01
Before you start
The land registry check on the specific plot, a Turkish tax number, a bank account, a notarised passport translation, and a lawyer who acts for you rather than for the seller.
Property in Turkey · Buying as a foreigner
Buying property in Turkey as a foreigner
Citizens of most countries may own property here in their own name. This is the process in order, from the first check to the tapu.
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About this
How a foreign buyer purchases property in Turkey, step by step
Who may buy, and what the real limits are
Citizens of most countries may buy residential property in Turkey and hold the title deed in their own name, on the same terms as a Turkish citizen once the checks pass. The limits that exist are geographic and quantitative rather than personal. Property inside designated military and security zones cannot be sold to foreign nationals. There is a ceiling on the proportion of land within any single district that may be held by foreigners, and a national limit on the total area one foreign individual may own. A search at the Land Registry answers all of these on the specific plot, before any reservation money changes hands. The thresholds are set by regulation and revised from time to time, so confirm them against the current official source rather than a figure quoted in an article.
The three things to arrange first
A Turkish tax number comes first. It is obtained from a tax office or through the revenue administration's online service with a passport, and it identifies you to every institution that follows. A Turkish bank account comes next, and it is what the purchase funds pass through. Third, your passport is translated and the translation notarised, because the Land Registry will record your name exactly as it appears there; a spelling that differs from your other documents is a nuisance to correct afterwards. If you intend to buy through a representative, the power of attorney is drawn up at a notary at this stage as well, and it should state precisely what that person may and may not do on your behalf. None of this is complicated. All of it takes time.
The valuation report and the day at the registry
A state-regulated property valuation report is required for sales to foreign buyers. It is prepared by an appraiser licensed by the Capital Markets Board, states an independent market value, and is filed with the transfer application. It is not a survey of the building's condition and does not replace one, but it does put an outside figure next to the price you have agreed. The transfer itself happens at the Tapu Mudurlugu, the Land Registry Directorate for the district in which the property sits. Buyer and seller, or their attorneys, attend by appointment, the registry fees and transfer taxes are paid, and the tapu title deed is issued naming you as owner. A sworn translator must be present if you do not speak Turkish, and the officer will not proceed without one.
Money, and everything after the tapu
The purchase price is generally exchanged through the banking system rather than in cash, and purchases made in foreign currency are subject to conversion requirements, with the resulting document presented as part of the transfer. Payment goes to the party named in the contract and never to an individual's personal account, however the request is framed. Once the tapu is issued the remaining work is practical: DASK compulsory earthquake insurance, which is also needed to connect utilities, the utility accounts moved into your name, the annual property tax paid to the municipality, and, for a completed building, confirmation that the iskan habitation permit exists. Fees, tax rates and currency rules change, so check each against its current official source rather than a guide.
01
Start here
The order matters more than the paperwork.
Almost nothing here is difficult on its own. What costs people time is doing a step out of sequence: the land registry check belongs before the deposit, the tax number before the bank account, and the valuation report before the appointment at the registry.
Where to look
The process in three stages
02
At the Land Registry
The valuation report is filed, fees and transfer taxes are paid, a sworn translator attends if you do not speak Turkish, and the tapu is issued in your name.
03
After the transfer
DASK earthquake cover, utilities moved into your name, the annual municipal property tax, and confirmation that the iskan habitation permit exists for a finished building.
Before a reservation
A render sells a mood. A tapu tells you what you own.
We gather the facts behind a property first, then say plainly what holds up, what needs answering and what is simply unknown at this stage.
Title and rights
What the tapu says, which form of ownership it is, and whether the registry shows anything undisclosed.
The building
Construction date against the building code, whether the iskan is in place, and the state of the block.
The real cost
Service charge, utilities, property tax and insurance, written out as a yearly figure.
Getting out
Who the next buyer would be, and how long a sale in this district usually takes.
Buying as a foreignerBuying as a foreignerGet the process explained
Your shortlist
What we set out before you commit to anything
The questions that decide whether a purchase is straightforward are answerable in advance, on the specific property, and none of them requires a deposit first. We write the answers down rather than describing them on a call.
- The land registry position on the plot: zone restrictions, the district ceiling and any charge or mortgage registered against it
- The documents to have ready, in the order they are needed, and who issues each one
- What the contract has to say, and how to have it read by someone acting for you
How we work
We would rather send four properties that fit than forty that do not.
The first conversation is about how the property will be used, not about what is available this week. Everything after that follows from the answer.
The brief
How many months a year you will be there, who else uses it, and what you will not compromise on.
The shortlist
A small number of properties in districts that match, with the trade-off in each spelled out.
The checks
Registry, permits, service charge history and the questions to put to the seller in writing.
The purchase
Tax number, bank account, valuation report and the Land Registry appointment, in order.
Checks before you buy
Eight things a property should survive
Title, permits, contract, building age, service charge, season, management and resale. We are not your lawyer; we make sure you arrive at one with the right questions.
The process
Four steps, and no rush at the start
- 01
Tell us the plan
Pick a messenger and leave a number. You may have a town in mind, or none at all.
- 02
A short conversation
Months of use, budget range, timing, and the things that would rule a property out.
- 03
The shortlist
A handful of options that fit, with what to compare and what to check on each.
- 04
The next step
Viewings, questions to the seller, and the paperwork in the right order.
Questions worth asking out loud
A property worth buying can take an awkward question.
Why this district?
Demand, season length, what is open in winter and what is being built nearby.
What does a year cost?
Service charge, utilities, tax and insurance, before anyone talks about yield.
What if plans change?
Use, letting and resale are worth discussing before a deposit, not after.
Who is the next buyer?
A property local buyers also want is a property you can sell.
Read next
FAQ
Before the first conversation
What do I need to arrange before I can buy?
Three things, and all of them take longer than people expect if left to the last week. A Turkish tax number, issued by a tax office or through the revenue administration's online service on the strength of your passport. A Turkish bank account, which the tax number is needed for. And a translation of your passport, notarised, because the Land Registry records your name as it appears on that translation. If someone will act for you, the power of attorney is drawn up at a notary at the same stage.
Why is a valuation report required?
A property valuation report is required for sales to foreign buyers and is prepared by an appraiser licensed by the Capital Markets Board. It gives an independent market value for the property, and it is filed with the transfer application at the Land Registry. It is worth understanding what it is not: it is a valuation, not a structural survey, so it says nothing about the condition of the roof, the plumbing or the building's compliance with the code. Those are separate questions worth asking separately.
Should I use the lawyer the seller or agent introduces?
No. Use a lawyer who acts for you and is paid by you, and treat any resistance to that as information. The contract should be in a language you read, or accompanied by a translation you can rely on, and the person explaining it should not also be earning a commission on the sale. This is the single cheapest protection in the whole process and the one most often skipped because everyone in the room seems helpful.
Can a foreigner buy an apartment in Turkey?
Yes. Citizens of most countries can own residential property in Turkey in their own name. The limits are geographic rather than personal: purchases are restricted inside designated military and security zones, and there is a cap on the share of land in any one district that foreign nationals may hold. Both are checked before a reservation, not after.
Buying as a foreigner
Ready for a shortlist that fits your plan?
Leave a number in the messenger you already use. We will ask a few questions first, then send properties worth your time.