cost index rose by 0.42% over the month and by 24.27% over the year.
The next TÜİK report, dated March 11, 2025, also indicated rapid growth:
- The Construction Cost Index in January 2025 increased by 9.10% compared to the previous month and by 26.61% compared to the same month of the previous year.
- The material cost index increased by 1.96% compared to the previous month, while labor costs rose by 23.58%.
- Compared to the same month of the previous year, the material cost index increased by 22.39%, while labor costs surged by 34.37%.
Real Estate Market: February 2025 Sales Statistics
According to TÜİK, 112,818 homes were sold in February, marking a 20.1% increase compared to February 2024. Housing sales for January-February increased by 29.1% compared to the same period in the previous year, reaching 224,991 units.
- Mortgage-backed home sales across Turkey in February rose by 90.1% compared to February 2024, reaching 16,778 (14.9% of total transactions).
- Mortgage-backed sales for January-February grew by 127.3%, reaching 33,504 transactions.
- The number of first-hand home sales in February increased by 18.2% compared to February 2024, reaching 33,784 (29.9% of total transactions). First-hand sales for January-February rose by 23.6%, totaling 66,569 units.
- The number of second-hand home sales in February increased by 21.0% compared to the same month in the previous year, reaching 79,034 (70.1% of total transactions). Second-hand home sales for January-February rose by 31.6%, reaching 158,422 units.
- Sales to foreign buyers in February declined by 21.1% compared to the same month of the previous year, amounting to 1,457 transactions (1.3% of total sales). The cities with the highest number of sales to foreigners were Istanbul (539), Antalya (503), and Mersin (89).
- By nationality, the largest number of home purchases in February were made by Russian citizens (256), followed by Iranians (133) and Iraqis (99).
Why Buy Now?
With rising construction costs, new properties will become significantly more expensive. If you are planning to purchase real estate in Turkey, now is the best time to buy before developers factor in additional thermal insulation expenses and rising construction costs into new projects.
In touristic Alanya, the number of new development projects is significantly lower than it was a few years ago. This will inevitably lead to a shortage of available properties and, consequently, higher real estate prices. Apartments in Alanya are in high demand among both foreign buyers and Turkish citizens looking for vacation properties by the sea.
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