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Oh, yes! Here comes the sun! A very hot one, I might add. The summer school holiday is upon us again, only this year there are 100 days of holiday -- much longer than in previous years, as the summer vacation period coincides with the end-of-Ramadan Eid al-Fitr celebrations (Şeker Bayramı in Turkish). More than three months of holiday? Hmm… That's a long time, I must say.
Until moving to Turkey, I never really bothered with the summer holidays. I actually felt weird with all the fuss that people made on TV about the holiday. I grew up in a place where every day of the year is practically summer. There is only sun and rain. There is no such thing as four seasons of weather conditions, and the longest school holiday is a maximum of one-and-a-half months at the end of the year.
My dad is a retired marine officer. He worked on his ship, away from home, for months at a time. Naturally, whenever he was at home, he preferred to stay home with his family. Going on vacations? I can't really remember going anywhere. Maybe that was because we generally lived on beautiful tourist-destination islands until my father retired. So there was really no need for him to take all six of his children on vacations: We were on vacation every day!
Turks, on the other hand, I find to be holiday-goers. When summer comes, families ask each other about their plans for the summer. It is the time of the year where everyone finds it only natural to get away somewhere. In fact, there is an unwritten need for a getaway, to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
There are a few patterns I have observed over the last 10 years. For vacations, naturally the where, when and how depend on what a person can afford, both in terms of finances and time. In İstanbul for example, those who cannot afford a getaway simply spend their summer holiday visiting places within İstanbul itself. They go to places where they can spend less money while still allowing each member of the family to have an enjoyable time. Some people simply go back to their villages and spend time for a while where the cost of living is much cheaper, for a breath of fresh air. Of course, returning to family villages is an activity not limited to the less fortunate. People living in big cities find summer the best time to visit their respective villages and catch up with relatives, as the long holiday affords maximum time to enjoy the life, food and scenery of their villages. Many holiday-goers travel to places of their choice and stay at hotels for their vacation, flocking to popular tourist destinations like Antalya, Bodrum and many others. The more fortunate, who have their own summer homes, flock to their summer houses during the summer holidays. But there is another concept of vacation, one which has simply fascinated me from the beginning. It is the concept of the “timeshare,” or what the Türks refer to as “devre mülk”.
Understanding ‘devre mülk’
A timeshare is a form of ownership, more specifically the right to use a property for an allotted period of time each a year. In Turkey, it is normally two weeks, with the same timeshare date every year. However, the sharer does not actually own the property. The property developer owns the property. Your right is to stay at your timeshare unit during the specified time. It is basically a temporary ownership.
Timeshare properties, normally in apartment or condominium-style units, are usually designed to accommodate a family. For instance, one of the Zaim family's timeshare units, in Körfez, is designed to accommodate five people. There is a bedroom with a queen bed for two people, while there are enough sofa beds to accommodate three more people. It also has a bathroom (with a large tub) and a kitchen. The kitchen is equipped with enough utensils to accommodate all five people: five glasses, five plates, five forks, five knives, etc. Everything is designed for five people -- even the towels and blankets are sufficient for five people. Naturally there is also a television, air-conditioner and refrigerator. In other, fancier timeshare properties, I assume dishwashers are included as well.
Why does this timeshare concept fascinate me? Well, for a start, if one is to go on vacation and stay at a hotel every year, how long can an average middle class working family afford to stay there? The general answer, I assume, is roughly a week. For a larger family, the cost will be even higher. Yes, staying in a hotel is nice, but I personally do not find it very cost effective. Furthermore, when you stay at a hotel, by the end of the day, no matter how many stars the hotel has, it is still a room with a bed and a bathroom. Space is limited. There is simply not enough room to roam around.
In a timeshare, a person pays a certain amount of money depending on their agreement with the developer while the timeshare unit is constructed. However, once the unit is completed, I find the fee very affordable. Take, for example, our timeshare unit in Körfez. I remember that my late father-in-law paid a lot of money while it was under construction. Nonetheless, after that, for every year, we only pay once a year, when we come to stay at the timeshare unit. This year, for example, we paid TL 375, with an additional TL 8 since I “lost” a saucepan and we overused the electricity. Still, for two weeks of vacation, this is very cheap. The maintenance fee is included in the TL 375. Conversely, if one stays at a hotel, it can cost a minimum of TL 150 per room per night. Staying at a hotel for seven nights would cost at minimum TL 1050. I have two kids. Once they're a bit more grown up, we will need two hotel rooms, which will double hotel expenses. That is why a meager TL 375 for two weeks is, to me, basically a free holiday.
Stepping outside the city: summerhouses
What about summerhouses? Indeed, it is wonderful to have one. To spend one's holiday at one's own place, away from the city and free to do as one pleases for as long as one pleases. My sister-in-law's parents, for example, have a summerhouse on the Gulf of Saros. Spring comes, and they start abandoning their home in Istanbul to start planting vegetables and fruits in their summerhome garden. They love it there, as the sea is near and they are surrounded by their produce. Isn't that a great way to spend your holiday? For years our family (and the rest of the Zaim family) never failed to escape the heat of İstanbul at the family's summer home in Mahmudiye, Sapanca, where the house -- with a garden on top of the hill and a private swimming pool for the kids to splash in -- is the perfect summer getaway. Indeed, summer homes are a godsend -- but then, how many of us can afford our own summer home? This is why timeshares are an option holiday-goers should consider. I personally think that in the long run it is a much cheaper option for a vacation.
Each timeshare holder has a specific date in a year. What if you can't come on that date every year? What happens then? Luckily, one can ask the company to rent out your unit to others. Another possibility is to ask whether there is an empty unit, so you can go to at another date. For instance, our timeshare unit in Körfez is in September. This year, for example, due to Ramadan, we decided to not go on vacation then. Therefore, we asked whether there were any units available at another time. The answer was affirmative, and they found us a unit. Consequently, we vacationed there two weeks ago. Yes, we didn't stay at our own unit, but the units are almost identical. It didn't really matter. What matters is the fact that the exchange date option made it possible for us to go there. Another good thing about timeshares is that you pay only once. This time, for example, we could only stay for a week. There was one more week left. Anyone from the family (or even friends) can come and stay at the unit until the allocated period is over without having to pay. The payment is only made once. There is no restriction on who comes to stay there. That is a great advantage, indeed.
Of course, the concept of timeshares is not as widespread in Turkey as in America or in the rest of Europe. In Turkey, timeshare developers are scarce, but the concept is becoming an option for long-term vacation investments. Nonetheless, it all depends on the developers. Our Körfez unit, for example, is excellently maintained by the developer. The unit is in good shape even as it ages. There are other timeshare units in other places owned by the family which are not as well maintained. This is why the credibility of the units' developers and the future maintenance of the units should be taken into consideration. If you choose the right developer and the right location, I truly believe that timeshare-owning is the way to go. If one dislikes the timeshare location or the unit, there is also the option of selling your timeshare, despite not owning the property. One way or another, one does not lose much.
No matter how and where one chooses to spend one's time in the summer, it is always great to be able to go away somewhere, even for a day. Who wouldn't want to laze around and forget all their worries for a day or two, eh? Check in at a hotel, enjoy your summerhouse or even your timeshare unit; whatever you choose, the aim is always to relax. Still, summer is a long time to fill. Visit places of interest, go to the beach, swim at a swimming pool or simply stay at home and watch DVDs -- the options are countless. If you can't afford the time or the money to go to holiday resorts for a lazy getaway at the beach, there's no reason to fret. For several years now, the local authority in İstanbul has been cleaning the waterfront. There are public points, starting from Fenerbahçe (in Asia) and continuing all the way to Caddebostan and further, where the public can now soak themselves under the sun and swim in the sea. Who says you need to go somewhere far and costly to sunbathe? The answer to your prayers may be just a step away, and you won't even need to spend hundreds of lira. İstanbul has a lot to offer in every sense. In this time of economic crisis, staying put can be enjoyable, too. You just need to be creative and flexible.
Happy Holidays, everyone!
26 June 2009, Friday
SİMAH ZAİM İSTANBUL
Oh, yes! Here comes the sun! A very hot one, I might add. The summer school holiday is upon us again, only this year there are 100 days of holiday -- much longer than in previous years, as the summer vacation period coincides with the end-of-Ramadan Eid al-Fitr celebrations (Şeker Bayramı in Turkish). More than three months of holiday? Hmm… That's a long time, I must say.
Until moving to Turkey, I never really bothered with the summer holidays. I actually felt weird with all the fuss that people made on TV about the holiday. I grew up in a place where every day of the year is practically summer. There is only sun and rain. There is no such thing as four seasons of weather conditions, and the longest school holiday is a maximum of one-and-a-half months at the end of the year.
My dad is a retired marine officer. He worked on his ship, away from home, for months at a time. Naturally, whenever he was at home, he preferred to stay home with his family. Going on vacations? I can't really remember going anywhere. Maybe that was because we generally lived on beautiful tourist-destination islands until my father retired. So there was really no need for him to take all six of his children on vacations: We were on vacation every day!
Turks, on the other hand, I find to be holiday-goers. When summer comes, families ask each other about their plans for the summer. It is the time of the year where everyone finds it only natural to get away somewhere. In fact, there is an unwritten need for a getaway, to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.
There are a few patterns I have observed over the last 10 years. For vacations, naturally the where, when and how depend on what a person can afford, both in terms of finances and time. In İstanbul for example, those who cannot afford a getaway simply spend their summer holiday visiting places within İstanbul itself. They go to places where they can spend less money while still allowing each member of the family to have an enjoyable time. Some people simply go back to their villages and spend time for a while where the cost of living is much cheaper, for a breath of fresh air. Of course, returning to family villages is an activity not limited to the less fortunate. People living in big cities find summer the best time to visit their respective villages and catch up with relatives, as the long holiday affords maximum time to enjoy the life, food and scenery of their villages. Many holiday-goers travel to places of their choice and stay at hotels for their vacation, flocking to popular tourist destinations like Antalya, Bodrum and many others. The more fortunate, who have their own summer homes, flock to their summer houses during the summer holidays. But there is another concept of vacation, one which has simply fascinated me from the beginning. It is the concept of the “timeshare,” or what the Türks refer to as “devre mülk”.
Understanding ‘devre mülk’
A timeshare is a form of ownership, more specifically the right to use a property for an allotted period of time each a year. In Turkey, it is normally two weeks, with the same timeshare date every year. However, the sharer does not actually own the property. The property developer owns the property. Your right is to stay at your timeshare unit during the specified time. It is basically a temporary ownership.
Timeshare properties, normally in apartment or condominium-style units, are usually designed to accommodate a family. For instance, one of the Zaim family's timeshare units, in Körfez, is designed to accommodate five people. There is a bedroom with a queen bed for two people, while there are enough sofa beds to accommodate three more people. It also has a bathroom (with a large tub) and a kitchen. The kitchen is equipped with enough utensils to accommodate all five people: five glasses, five plates, five forks, five knives, etc. Everything is designed for five people -- even the towels and blankets are sufficient for five people. Naturally there is also a television, air-conditioner and refrigerator. In other, fancier timeshare properties, I assume dishwashers are included as well.
Why does this timeshare concept fascinate me? Well, for a start, if one is to go on vacation and stay at a hotel every year, how long can an average middle class working family afford to stay there? The general answer, I assume, is roughly a week. For a larger family, the cost will be even higher. Yes, staying in a hotel is nice, but I personally do not find it very cost effective. Furthermore, when you stay at a hotel, by the end of the day, no matter how many stars the hotel has, it is still a room with a bed and a bathroom. Space is limited. There is simply not enough room to roam around.
In a timeshare, a person pays a certain amount of money depending on their agreement with the developer while the timeshare unit is constructed. However, once the unit is completed, I find the fee very affordable. Take, for example, our timeshare unit in Körfez. I remember that my late father-in-law paid a lot of money while it was under construction. Nonetheless, after that, for every year, we only pay once a year, when we come to stay at the timeshare unit. This year, for example, we paid TL 375, with an additional TL 8 since I “lost” a saucepan and we overused the electricity. Still, for two weeks of vacation, this is very cheap. The maintenance fee is included in the TL 375. Conversely, if one stays at a hotel, it can cost a minimum of TL 150 per room per night. Staying at a hotel for seven nights would cost at minimum TL 1050. I have two kids. Once they're a bit more grown up, we will need two hotel rooms, which will double hotel expenses. That is why a meager TL 375 for two weeks is, to me, basically a free holiday.
Stepping outside the city: summerhouses
What about summerhouses? Indeed, it is wonderful to have one. To spend one's holiday at one's own place, away from the city and free to do as one pleases for as long as one pleases. My sister-in-law's parents, for example, have a summerhouse on the Gulf of Saros. Spring comes, and they start abandoning their home in Istanbul to start planting vegetables and fruits in their summerhome garden. They love it there, as the sea is near and they are surrounded by their produce. Isn't that a great way to spend your holiday? For years our family (and the rest of the Zaim family) never failed to escape the heat of İstanbul at the family's summer home in Mahmudiye, Sapanca, where the house -- with a garden on top of the hill and a private swimming pool for the kids to splash in -- is the perfect summer getaway. Indeed, summer homes are a godsend -- but then, how many of us can afford our own summer home? This is why timeshares are an option holiday-goers should consider. I personally think that in the long run it is a much cheaper option for a vacation.
Each timeshare holder has a specific date in a year. What if you can't come on that date every year? What happens then? Luckily, one can ask the company to rent out your unit to others. Another possibility is to ask whether there is an empty unit, so you can go to at another date. For instance, our timeshare unit in Körfez is in September. This year, for example, due to Ramadan, we decided to not go on vacation then. Therefore, we asked whether there were any units available at another time. The answer was affirmative, and they found us a unit. Consequently, we vacationed there two weeks ago. Yes, we didn't stay at our own unit, but the units are almost identical. It didn't really matter. What matters is the fact that the exchange date option made it possible for us to go there. Another good thing about timeshares is that you pay only once. This time, for example, we could only stay for a week. There was one more week left. Anyone from the family (or even friends) can come and stay at the unit until the allocated period is over without having to pay. The payment is only made once. There is no restriction on who comes to stay there. That is a great advantage, indeed.
Of course, the concept of timeshares is not as widespread in Turkey as in America or in the rest of Europe. In Turkey, timeshare developers are scarce, but the concept is becoming an option for long-term vacation investments. Nonetheless, it all depends on the developers. Our Körfez unit, for example, is excellently maintained by the developer. The unit is in good shape even as it ages. There are other timeshare units in other places owned by the family which are not as well maintained. This is why the credibility of the units' developers and the future maintenance of the units should be taken into consideration. If you choose the right developer and the right location, I truly believe that timeshare-owning is the way to go. If one dislikes the timeshare location or the unit, there is also the option of selling your timeshare, despite not owning the property. One way or another, one does not lose much.
No matter how and where one chooses to spend one's time in the summer, it is always great to be able to go away somewhere, even for a day. Who wouldn't want to laze around and forget all their worries for a day or two, eh? Check in at a hotel, enjoy your summerhouse or even your timeshare unit; whatever you choose, the aim is always to relax. Still, summer is a long time to fill. Visit places of interest, go to the beach, swim at a swimming pool or simply stay at home and watch DVDs -- the options are countless. If you can't afford the time or the money to go to holiday resorts for a lazy getaway at the beach, there's no reason to fret. For several years now, the local authority in İstanbul has been cleaning the waterfront. There are public points, starting from Fenerbahçe (in Asia) and continuing all the way to Caddebostan and further, where the public can now soak themselves under the sun and swim in the sea. Who says you need to go somewhere far and costly to sunbathe? The answer to your prayers may be just a step away, and you won't even need to spend hundreds of lira. İstanbul has a lot to offer in every sense. In this time of economic crisis, staying put can be enjoyable, too. You just need to be creative and flexible.
Happy Holidays, everyone!
26 June 2009, Friday
SİMAH ZAİM İSTANBUL
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