How to buy property in Turkey as a foreigner

Citizens of most countries can buy a home in Turkey without residency or a residence permit. The key rules are set out in Article 35 of the Land Registry Law (Tapu Kanunu No. 2644):

• a foreign individual may own up to 30 hectares of land in Turkey in total;
• foreigners together may own no more than 10% of the privately owned land in any district (ilçe);
• foreigners cannot buy property in military and security zones;
• the President may restrict purchases by citizens of specific countries — we check this before you reserve.

For an apartment in a residential complex these limits rarely get in the way, but every property still needs to be checked.

• Type of title deed. Kat mülkiyeti is full ownership of a flat in a completed building with an occupancy permit (iskan). Kat irtifakı is a right to a future flat in a building under construction. More in our tapu guide.
• Encumbrances in the registry: mortgages, seizures, annotations restricting a sale (şerh).
• For a new build: the building permit and the completion date in the contract.
• Whether the property fits your goal: a residence permit and citizenship come with their own value and property-type requirements.
• The full cost of buying: fees and taxes are covered in our costs guide.

1. Choosing a property: a live video tour or a viewing trip.
2. Reservation: a contract with the developer or seller and a deposit. Get the refund terms for the deposit in writing.
3. A Turkish tax number (vergi numarası): free of charge at any tax office with your passport, or online on the website of the Revenue Administration (GİB).
4. A Turkish bank account. A foreign buyer sells foreign currency to the bank and receives a foreign exchange purchase certificate (DAB), which is presented at the land registry office.
5. A valuation report (değerleme raporu) from an appraisal firm licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK). We check in advance whether your transaction needs one; for citizenship it is mandatory.
6. A compulsory earthquake insurance policy (DASK) in the buyer's name — before the transfer.
7. An application via the Web Tapu system, payment of the fees and signing at the land registry office (Tapu Müdürlüğü). If you don't speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter must attend the signing.
8. After registration: water and electricity contracts (these also require a DASK policy) and, if you plan to, a residence permit application.

Most projects in our catalog are sold before completion. In that case:

• you sign a sales contract with the developer; a notarised promise-to-sell contract (satış vaadi sözleşmesi) is the safer option, as it can be annotated in the registry;
• if the project already has kat irtifakı, you can receive a tapu for the flat before the building is finished;
• developer installment plans are common; the down payment, schedule and consequences of late payment should all be in the contract;
• once the building is completed and receives its iskan, the tapu is converted to kat mülkiyeti.

Completed buildings are collected in our ready-to-move-in selection.

Yes. The purchase can be completed under a power of attorney issued by a Turkish notary or at a Turkish consulate abroad. If you don't speak Turkish, the power of attorney is drawn up with an interpreter. We run live video tours and support you at every stage — with no fee for buyers.