Istanbul in Turkey has been named as a potential property hot spot in 2012 in a new City Investment Guide.

In the guide, 2012 is predicted as being a great year to buy property in Europe for knock-down prices. That said, not every country in Europe is suffering from the global crises – and Turkey is one of those countries.

The guide also reports that there are still many European cities which are thriving, Istanbul and Limassol in Cyprus in particular, and if one were to invest in property in these cities then a good return on investment could be expected. City properties are viewed as a ‘safer’ option for buy-to-let investments as they tend to attract long-term lets as well as tourists looking for short-term accommodation.

Smaller towns and villages are good for second home or holiday home investments, and as long as the country has a good sovereign credit rating then your investment should be a good one.

For details of property in Turkey, visit the Turkey listings on Rightmove Overseas.

While many Brits buy property in Turkey in pounds, if you do purchase in euros or Turkish lira, using a currency specialist rather than a bank to transfer funds could save you money and. For more information, speak to currency exchange specialist Smart Currency Exchange.

To understand the full step-by-step process to buying a property in Turkey, collect The Overseas Guides Company’s ‘Turkey Property Buying Guide’