The Charity's planned to buy a property in Turkey as an investment, which they would sell in a few years to buy themselves a villa in Spain. That was the plan, anyway. But one year on, the family from Dundee have fallen in love with their Turkish villa and with Dalaman on the Turkish coast - and they wouldn't dream of cashing it in.

"It's so peaceful here and we like the people. They are a lot more friendly than in the Spanish resorts," explains Angus Charity, who works in the insurance industry. "A similar property in Spain or Portugal would also have cost us over £500,000."

A keen golfer, Angus was attracted to Dalaman by the new golf course being built as part of the tourism development plans for the area. He visited for the first time in July 2006 with his wife, Alison, a teacher, and they were both impressed.

"The tourism plans were well advanced and I could see the potential - the area was obviously up-and-coming," says Angus.

He viewed several properties with a local developer and he says the standard of the build was high. They also talked to some of the company's previous clients, which gave him the piece of mind to put down a deposit on a three-bedroom bungalow with private pool for £108,000.

"There was nothing to see except a field with some olive trees then, but the setting was fantastic," says Angus. "The company sent us regular emails so we could see the progress, and by February everything was nearly done, so we went out for a weekend to choose the fittings and furnishings."

The couple were amazed to be able to complete all their shopping in one very long day.

"We chose tiles, furniture and curtains and ordered built-in wardrobes and cupboards from a local carpenter - it was a bit of a marathon, but everyone was very helpful and we had Turkish tea in every shop," laughs Alison.

Alison and Angus were out again in April with their three children for the first holiday in their new home. The family plan to visit 3 or 4 times a year, and they have already made plenty of friends in the area.

"There's a good community of other British home-owners and we keep in contact by email and have barbeques or parties together," says Alison. "We also like the fact that the area is very Turkish and not too touristy."

The Charity's are not alone in their love of Dalaman in Turkey. Ian and Louise Langley, school teachers from Folkestone, had been thinking of buying a property abroad for years, but had never quite taken the plunge.

"We'd been toying with France as we do a lot of skiing and we'd thought about Spain too," says Ian. "But having visited several exhibitions we decided to focus on Turkey as you get much more for your money there."

The couple were impressed with the properties they were shown by one particular company, so they travelled out in May 2005 to the town of Dalaman on the Turkish Mediterranean coast.

"Neither of us had ever been to Turkey but we were enchanted by the scenery and the laid back atmosphere," explains Louise. "We had a good look around the area - which we loved - and we were taken to see several developments."

Although construction hadn't yet commenced, plans for a complex of 14 villas caught their imagination. The site was little more than an olive grove at the time, but the view was excellent and it was close to a main road giving access to local beaches, Dalaman international airport and a golf course under construction. The yachting centre of Gocek was also close at hand.

"It seemed perfect as it was close to everything and the development wasn't too big," says Ian. "We also liked the fact that the area was predominantly Turkish, with small farms and a village nearby, as we wanted local life around us."

Before making a final decision the Langleys had a look at some more villas in the area with a local estate agent, but they weren't impressed by the build quality. They also talked to some of the developer's previous buyers.

With their minds made up, Ian and Louise selected a plot at the top of the development, which had the best views and would catch more of the sea breeze in summer. The villa cost £107,000, which included the 530 sq. m. plot of land and construction of the house and a swimming pool. Having signed a contract and paid a deposit, the remaining money was paid in three instalments as the building progressed. They received regular updates and photographs by email from the developer, and they visited Dalaman again to check on progress.

With their villa nearing completion, the Langleys travelled out to Turkey again in May 2006 and spent a busy week buying furniture and white goods for the kitchen.

"It wasn't exactly IKEA but there was a good selection of shops locally and the prices were really inexpensive compared to the UK," says Louise, who was impressed by the after-sales and "really fast" delivery service.

Ian and Louise returned later that summer for a holiday with their daughter, Jessica, and the family have been returning at every opportunity since. In the spring they rented a car to explore the mountains and they have been on boat tours from Gocek and have taken up scuba diving.

"It is the perfect stress release from the classroom and after even a day here you feel so relaxed. We're lucky to have such long holidays," laughs Ian. "Everyone is so friendly and welcoming, and we love the fact that the area isn't too touristy."

If you've been looking for the perfect spot for a lifestyle home purchase or for a property investment - why not look more closely at Dalaman in Turkey - chances are you will be more than impressed by what you find.