Why We Moved to Turkey and Never Looked Back

People want to know why two retirees picked up and moved nearly 6,000 miles away and how we became settled in a country where we don’t even speak the language.

Why We Left the United States

In our particular case, we became tired of the long, cold, dreary winters. Also, the U.S. had become politically divided, society felt like it was degrading, and “American values 2.0” no longer aligned with ours. We already had a lovely home with a nice water view, but we wanted milder weather, a lower cost of living, and to live among kind and peaceful people.

The Search for the Right Country

Like many Americans, we looked first to Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador, and Portugal. We ruled out Mexico because of our concerns about crime, Costa Rica because of its poor infrastructure, Panama because it felt like just an extension of the U.S., and Ecuador due to what we perceived as its lack of democracy and personal freedom.

Then we looked to Europe. Portugal has been a favorite of American retirees for as long as I can remember. The more we looked at residency and citizenship requirements, though, the less attractive it became. We decided we didn’t want to live in an EU country, and right about that time we watched a YouTube video by the celebrity chef Rafika. From her house she showed glimpses of the Bosphorus, and we were awestruck!

So we did a deep dive and learned that Turkey has the best Citizenship by Investment program of any country we would even consider moving to. And the other pluses started to mount up for us — affordability, weather, people, history, national pride, healthcare, geographical location, etc.

The Exploratory Trip

At that point it was time for an exploratory trip. Fate put us in the good hands of James Mumcuoglu. We spent just one week in Yalikavak, and that was enough. We returned home to sell our U.S. home.

That was October 2023, and the post-Covid real estate boom went bust. A sale that would have taken a few weeks ended up taking a year. All the while we remained in contact with James. Finally, in March 2025, we boarded a Turkish Airlines flight to Istanbul with two dog kennels, 10 large moving boxes, and 5 suitcases.

James and Aysegul met us at the Bodrum airport and arranged the necessary transportation as well as a rental apartment for us.

Finding Our Home in Bodrum

The very next day they showed us nine curated properties, including the one we ultimately bought. They guided us through every step of the purchase, helped us get a mobile SIM card and mobile Wi-Fi, and got us oriented in so many ways I couldn’t name them all.

Even after the sale they continued to guide us, counsel us, and help us in every way imaginable. They have a great support team for everything you could possibly need. We were literally strangers in a strange land, and James and Aysegul made it so easy to transition.

Settling Into Life in Turkey

Since moving here we have been treated so hospitably by the Turkish people. They are kind, patient, and happy to communicate using Google Translate as we gradually learn basic terms in Turkish.

And the expat community here is truly international. We have made friends with many interesting people.

One Year Later

To sum it up, we have been in Turkey for one full year and we feel completely at home. No regrets. We are so happy and content with our house and our location.

Our Advice to Future Retirees

Our advice to anyone looking to retire in Turkey: you cannot do it alone. You need a trusted advisor who knows the myriad ins and outs of choosing a good project developer, purchasing a home, applying for residency and citizenship, and getting settled.

You will not find anyone more dedicated to helping you realize your retirement dream than James and Aysegul.