- Valid passport
- Notarised Turkish translation if required
- Biometric photographs
- Turkish tax identification number
FOREIGN BUYER ROADMAP
Buying property in Türkiye,
properly.
From the first shortlist to the Tapu office and after-sales—understand every stage before transferring money.
IN THIS GUIDE
01 · Buying process02 · Due diligence03 · Taxes and costs04 · Buying remotely05 · After-sales06 · Official links01
THE BUYING PROCESS
Eight stages from brief to ownership
- Define the objective.Home, holiday use, rental income, capital preservation, residence or citizenship require different assets.
- Select city and district.Compare demand, transport, services, supply, tenant profile and resale audience.
- Build a documented shortlist.Request live availability, exact unit information, seller identity and comparable pricing.
- Inspect physically or remotely.Review orientation, noise, access, finishes, common areas and surrounding construction.
- Complete legal and technical checks.Title deed, ownership, liens, zoning, licence, occupancy, tax debt and contract terms.
- Agree a protected contract and payment plan.Reservations and deposits should follow legal review, not precede it blindly.
- Arrange valuation and Tapu transfer.Complete any required appraisal, banking and official title-registration procedures.
- Activate after-sales.Utilities, insurance, furnishing, management, leasing and ongoing tax compliance.
BUYER PREPARATION
Documents and decisions
to organise early.
Requirements differ by transaction and nationality, but early preparation prevents avoidable delays at contract, banking and Tapu stages.
- Buyer bank-account plan
- Source-of-funds records
- Currency-conversion documentation
- Transfer descriptions and receipts
- Independent lawyer engagement
- Limited power of attorney if remote
- Sworn translator where required
- Clear authority and revocation terms
- Use and holding period
- Residence or citizenship requirement
- Rental and management plan
- Exit and resale audience
02
DUE DILIGENCE
What should be checked before payment
Title deed
Registered owner, property type, share, mortgage, lien, restriction and other annotations.
Planning & construction
Zoning status, building licence, occupancy permit and consistency of the physical unit with records.
Seller & contract
Authority to sell, company records where relevant, delivery terms, penalties, cancellation and refund wording.
Financial position
Outstanding taxes, site-management dues, utilities and any project or unit liabilities.
Immigration fit
Confirm citizenship or residence suitability separately before committing to an immigration-led purchase.
Independent advice
Use a qualified lawyer and licensed technical specialists for formal legal and technical opinions.
03
TAXES & PURCHASE COSTS
Budget beyond the asking price
Exact costs depend on the transaction, property, buyer, seller and current law. Obtain a written calculation before signing.
Title-deed transfer chargeA statutory transfer cost calculated on the declared transaction value under applicable rules.
Official valuationAppraisal expense where required for foreign-buyer or citizenship procedures.
Legal and translationLawyer, notary, sworn translation and power-of-attorney costs vary by scope.
Agency serviceConfirm in writing who pays, the amount, VAT treatment and included services.
Earthquake insuranceCompulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) is relevant for qualifying buildings.
Annual ownership costsMunicipal property tax, site-management dues, insurance, maintenance and utilities.
Rental and disposal taxRental income and gains on disposal may create Turkish tax obligations depending on facts and timing.
Tax warning
Rates, exemptions and declaration thresholds can change. Verify with the Revenue Administration and a Turkish tax professional for your circumstances.
Republic of Türkiye Revenue Administration ↗NEW BUILD OR RESALE?
Different opportunities.
Different risks.
The legal and commercial review should match the property type.
What can attract buyers
- Staged payment plans
- New amenities and warranties
- Choice of unit and floor
- Potential pre-completion pricing
What needs extra care
- Developer history and project finance
- Land ownership and construction licence
- Delivery dates, specifications and penalties
- Contract protection if the project changes
What can attract buyers
- Physical inspection of the exact unit
- Known building and neighbourhood
- Immediate use or leasing
- Comparable resale evidence
What needs extra care
- Mortgage, lien and debt checks
- Occupancy and alteration records
- Building condition and seismic documents
- Tenant, dues and handover position
04
REMOTE PURCHASE
Buying without being in Türkiye
A carefully drafted power of attorney may allow a lawyer or authorised representative to handle defined steps. The document should be limited to the necessary authority, translated/notarised or apostilled as required, and reviewed before execution.
- Live video and recorded property walkthrough
- Exact unit, view and floor confirmation
- Independent title and contract review
- Controlled bank transfers with documented purpose
- Power of attorney limited by scope
- Remote Tapu and delivery coordination where permitted
05
THE CONTRACT
Clauses a buyer should understand
Exact propertyBlock, unit, floor, land share, parking and storage should be unambiguous.Price & currencyCurrency, exchange method, taxes and payment destinations should be explicit.Payment scheduleMilestones, receipts, late-payment consequences and bank details should be documented.DeliveryCompletion date, handover standard, snagging and delay consequences should be stated.CancellationDeposit treatment, refund conditions, default and termination rights must be understood.SpecificationsPlans, materials, appliances, view and common facilities should be contractually attached where relevant.Title transferTiming, preconditions, debts and required registrations should be clear.Dispute termsGoverning law, notices, courts or agreed mechanisms should be reviewed by counsel.
BUYER PROTECTION
Common warning signs
Urgency is not evidence. High-pressure sales often hide the questions that matter.
- Money requested to a personal or unrelated account
- Seller or agent resists independent legal review
- Only a sample unit is shown, not the exact unit
- “Guaranteed” rent, resale or citizenship without enforceable basis
- Price is far above comparable local property
- Title deed, licence or occupancy explanations keep changing
- Deposit is described as non-refundable before checks
- Power of attorney grants broader authority than necessary
06
AFTER-SALES
Ownership begins after the Tapu
Handover
Snagging, keys, meters, warranties and delivery documents.
Utilities
Electricity, water, gas, internet and building-management registration.
Insurance
DASK and appropriate property, contents and liability cover.
Management
Inspections, maintenance, tenant coordination and owner reporting.
Compliance
Municipal declarations, rental records and tax-professional coordination.
Immigration file
Residence or citizenship steps only where the property and buyer qualify.
OFFICIAL RESOURCES
Verify with the responsible authority
Build my buying plan →PHASE 01 · BUYER BRIEF
Write the investment decision before opening property portals.
Define the intended use, people, money and exit. This prevents a lifestyle property from being mis-sold as an investment—or an immigration purchase from being structured too late.
Purpose
Primary home, holiday use, long-term rental, seasonal rental, capital preservation, development, citizenship and residence all require different property filters.
All-in budget
Separate purchase price from transaction costs, furnishing, repairs, insurance, site dues, tax advice, management and a contingency reserve.
Holding plan
Set the likely holding period, income expectations, currency of future expenses and the buyer profile likely to purchase from you later.
Non-negotiables
Record family size, accessibility, schools, healthcare, transport, noise tolerance, outdoor space, pet needs, parking and remote-management requirements.
PHASE 02 · MARKET & UNIT SELECTION
Compare evidence, not brochure language.
Micro-location
Visit at different times. Check traffic, gradient, road access, construction, noise, sunlight, services and the walk to daily needs.
Comparable value
Compare genuine alternatives by usable area, floor, view, age, condition, legal status, payment terms and future supply—not headline price per square metre alone.
Building and management
Review common areas, lifts, parking, security, reserve funds, current dues, unpaid balances, management minutes and planned major works.
Rental reality
Model conservative occupancy, achievable rent, vacancy, tax, repairs, agent fees, management, furnishing replacement and building dues.
PHASE 03 · INDEPENDENT DUE DILIGENCE
No meaningful deposit before the legal and technical questions are defined.
Ownership transfers only through the Land Registry. A reservation form, private contract or notarised promise can create rights and obligations, but does not itself replace Tapu registration.
Title and seller
- Registered owner and authority to sell
- Parcel, block and independent-section identity
- Mortgages, liens, injunctions, easements and annotations
- Seller company records and signatory authority
- Inheritance, marital or shared-ownership issues
- Outstanding property tax, site dues and utilities
Planning and building
- Zoning status and permitted use
- Building licence and approved architectural plan
- Occupancy permit or current legal position
- Physical unit consistency with official records
- Seismic and structural documents appropriate to the asset
- Developer history, warranties and delivery obligations
PHASE 04 · CONTRACT, DEPOSIT & PAYMENT
Every promise needs a document, date and remedy.
Property definition
State the exact unit, land share, fixtures, parking, storage, plan, specification and included furniture.
Conditions before payment
Tie material payments to legal review, finance, valuation, citizenship suitability or other conditions that genuinely matter.
Delivery and defects
Define handover date, completion standard, inspection rights, defect correction, delay consequences and what happens if permits are missing.
Cancellation and refund
State when the buyer or seller may cancel, refund timing, deductions, currency, interest or penalties, and dispute mechanism.
Payment schedule
Identify amount, currency, verified recipient, bank account, due date, exchange treatment and documentary evidence for each instalment.
Translation and advice
The buyer should understand the controlling Turkish document. Use an independent lawyer and qualified translator rather than relying on the sales team.
PHASE 05 · COMPLETION & HANDOVER
Treat title transfer and physical delivery as two controlled checklists.
Before signing at the Land Registry, reconcile the final title information, declared consideration, identity, payment evidence, taxes, powers of attorney and any required valuation or immigration annotation.
Before TapuFinal legal update, identity check, payment confirmation, official appointment and transaction-cost statement.
At registrationCorrect buyer, property, share, price, declarations and annotations; use a sworn interpreter where required.
At handoverKeys, meter readings, snagging, inventory, warranties, manuals, access devices and signed delivery record.
After completionDASK, utilities, municipality, site management, insurance, tax records and secure storage of originals.
PHASE 06 · OWNERSHIP, RENTAL & EXIT
Plan the years after purchase before choosing the unit.
Owner operating plan
- Annual municipal and tax-professional calendar
- DASK and broader property insurance review
- Site dues, maintenance and emergency reserve
- Tenant screening, deposit and compliant lease documentation
- Periodic inspection and owner reporting
- Secure handling of keys, utilities and local notices
Exit plan
- Likely domestic and international resale audience
- Liquidity of the exact district and property type
- Renovation or defect issues that will affect future buyers
- Mortgage, tenant and annotation clearance before sale
- Capital-gain, rental and cross-border tax advice
- Independent pricing based on completed comparable transactions