ISTANBUL - Turkish home sales fell 12.7% year-on-year in August to 123,491 houses, with sales to foreigners dropping 10.1%, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed on Thursday.

Russians topped the list of foreigners with 1,238 houses purchased, reflecting how many have sought a financial haven in the wake of Moscow's invasion of Ukraine and the fallout of Western sanctions.

They were followed by Iranians and Iraqis among the foreign buyers.

The data also showed August mortgaged sales declined 19% from a year earlier to 22,168 houses, accounting for 18% of the total sales in the period. (Reporting by Ezgi Erkoyun and Ebru Tuncay; Editing by Daren Butler)