This guide provides a general overview of the complete process, from selecting a property to receiving the title deed and completing the first post-purchase procedures.
The individual stages such as Buying Property In Turkey, Title Deed In Turkey, DAB Foreign Exchange Certificate, DASK Insurance, Property Purchase Costs In Turkey, Residence Permit In Turkey and Turkish Citizenship By Investment should also be reviewed separately where more detailed information is required.
For cost examples in this guide, a property purchase price of USD 200,000 is used.
The buying process begins with selecting the property and confirming the commercial terms with the seller.
The purchase price, payment currency, deposit, payment schedule, furniture or equipment included in the sale and any other agreed conditions should be clearly recorded before significant funds are transferred.
The actual title deed information and legal status of the property should also be checked before completion.
A qualified real estate agency plays an important role at this stage by coordinating the transaction, communicating with the buyer and seller, preparing the necessary process and following the stages leading to the title deed transfer.
Real estate businesses in Turkey operate within the regulated real estate trade framework and should hold the appropriate authorisation and professional qualifications required for their activity.
Using a lawyer is not generally a compulsory requirement for an ordinary property purchase in Turkey.
Many standard transactions are coordinated through the authorised real estate agency together with the seller, buyer, Land Registry, bank, sworn translator and other relevant parties.
The real estate agent's role includes following the commercial and administrative stages of the purchase and helping coordinate the documents and appointments required for completion.
However, a buyer may choose to appoint an independent lawyer whenever additional legal advice or representation is desired.
Legal support can be particularly useful where the transaction involves unusual contractual terms, inheritance issues, corporate ownership, disputes, complex financing or other circumstances requiring specialist legal review.
Once the buyer decides to proceed, a reservation payment or deposit may be used to secure the selected property.
The conditions should be recorded in writing and should clearly identify the property, agreed purchase price, amount paid and relevant payment conditions.
A sales agreement can then set out the commercial terms between the parties.
The agreement should be understood before signing. Where necessary, translation can be arranged so that the foreign buyer understands the content and financial obligations.
Foreign buyers generally need a Turkish tax number for different stages of a property transaction.
Banking arrangements should also be prepared in advance, particularly because foreign buyers purchasing real estate are subject to specific foreign-currency procedures.
The buyer should confirm in advance how the property price will be paid, which currency will be used and how the required foreign-exchange documentation will be arranged.
Foreign buyers are subject to the DAB Foreign Exchange Certificate procedure when purchasing real estate in Turkey.
The required foreign currency is processed through the banking system and converted into Turkish Lira for the official transaction procedure.
Where the property is commercially sold in EUR or another foreign currency, an additional exchange issue may arise.
For example, a buyer may provide EUR for a property priced in EUR. The required amount is converted into TRY for the official procedure. If the seller ultimately requires settlement again in EUR, a further currency conversion may take place.
The resulting cost is not a fixed government DAB tax. It mainly arises from the bank exchange rate and the spread between buying and selling currencies.
For budgeting purposes, Resort Property uses an estimated 2% currency-conversion allowance.
For a USD 200,000 equivalent purchase:
Property Price: USD 200,000
Estimated Currency Conversion Allowance – 2%: USD 4,000
This USD 4,000 figure is only a planning allowance. The actual currency difference can be lower or higher depending on the currencies used, the bank and market rates on the transaction date.
More detailed information can be provided separately under DAB In Turkey For Foreign Property Buyers.
For properties that fall within the compulsory earthquake insurance system, a valid DASK Insurance policy must be arranged before the title deed sale is completed.
DASK is checked during the Land Registry transaction.
This means DASK should not be treated only as a post-purchase procedure. The policy needs to be prepared in advance so that the title deed transaction can proceed correctly.
Where an existing valid policy is connected to the property, the necessary ownership change procedures should also be completed.
The specific DASK procedure and insurance cost can be explained separately in the DASK Insurance In Turkey Buyer Guide.
For our foreign buyer cost example, the buyer pays a title deed transfer tax equal to 4% of the declared purchase value.
For a USD 200,000 property:
Property Purchase Price: USD 200,000
Title Deed Transfer Tax – 4%: USD 8,000
The buyer should therefore budget approximately USD 8,000 for the title deed transfer tax in this example.
For this example, the buyer should also budget a 2% real estate agency service fee.
For a USD 200,000 property:
Real Estate Agency Fee – 2%: USD 4,000
The agency service covers the professional coordination of the property transaction and the stages required to move the purchase from agreement through to completion.
This can include communication with the seller, transaction coordination, preparation and follow-up of required documentation, banking and DAB coordination, title deed appointment preparation and assistance with practical completion procedures.
The exact service fee and applicable tax treatment should always be shown clearly in the buyer's transaction documentation.
Using the assumptions in this guide:
Property Purchase Price: USD 200,000
Title Deed Transfer Tax – 4%: USD 8,000
Estimated DAB / Currency Conversion Allowance – 2%: USD 4,000
Real Estate Agency Service Fee – 2%: USD 4,000
Estimated Subtotal: USD 216,000
This subtotal does not include transaction-specific expenses such as Land Registry revolving fund charges, sworn translation, notary expenses where required, Power of Attorney, DASK premium, valuation or additional official documentation where applicable.
The final purchase budget should therefore be prepared separately for each individual property.
A foreign buyer does not always need to remain in Turkey for every part of the buying process.
Where required, a Power Of Attorney In Turkey can authorise another person to complete specifically stated procedures on behalf of the buyer.
The Power of Attorney should be limited to the necessary authority and should be prepared correctly according to where and how it is issued.
Notary, translation, apostille or Turkish consular requirements may apply depending on the circumstances.
Once the documents, DASK, banking procedure, payments and title deed appointment are ready, the transfer can be completed through the Land Registry Directorate.
A sworn interpreter may be required where the buyer does not understand Turkish sufficiently for the official transaction.
After registration is completed, ownership is transferred to the buyer and the buyer receives the TAPU, the official Turkish title deed.
More detailed information about this stage can be provided in our Title Deed In Turkey Buyer Guide.
Once the title deed has been transferred, the buyer should complete the practical handover procedures.
Depending on the property, these may include updating the DASK ownership information, electricity and water subscriptions, residential complex or site management registration, collection of keys and checking any furniture or equipment included in the sale.
The buyer should retain copies of the title deed, bank payment records, DAB documentation, insurance documents and other transaction paperwork.
Foreign buyers often ask whether purchasing property can support a residence permit application.
Under the current property-based short-term residence rules, the property must be residential and used by the foreign owner for residential purposes. The current official documentation also states a minimum qualifying acquisition value of USD 200,000 equivalent in Turkish Lira at the date of acquisition.
A purchase of USD 200,000 or more should not be presented as an automatic guarantee of a residence permit. The application is a separate immigration procedure and remains subject to the applicable rules and approval of the competent authorities.
Family circumstances should be discussed before the property is purchased.
Where qualifying family members have common or joint ownership rights in the residential property, they may also be able to apply within the property-based residence framework.
There is also a separate Family Residence Permit In Turkey framework. Subject to the legal requirements, this may cover the foreign spouse, foreign minor children and dependent foreign children of a qualifying sponsor.
For this reason, a family planning residence applications should explain its family structure and residence objective before purchasing the property so that the ownership arrangement and application route can be considered correctly.
Residence eligibility for family members should always be checked individually and should not be described as automatic.
Foreign buyers considering citizenship should declare this objective before selecting and paying for a property.
The current qualifying real-estate investment threshold is USD 400,000 or more, subject to the specific legal, payment, valuation and documentation requirements of the citizenship programme.
Qualifying property is also subject to the required three-year restriction on sale.
A property priced at USD 400,000 should not automatically be assumed to qualify. The structure of the transaction and the property itself should be reviewed before proceeding.
More detailed information should therefore be provided separately under Turkish Citizenship By Property Investment.
For an international buyer, purchasing a property involves coordinating many different parties and procedures.
An authorised real estate agency helps organise and follow these stages from the initial property selection through to title deed completion.
Depending on the transaction, this can include property and seller communication, reservation and contract coordination, document preparation, banking and DAB follow-up, DASK preparation, Land Registry appointment coordination, sworn translator arrangements and practical procedures after the title deed transfer.
The buyer may still appoint an independent lawyer or another specialist whenever desired or where the individual transaction requires specialist advice.
The purpose of the agency is to provide the buyer with a clear, coordinated transaction process and to ensure that the necessary steps are followed in the correct order.
A foreign buyer should establish the purpose of the purchase before selecting the final property.
A normal purchase, a property intended to support a residence application and a property purchased for citizenship purposes can require different planning and documentation.
For this reason, buyers should explain at the beginning whether the objective is:
standard property ownership,
a property-based residence application,
family residence planning,
or Turkish citizenship through qualifying real-estate investment.
This Buyer Guide provides the general starting point. The individual subjects should then be reviewed in the relevant detailed guides, including Property Purchase Costs In Turkey, DAB In Turkey, DASK Insurance, Title Deed In Turkey, Power Of Attorney In Turkey, Residence Permit In Turkey, Family Residence Permit In Turkey and Turkish Citizenship By Investment.
Planning the full process before paying a deposit helps the buyer understand the expected budget, documentation and completion stages from the beginning.
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