Net and Gross Area in Turkey: How Not to Pay for Square Metres You Don’t Live In

Two flats in neighbouring listings: the first “150 m²”, the second “135 m²”. You visit them and find the second one more spacious. It is not an optical illusion: each listing measures the area differently. This is one of the things that confuses buyers in Turkey most.

Three areas for one flat

1. Net area (Net)

The usable space inside the flat, wall to wall: the bedrooms, living room, kitchen, bathrooms and internal corridors. This is the space you furnish and live in.

2. Gross area (Brüt)

The net area plus the thickness of the internal and external walls, and often the balconies.

3. Area including the common share

In complexes, the flat’s share of the stairs, lifts, corridors and facilities is sometimes added, making the advertised figure even bigger.

An example of the difference

• Flat A: advertised at 150 m² gross, with 112 m² net.
• Flat B: advertised at 135 m² gross, with 118 m² net.

Flat B is actually larger. And at the same price, its net square metre is cheaper.

Where to find the real area

1. The approved architectural plan: from the municipality, specifying the area of each unit.
2. The valuation report: it states both the gross and the net area, and it is mandatory for foreign buyers. See the valuation report guide.
3. Measuring at the viewing: a tape measure or a laser device is enough to check the main rooms.
4. The tapu (title deed): it states the unit number, its floor and its share of the land, but does not always state the flat’s area. See the guide to tapu types.

Buying from a developer

• Ask for the schedule of areas for each unit: net, gross, balcony and common share.
• Write the net area into the purchase contract, with an acceptable margin for differences.
• Ask: what happens if the area at handover turns out smaller than in the contract?

Details in the off-plan buying guide and the guide to taking delivery of a new flat.

Land share (Arsa Payı)

Another figure on the title deed worth watching: your flat’s share of the building’s land. It affects your entitlement in a rebuild or urban transformation, and the property’s long-term value. See the urban transformation guide.

Summary

Don’t compare listings by the advertised figure. Ask for the net area, check it in the plan and the valuation, calculate the price per net square metre, and write it into the contract.

On our properties page we state the net area of every property. Contact us if you’d like us to compare two offers for you.