Kemerburgaz is the latest address of choice for those seeking a peaceful lifestyle away from the traffic jams and noise of İstanbul. It is a sub-district of Eyüp, right next door to İstanbul.
It is only 25 kilometers away from İstanbul’s city center. It takes 15, 20 and 25 minutes to travel, respectively, to Maslak, Etiler and Taksim and there are neither traffic nor parking problems in Kemerburgaz. These are not the only reasons why Kemerburgaz is such an attractive location. With its lush forests and clean air, it also offers a suburban lifestyle near the heart of the city. With its rising luxury residential sites and charming communities, it is a location of choice for celebrities, businessmen and politicians. Thus, ministers Ahmet Davutoğlu and Ömer Dinçer and celebrities Hülya Avşar, Yılmaz Erdoğan, Yağmur Atacan, Pınar Altuğ, Mehmet Aslantuğ and Arzum Onan are among those who have chosen to live in Kemerburgaz. More and more İstanbulites from the upper income groups are moving to Kemerburgaz. We peered into the changing face of Kemerburgaz and looked into the luxury addresses.
Kemerburgaz is considered İstanbul’s wellspring. Driving there we are welcomed by the looming aqueducts of the Roman and Byzantine eras. It still provides much of the drinking water for the inhabitants of İstanbul. Trailing behind by a number of water tankers, we reach Kemerburgaz without being stuck in traffic jams. As we arrive at the center, we get the impression that it has really not changed much. It is still reminiscent of a small town with its mosque, health center, park and the small teahouse in the square. Only a few occasional housing estates scattered among apartment buildings and old houses are noticeable.
Leaving the town center, we head to İstanbul Street toward the Gezi pastry shop and immediately feel as if we have arrived in a completely different country. The luxury houses and estates are striking: Kemer Rose Rezidans, Kemer Park Evleri, Mesa Yankı Evler, Mesa Yamaç Evler, Zengin Bahçe Konutları and many more luxury housing estates are lined up here. Most of them have interesting designs. These residential estates feature all kinds of sporting facilities, including golf driving ranges, swimming pools, saunas and tennis courts. The luxury living estates are particularly favored by families who seek a natural environment for their children to grow up in. The quality of education offered by a newly opened private high school plays an important role in luring new residents to the area.
New employment opportunities for local residents
Long-time inhabitants of Kemerburgaz say they have been observing with amazement the changes in their district over last 10 years. They say there were once gardens and stables where there are now these luxury estates. “Until 10 years ago, Kemerburgaz did not even have proper roads,” says Hüseyin Diyar, who has worked as a butcher in Kemerburgaz for 30 years. He adds that after the initial luxury communities moved to the area, many others mushroomed in Kemerburgaz. But he does not complain about this situation, because he sees that the increase in wealthy residents in the area will lead to new employment opportunities. He gives the example of local women, who stayed at home in the past, now earning an income by taking domestic jobs cleaning the homes of the well-to-do. Some young people have become drivers and security guards. There are even jobs for retired people in the area. Real estate experts indicate that many famous apparel brands as well as restaurant and cafe chains have opened branches in the district during the last year. Thus, popular brands of Etiler, Bebek and the like are now rushing to have a place in Kemerburgaz. This is also driving the labor market in the neighborhood.
What about real estate prices in Kemerburgaz?
As house prices are generally high they tend to attract residents from the upper income group. Rental prices in the area vary greatly, depending on individual premises and size of the apartment. For instance, you can find an apartment at Mesa Yankı Evleri for TL 2,500 while you can rent one for TL 1,700 per month at Atrium Hill. We can say that rentals on average range from TL 2,000 to TL 5,000 per month. There is also a similar variance with respect to properties for sale. Of course, the expenses don’t end with buying an apartment or villa as you will also have to pay the high monthly outgoings that can range from TL 200 to TL 2,000.
via Today’s Zaman, your gateway to Turkish daily news.