Turkey

Refraining from any kind of puns involving Christmas poultry, Turkey has recently become an exceedingly popular choice as a target for property investment. Sporting a potent conversation of a cracking climate, wide range of locations from which to choose, very decent quality developments, and prices that remain low despite the recent boom (though a double-figure rise is expected by next year); Turkey provides a very similar environment to that of Spain 30 years ago - and we all know how Spain turned out...

With development sites on the coast, in the mountains or around the lake-filled plains of Turkey, the choice really is there for the first-time buyer as well as the already savvy investor. There is a surprising amount to do in Turkey: its waters are known as the best in Europe for scuba diving, Istanbul features some of the best bazaars, markets and cafes in the country, and the country features lengthy beaches, sparkling lagoons and quality ski slopes - a mixture found in few other European countries.

Thus Turkey is seen by many experts to be the next big thing - comparisons with the Spanish market of the 70s aside, low-cost airlines are ever more frequently giving a huge influx of tourists into the country (particularly to the long-established coastal resort of Bodrum) - but soon it won't only be the tourist areas that are attracting attention from overseas, as Turkey entices more and more investment from abroad and becomes a major player of the European property market.