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 May Buy, 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 permitted by Presidential decision may acquire real estate and limited real rights in Türkiye — some 180 nationalities qualify, with only a minority excluded. 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 double this to 60), holdings in any one district cannot exceed 10% of that district’s privately-owned area, and property in military forbidden and security zones (askeri yasak bölgeler) cannot be acquired at all — the land registry checks each property against restricted-zone records during the transaction.
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) involving governorship and ministry review in sensitive zones — a route we structure 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.
| 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 / iskan) |
| Seller and debts | The seller’s identity and authority, plus unpaid property tax, utility and building-management (aidat) arrears |
A missing occupancy permit (iskan) 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.
The Mandatory SPK Valuation Report
Since 2019, a real-estate valuation report (taşınmaz değerleme raporu) prepared by an expert licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) is mandatory for every sale of property to a foreigner. The report is valid for three months and does two useful things: it protects the buyer against over-pricing and fixes a defensible declared value for the deed. We commission it early so it is ready for the closing rather than holding it up.
Buying Remotely: Power of Attorney and the Closing
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 SPK report, biometric photos and a compulsory earthquake insurance policy (DASK), which is required both to complete the transfer and to connect utilities.
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 any delivery guarantee — delay and non-delivery being the principal risks.
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 and reliefs are worth planning for, and the tax treatment of a purchase and any later resale is best confirmed in advance with our tax team.
| Item | Note |
|---|---|
| Title deed charge (tapu harcı) | 4% of declared value, legally 2% buyer / 2% seller |
| VAT (KDV) | One-time exemption for a first-hand new property bought from its developer in foreign currency and held for a year; 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, with the SPK valuation report now mandatory, increasingly impractical. 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 of at least USD 400,000 with a three-year no-sale commitment annotated on the title, the purchase can support a citizenship-by-investment application, which we handle as a separate immigration matter.
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, where the term, renewal, repair allocation and rent-review provisions repay careful drafting. 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.
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 the SPK valuation, 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.
How we run a property acquisition
- 01
Engage and scope
We understand the property and your goals, confirm your eligibility to buy, obtain a Turkish tax identification number and brief you on the limits and costs that apply.
- 02
Title and due diligence
We obtain the current title record and check for mortgages, liens and annotations, verify zoning and the construction and occupancy permits, and confirm the seller's authority and any debts.
- 03
Valuation and contract
We commission the SPK valuation report and draft the sale contract — or a notarised promise-to-sell where the deal is staged or off-plan — fixing price, payment and delivery terms.
- 04
Closing at the land registry
We complete the transfer at the Land Registry Directorate, in person or under a power of attorney, arrange compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) and settle the title deed charge.
- 05
Post-closing and registration
We confirm registration in your name, help connect utilities and handle tax registrations and any title annotation, including where the purchase supports a citizenship application.
Frequently asked questions
Can a foreign national buy real estate in Türkiye, and what limits apply?
Yes. Under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law No. 2644, a foreign natural person who is a citizen of a permitted country — roughly 180 nationalities qualify — may acquire immovable property and limited real rights, and the former reciprocity requirement was abolished in 2012. Three limits apply: a single buyer may hold at most 30 hectares nationwide, may not exceed 10% of any one district's privately-owned area, and cannot acquire property in military forbidden and security zones, which the land registry checks during the transaction. Companies with foreign capital established in Türkiye buy under a separate regime under Article 36.
Is an SPK valuation report mandatory for every purchase?
Yes. Since 2019, a real-estate valuation report prepared by an expert licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) is mandatory for every sale of property to a foreigner. It is valid for three months. The report protects you against over-pricing and fixes a defensible declared value for the deed, which also makes it impractical to under-declare the price. We commission it early so it is ready in time for the closing.
Can I complete a purchase without travelling to Türkiye?
Yes. A buyer who cannot attend in person can complete the entire purchase through a power of attorney granted to a Turkish lawyer. The power of attorney must be notarised and, if signed abroad, apostilled. We then attend the Land Registry Directorate on your behalf with the required documents — passport and sworn translation, tax identification number, the SPK report, biometric photos and the compulsory earthquake insurance policy (DASK) — and register the property in your name.
What should due diligence cover before I sign?
We obtain the current title record (tapu kaydı) and check it for mortgages, liens, annotations, easements and pre-emption rights. We confirm the ownership type — full condominium title (kat mülkiyeti) is preferable to construction servitude (kat irtifakı), which means the building is not yet legally complete — and check zoning at the municipality together with the construction permit and, critically, the occupancy permit (iskan). We also verify the seller's identity and authority and check for unpaid property tax, utility and building-management arrears. For an off-plan unit we additionally review the developer's own title, the building permit and the delivery guarantee.
What taxes and costs are involved in buying property?
The main charge is the title deed charge (tapu harcı), 4% of the value declared in the deed, split by law 2% buyer and 2% seller. A one-time VAT exemption is available to foreign buyers who purchase a new property first-hand from its developer, pay in foreign currency brought into Türkiye and do not sell within a year; ordinary second-hand sales between individuals are generally outside VAT. Annual property tax (emlak vergisi) runs roughly 0.1%–0.6% depending on the property, compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) is required to complete the transfer, and notary, translation, valuation and any agency fees also apply.
Who inherits Turkish property, and does my nationality matter?
Succession to immovable property located in Türkiye is governed by Turkish law as the law of the place where the property sits. This means Turkish forced-heirship rules apply to Turkish real estate regardless of the owner's nationality — a point foreign owners are often surprised by. Because it can conflict with expectations formed under a home-country will, it is best planned for at the time of purchase rather than left to be discovered later.