Representatives from the housing sector have announced that real estate sales continued to increase in 2015 despite "negative developments," with 1.5 million homes expected to be sold in 2016.

According to data from the Turkish Statistical Institute (TurkStat), a total of 1,146,721 homes were sold in the first 11 months of 2015 – described by sector representatives as an indicator of success.

Istanbul Real Estate Brokers & Advisors Chamber President Nizameddin Aşa said that the two general elections held in 2015, the concomitant political uncertainty, the tension between Turkey and Russia and the ongoing turmoil regarding border regions had a negative impact on the economy in 2015.

Aşa stated that the construction sector will be more robust in 2016, a projected improvement that is attributable to economic factors, which accompanied political stability, adding that real estate sales could reach 1.5 million in 2016 if practices are employed to satisfy the public and if project development is focused on prospective buyers. "This is not a distant dream, considering that we sold more than 1.2 million homes in 2015 despite all challenges," he added.

The Residential Developers' and Investors' Association (KONUTDER) President Ömer Faruk Çelik said that real estate sales will exceed 1.3 million in 2016 if the sector is not faced with any setbacks in the market, adding that "The sector is estimated to grow by 4 percent in 2016. However, we expect that sales will surpass this figure and the sector will break a record."

Turkey's Building Material Producers' Association (İMSAD) Chairman Fethi Hinginar said that the real estate sector, which experienced a slowdown in 2015, will gain speed again in 2016. He underlined that 2016 will not be a year of losses and the economy and construction sectors are expected to grow from 3.5 to 4 percent and 2.5 to 3 percent, respectively.

Turkey's Ready-Mixed Concrete Association (THBB) President Yavuz Işık said that the ready-mixed concrete sector is hopeful about 2016 and that the year is expected to usher in more moderate developments despite the turbulence faced in the global economy last year.

The CEO of Demir İnşaat, Hamit Demir, said that foreign investors will have a more optimistic perspective of Turkey with the construction of Istanbul's third airport, the third Bosporus Bridge, tunnel construction and various other substantial public investments. With the contribution of foreign investors, real estate sales will surpass 1.5 million, he added.

Turkey's Coldwell Bank President Gökhan Taş said that 1,165,381 homes were sold in 2014; however, sales experienced a slowdown after May 2015.

Taş attributed the rise in real estate sales in October to the "accumulated demand" and the "dynamism" the sector experienced after the Nov. 1 general elections. He says that political stability is conducive to an increase in the number of buyers in the housing market in 2016.

According to Taş, a 30 percent upsurge is expected in the sector between October and December compared to the same period last year. "In 2016, we will break a record in the history of the Republic of Turkey as interest rates have fallen due to the confident and stable economic environment."