Buying property in Turkey as a foreigner, step by step

Buying a home in Turkey as a foreigner follows a clear, official sequence, and most of it happens at one government office: the land registry (Tapu). This guide explains who can buy, what to check before you pay anything, the documents you need and each step up to the day the title deed is issued in your name. The rules below are as of October 2026; they change from time to time, so confirm the current position before you buy.

Who can buy property in Turkey

Citizens of most countries can buy property in Turkey in their own name. A few nationalities are restricted under reciprocity rules, so confirm your own nationality's position at the start.

A few limits apply to every foreign buyer:

• A foreign individual can own at most 30 hectares of land across Turkey.
• Foreigners together can own no more than 10% of the private land in a district.
• Some military and security zones are closed to foreign buyers.

The land registry checks these limits when it processes the application. For a flat or villa in a residential neighbourhood they rarely come up, but it is better to know early if a particular plot is affected.

Check the property before you pay

The title deed (tapu) is the most important document in the purchase. Before any deposit, check the following at the land registry, or have someone you trust check it for you:

• The seller is the registered owner, or holds valid authority to sell.
• There are no mortgages, liens, seizures or other annotations that would pass to you.
• The zoning and the registered use match what you are buying, for example a home rather than a shop.
• For a finished building, whether it has an occupancy permit (iskan).

Ask the seller for proof that property tax, building management dues and utility bills are paid up to the transfer date. If you are buying off-plan from a developer, the sale is usually made with a notarised pre-sale contract and the title deed comes later, so read the delivery date, the payment plan and the penalties for delay with particular care.

The buying process, step by step

1. Choose the property. View it in person or by video call, and compare it with similar homes in the same area before you negotiate.
2. Check the title deed at the land registry for debts, liens and zoning, as described above.
3. Reserve it and sign a written sales contract. The contract should state the price and currency, the payment schedule, what is included (furniture, parking, storage), who pays which costs, the transfer date and what happens to the deposit if either side withdraws.
4. Get a Turkish tax number (vergi numarası). A tax office issues it quickly with your passport. You need it for the transfer and for most of the paperwork that follows.
5. Open a Turkish bank account (optional). It makes currency transfers easier and gives you the foreign-exchange receipt (döviz alım belgesi), which matters if you plan to apply for citizenship.
6. Apply to the land registry. The application is made through TKGM's e-Tapu and Web Tapu system, and an appointment is set for the transfer.
7. Pay the fees and insurance. Pay the title deed fee, the land registry service fee and the compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) before the appointment. Our costs and taxes guide explains each item.
8. Sign at the land registry. The buyer and seller, or their representatives, sign in front of the registry officer. If you do not speak Turkish, a sworn translator must attend with you. The new title deed is issued the same day.
9. Move the utilities into your name. Electricity, water and gas subscriptions are transferred to the new owner, and you register with the building management if there is one.

Documents you will usually need

• A valid passport, plus a sworn or notarised translation of its identity page.
• Your Turkish tax number.
• Recent passport-style photographs.
• The DASK earthquake insurance policy for the property.
• Receipts for the title deed fee and the land registry service fee.
• An SPK-licensed valuation report, if your case requires one. It is always required for citizenship and residence-permit applications; for an ordinary purchase, the land registry's current rules decide (the general requirement for all sales to foreigners was lifted in June 2024).
• A power of attorney, if someone signs on your behalf.

If you are buying for citizenship, also keep the bank transfer records and the foreign-exchange receipt. Our citizenship by investment guide lists the extra conditions.

Buying without travelling to Turkey

You do not have to attend the transfer yourself. A notarised power of attorney (vekaletname) lets a representative sign at the land registry, pay the fees and open the utility accounts for you. It can be issued at a Turkish consulate, or by a notary in your country; in the second case it must be translated and carry an apostille or consular certification, depending on the country.

Keep the power of attorney specific: name the property, the actions allowed and, if you prefer, a validity period. A narrow document protects you better than a general one.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Paying a large deposit before the title deed check. A small reservation fee with a written receipt is enough until the checks are done.
• Declaring a lower price than the real one to reduce the title deed fee. It breaks tax rules, it can derail a citizenship or residence application that relies on the valuation, and it increases the taxable gain if you sell within five years.
• Paying in cash when you want citizenship. Cash purchases are not accepted for citizenship; the payment must go through the Turkish banking system with the currency conversion documented.
• Buying in a closed neighbourhood when residency is the goal. Some neighbourhoods are closed to new residence-permit registrations for foreigners, and the list changes.
• Leaving costs unwritten. Agree in writing who pays the title deed fee, the service fees and the agency fee before you sign.
• Skipping the sworn translator. If you do not speak Turkish, the registry needs one, and you should understand every line you sign.

How Buruj helps

Buruj Real Estate has worked in this market since 2009 and has handled more than 4,500 property purchases and sales from its offices in Trabzon and Istanbul. We arrange viewings in person or by video call, check the title deed before you commit, book the sworn translator and the land registry appointment, and help you get a tax number and open a bank account. After the transfer, we connect the utilities and stay available for after-sales questions. Browse all listings or contact us to start.