Buying Property in Turkey as a Foreigner
Ownership in Turkey transfers only when the title deed (tapu) is registered at the Land Registry Directorate — not when you sign a contract or pay a deposit. A sworn valuation report is required, the property must be free of encumbrances, and certain zones are closed to foreign ownership. The single most common loss we see involves money paid before these checks were completed.
📌Ownership passes at the Land Registry, nowhere else
This is the point foreign buyers most often misunderstand. A sales contract, a reservation agreement, a notarised promise to sell or a bank transfer does not make you the owner. Under Turkish law, ownership of immovable property transfers upon registration in the land register at the Tapu Müdürlüğü (Land Registry Directorate), with both parties or their authorised representatives present. A notarised promise to sell (satış vaadi sözleşmesi) gives you a personal claim against the seller and can be annotated on the title, but it is not ownership. If the seller then sells to a third party who registers first, your remedy is a lawsuit — not the property.
📌Checks to run before any money moves
Ask for a current title deed record (takbis extract) and read the annotations column. You are looking for mortgages, attachment orders, injunctions, family-residence annotations, rights of usufruct and lease annotations — any of these follow the property to the new owner. Separately, obtain the zoning status (imar durumu) from the municipality and, for a building, confirm that an occupancy permit (iskan / yapı kullanma izin belgesi) has been issued. A building without an occupancy permit can be legally occupied in practice but creates problems with utilities, resale and, in some cases, exposure to demolition proceedings.
📌Restrictions that apply to foreign buyers
Foreign nationals may acquire property in Turkey subject to limits. Acquisitions are prohibited in military forbidden zones and security zones, and the Land Registry runs this check as part of the transaction. There are also ceilings on total area a foreign individual may hold nationally and within a given district, and some districts reach their cap. Nationality matters as well — the rules are not identical for all countries. These parameters are administrative and change; the Land Registry Directorate confirms the position for the specific parcel during the application, which is one reason the process should not be short-circuited.
📌Valuation report and payment mechanics
A valuation report prepared by an authorised appraiser is required for sales to foreign buyers, and the Land Registry will not complete the transfer without it. The declared sale price should reflect the actual price: understating it to reduce transfer tax is common advice from intermediaries and a bad idea — it creates tax exposure and weakens your position if the sale is later disputed. Payment is normally made at the moment of transfer, and for purchases connected to citizenship applications there are prescribed banking channels and documentation requirements.
📌Off-plan and under-construction purchases
Bodrum has a high volume of off-plan sales, and this is where the largest losses occur. The contract is with a developer who may not yet own clean title to the land, and completion depends on the developer's solvency. Before committing: verify who holds title to the land, whether a construction servitude (kat irtifakı) has been established, whether the building permit matches what is being marketed, and what security exists if the project stalls — a bank guarantee, a mortgage in your favour, or a staged payment schedule tied to construction milestones. A contract with none of these leaves you as an unsecured creditor.
💡Practical points
- Power of attorney: You do not need to be in Turkey for the transfer. A power of attorney can be issued at a Turkish consulate, or abroad before a notary with an apostille and sworn translation. It must contain the specific authority to buy and register property — a general POA is often rejected.
- Tax number and bank account: A Turkish tax number is required, and a Turkish bank account is needed in practice for utilities, taxes and the DASK earthquake insurance policy, which is compulsory.
- Ongoing costs: Annual property tax, DASK premium, and in a managed site the monthly common-area charge (aidat). Unpaid common charges attach to the property and can be enforced against a subsequent owner.
- Estate agent commission: Commission is regulated and payable by both sides unless agreed otherwise. Get the agency agreement in writing before viewings begin.
- Interpreter at the Land Registry: If you do not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter must attend the transfer. This is a legal requirement, not a formality, and the Registry will refuse to proceed without one.
I handle written correspondence in English without difficulty — email, WhatsApp messages, contracts and documents. My spoken English is limited, so for anything detailed I prefer to work in writing, or to hold the call with an interpreter present. This affects only the channel, not the work itself: filings, hearings and correspondence with Turkish authorities are conducted in Turkish in any event.
This page is general information, not legal advice. It does not create an attorney–client relationship. Turkish law changes and outcomes depend on the facts of each case. For your own situation, please get in touch: +90 532 390 48 06 (WhatsApp) · mert@avukatmertcelik.com
written by
Av. Mert Çelik
Muğla Bar Association · No. 2039 · Bodrum · since 2018
NoteThis page is general information only; every matter has its own facts. Our office is in Bodrum, Muğla.
This page is for general information only and does not constitute a legal opinion or the provision of legal services. Turkish legislation changes; please consult a lawyer about your current situation.