Türkiye’s property market draws foreign buyers with holiday homes on the coast, rental investments in Istanbul and land for development, and its registration-based title system offers real security once a transaction is done properly. The risks lie almost entirely in what happens before the signature: an unverified title, a missing occupancy permit, an off-plan project that never completes. For a foreign buyer the law is broadly welcoming, but the process is technical and location-sensitive, and a mistake is expensive to undo. Our practical guide to buying property in Türkiye as a foreigner sets out the road; this page explains how we handle it.
Who can buy property in Türkiye, and within what limits?
Under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law No. 2644, a foreign natural person who is a citizen of a country designated by the President may acquire real estate and limited real rights in Türkiye. Law No. 6302 abolished the old reciprocity (mütekabiliyet) requirement in 2012, opening the market considerably. Three limits still apply to individual buyers: a single foreign national may hold at most 30 hectares nationwide (the President may raise this up to 60); the total area acquired by foreign nationals in a district may not exceed 10% of that district’s area subject to private ownership; and restricted zones are closed or conditional, since foreigners may not acquire property in second-degree military forbidden zones (askeri yasak bölgeler) under Article 9 of Law No. 2565, property in military security zones may not be sold to them, and a sale in a special security zone needs the permission of the local governorship (Article 24 of the Regulation on Military Forbidden Zones and Security Zones). The land registry carries out these transactions according to the zone maps and coordinates supplied to it under Article 35, and our guide to buying property in Türkiye as a foreigner walks through how eligibility and these limits are checked in an actual purchase.
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Buying through a company follows a different track. A company with foreign capital established in Türkiye acquires property under a separate regime (Article 36 of the same law), under which acquisitions in military forbidden and military security zones need the permission of the General Staff or the commands it authorises, and acquisitions in special security zones the permission of the local governorship. We structure this route as part of company formation where a corporate holding makes sense. Where the purchase is one element of a wider foreign investment into Türkiye, we align the property and the corporate structure from the outset.
Due Diligence: What We Check Before You Commit
Almost every problem in a Turkish property purchase is visible in advance to someone who knows where to look. Before any money changes hands we obtain the current title record (tapu kaydı) and examine it for encumbrances, then verify the physical and legal status of the building and the standing of the seller.
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| We check | What we are looking for |
|---|---|
| Encumbrances on the title | Mortgages (ipotek), liens (haciz), annotations (şerh), easements (irtifak) and pre-emption (şufa) entries |
| Ownership type | Full condominium title (kat mülkiyeti), preferable to construction servitude (kat irtifakı), which means the building is not yet legally complete |
| Municipal status | Zoning (imar durumu), the construction permit (yapı ruhsatı) and the occupancy permit (yapı kullanma izni / iskân) |
| Seller and debts | The seller’s identity and authority, plus unpaid property tax, utility and building-management (aidat) arrears |
A missing occupancy permit (iskân) is one of the most serious red flags in a Turkish purchase: it can mean the building was never legally completed or is non-compliant, and it affects everything from utilities to resale. We treat its absence as a reason to pause, not a detail to overlook.
For land rather than a building, we additionally confirm whether the plot is zoned for construction or remains agricultural, which decides what a buyer can actually do with it. A foreign individual who buys an undeveloped plot must also submit the project to be built on it to the relevant Ministry for approval within two years (Article 35 of Law No. 2644).
One check comes before the others: whether the building holds its occupancy permit, since several routine transactions are blocked without one.
Is an SPK valuation report required?
The real-estate valuation report (taşınmaz değerleme raporu), prepared by an appraiser licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK), is, in sales involving foreign individuals, a matter for Land Registry (TKGM) administrative instructions rather than statute, and the scope of that requirement has changed over time. Whether a report is required for a particular transaction therefore has to be confirmed with the land registry directorate under the instructions in force on the transaction date, rather than assumed either way. Where a report is produced it does two useful things: it helps protect the buyer against over-pricing and supports a defensible declared value for the deed.
Can you buy property in Türkiye without travelling there?
Transfer of title happens in person at the Land Registry Directorate (Tapu Müdürlüğü) where the property sits. Türkiye runs a registration-based title system (tapu sicili), so ownership passes on registration, not on a private contract. A buyer who cannot attend can complete the entire purchase through a notarised power of attorney (vekaletname) granted to a Turkish lawyer; if signed abroad it must be apostilled. Typical closing documents include a passport with sworn translation, a Turkish tax identification number (vergi numarası), the valuation report where required, biometric photos and a compulsory earthquake insurance policy (DASK), which is required both to complete the transfer and to connect utilities.
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Where a purchase is staged or off-plan, a notarised promise-to-sell agreement (gayrimenkul satış vaadi sözleşmesi), drawn up in düzenleme form and annotated on the title, secures the buyer’s position pending completion. For units still under construction we look additionally at the developer’s own title, the building permit, whether a kat irtifakı has been established, the payment schedule and contractor liability; see our guide to construction defects and contractor liability in Türkiye.
Taxes and Costs
The headline charge is the title deed charge (tapu harcı), 4% of the value declared in the deed, split by law 2% buyer and 2% seller, though contracts often re-allocate it. Other costs, property transfer taxes and reliefs are worth planning for; see our guide on Turkish property inheritance and transfer taxes, as well as our tax law practice.
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| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Title deed charge (tapu harcı) | 4% of declared value, legally 2% buyer / 2% seller |
| VAT (KDV) | Exemption for the first delivery of a newly built home or workplace to a foreign individual not settled in Türkiye, paid in foreign currency brought into the country (Art. 13(i) Law No. 3065); disposal within three years triggers payment of the VAT with interest; ordinary second-hand sales are generally outside VAT |
| Annual property tax (emlak vergisi) | Paid to the municipality, roughly 0.1%-0.6% by property type and location |
| DASK earthquake insurance | Compulsory to complete the transfer and connect utilities |
| Other | Notary, sworn translation, valuation-report and any agency fees |
Declaring a value below the true price to reduce the tapu harcı is unlawful and, where a valuation report is on file, impractical as well. We keep the declared value honest and defensible.
Foreign buyers who bring currency into Türkiye and convert it through a bank receive a foreign-currency purchase document (Döviz Alım Belgesi / DAB) evidencing the inflow, which matters both for the VAT exemption and for a later citizenship application. Where the buyer acquires real estate above the minimum value set for the citizenship-by-investment programme (a threshold revised from time to time, so the current figure should be confirmed), with a three-year no-sale commitment annotated on the title, the purchase can support a Turkish citizenship by investment application. For succession planning regarding Turkish real estate, consult our guide on inheritance of Turkish property for foreign owners.
Commercial Real Estate, Leasing and Disputes
Beyond residential acquisition, we act on commercial real estate (offices, retail and industrial premises) and draft and review commercial leases, governed under Türkiye’s rent regulations and CPI caps. When ownership itself is contested, we handle title cancellation and registration (tapu iptal ve tescil) claims, ejectment actions to recover possession, and other property disputes through the courts. A recurring source of dispute inside a building rather than over it is the operating budget and the maintenance charge set under the Condominium Act, where the owners’ resolution, the allocation between owners and the short annulment deadline all matter; the framework, and the narrow scope of the 2026 ceiling, are set out in Turkish building maintenance charges and the 2026 cap.
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We take a foreign buyer through the whole arc of a Turkish purchase: scoping the property and confirming eligibility, running title and physical due diligence, commissioning a valuation report where required, drafting the sale or promise-to-sell contract, closing at the land registry in person or by power of attorney, and completing registration and post-closing formalities. Where a purchase touches a corporate structure, a tax question or a dispute, we bring those workstreams together so nothing falls between them. Contact us to discuss your property plans in Türkiye.
Where the occupier holds no contract at all, the owner’s route lies outside the lease rules and is set out in prevention of interference and ecrimisil. Those duties do not end at completion, and an owner who lives abroad carries them from a distance: common charges, occupancy status, letting permits and unlawful use are handled under property compliance for non-resident owners.
Related Practice Areas & Strategic Legal Guides
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- Real Estate & Property Law: Title deed due diligence, foreign property acquisitions, and Land Registry (TKGM) transfers.
- Intellectual Property & Trademark Litigation: Trademark, patent, and copyright enforcement before TÜRKPATENT and IP Courts.
- Personal Data Protection (KVKK/GDPR): VERBİS registration, data inventory mapping, and cross-border data transfer compliance.
- Legal Matters in Istanbul for Foreign Clients and Companies: Full-service commercial and civil advocacy before Istanbul courthouses.
