Property Law
Buying Property in Türkiye: A Legal Glossary for Foreign Buyers
Buying Property in Türkiye: A Legal Glossary for Foreign Buyers
Authored by Attorney Mert Veysel Yılmaz, Founding Attorney at Yilmaz Attorneys
Buying an apartment in Türkiye often begins with a viewing, a listing and a discussion about price. The legal transaction begins somewhere else: with the Land Registry record, the municipal file, the approved project and the payment trail.
This guide explains the Turkish terms that foreign buyers commonly encounter and the checks that should be completed before signing a contract or paying a deposit. It is particularly relevant to second-hand residential property in Antalya, including Konyaaltı, Muratpaşa and Fener, and to buyers considering Turkish citizenship by investment.
Before making an offer
Request the following documents as soon as a property becomes a serious candidate:
A current copy of the title deed
The registered owner's full name and identification details
The province, district, neighbourhood, block, parcel and independent unit information
The building licence and occupancy permit
The approved architectural plan or relevant floor plan
The building management plan and current service charge records
Information about any mortgage, tenant, court case, inheritance issue or enforcement measure
For a citizenship purchase, the seller's ownership history and any earlier foreign ownership
Do not rely solely on a listing, agent's brochure or title deed photograph. The current Land Registry record and the relevant municipal file should be examined through the appropriate official channels.
Turkish property glossary
Tapu or Tapu Senedi
The official title deed. It identifies the registered owner and the property. A title deed copy is a starting point, not a complete due diligence report. Ownership, restrictions and legal burdens must be checked against the current Land Registry record.
Tapu Sicili
The Land Registry. Rights over real estate, including ownership and many restrictions, are recorded here. Ownership transfers when the transaction is formally registered. A private sales contract or reservation form does not by itself transfer legal title.
Ada, Parsel and Bağımsız Bölüm
These terms mean block, parcel and independent unit. They identify the legal property. The apartment shown to the buyer must match the independent unit in the official records. A difference in floor, unit number, area or use may indicate a serious problem.
Kat Mülkiyeti
Completed condominium ownership. Each independent unit is registered separately in a completed building. This is generally the clearest title structure for an established apartment.
Kat mülkiyeti is not a guarantee that every later alteration is lawful. Enclosed balconies, combined rooms, roof extensions and converted common areas may still conflict with the approved project.
Kat İrtifakı
Construction servitude. This structure is generally created for a project that is planned or under construction. Some completed buildings remain registered under kat irtifakı.
If a completed apartment has this status, the buyer should investigate whether the building has an occupancy permit, why full condominium ownership has not been established and whether the completed structure conforms to the approved project.
Arsa Tapusu
Land title. A buyer offered an apartment with only a share in the underlying land should proceed carefully. The legal asset may be an undivided land share rather than a separately registered apartment.
Yapı Ruhsatı
The building licence. It authorises construction according to the approved architectural and engineering projects and the applicable planning rules.
İskan or Yapı Kullanma İzin Belgesi
The occupancy permit. It is issued after the competent authority determines that the completed building can be used and that the statutory conditions have been met.
An occupancy permit is a significant compliance document, but it is not the end of the inquiry. Later changes to the building or individual apartment may depart from the approved project. The physical property should therefore be compared with the official plans where risk is identified.
İmar Planı
The zoning plan. It determines how land may be used and developed. It may address residential or commercial use, building density, height, setbacks, roads, green areas and public facilities.
İmar Durumu
The planning status applicable to a particular parcel. Online municipal maps can be useful for an initial view, but they often state that their information cannot be used as an official document. A transaction may require confirmation from the competent municipality and review of the underlying plan notes.
Takyidat
The collective term commonly used for restrictions, annotations and legal burdens in the Land Registry record. A current takyidat review may reveal mortgages, attachments, court measures, rights of use, promises of sale and other entries affecting the property.
İpotek
Mortgage. A mortgage does not always make a sale impossible, but the release, payment sequence and Land Registry procedure must be coordinated. The buyer should not assume that paying the seller will automatically remove the mortgage.
Haciz
Attachment or enforcement lien. It may arise from an enforcement proceeding against the owner and may block or complicate the transfer.
Şerh
Annotation. The word covers several types of Land Registry entry. The legal effect depends on the wording and basis of the specific annotation.
Beyanlar Hanesi
Declarations section. This part of the Land Registry record may contain information affecting the property or its use. Each entry should be read in context.
Yönetim Planı
The building or complex management plan. It regulates administration, common areas, permitted uses and the rights and obligations of unit owners. A buyer becomes bound by the applicable management structure after acquisition.
Aidat
The regular building or complex service charge. The buyer should ask for the current amount, unpaid balances, extraordinary assessments, planned works and information about ongoing disputes.
DASK
Compulsory earthquake insurance for properties within its statutory scope. A valid policy is checked during the title transfer process. DASK does not replace a structural survey, technical inspection or comprehensive home insurance.
Belediye Rayiç Bedeli
The municipal value used for official and tax purposes. It is not necessarily the same as the market value, the agreed purchase price or the value accepted for a citizenship application.
Gayrimenkul Değerleme Raporu (GABİM)
The real estate valuation report. A valuation may be required for a citizenship transaction and in other regulated situations. It assesses value for its stated purpose. It does not replace legal due diligence or a technical inspection.
Döviz Alım Belgesi (DAB)
The foreign currency purchase document used in regulated transactions involving a foreign buyer. In a citizenship purchase, the banking and foreign currency steps must be planned before the title transfer so that the documents and payment trail remain consistent.
Taşınmaz Yatırım Tespit Belgesi
The certificate confirming that the qualifying real estate investment conditions have been met for a citizenship application. It is issued after the relevant Land Registry review. It should not be confused with a private promise that a property will qualify.
Legal due diligence before purchase
Confirm the owner and authority to sell
The registered owner must be identified. If another person acts under a power of attorney, the document must be valid, sufficiently specific and suitable for the transaction. Inherited properties, shared ownership and company-owned properties require additional authority checks.
Review all Land Registry restrictions
Mortgages, attachments, court orders, rights of residence, usufruct rights, promises of sale and other entries may affect transfer or use. The legal effect and proposed release of each relevant entry should be understood before payment.
Compare the property with the official records
The physical apartment should match the independent unit recorded at the Land Registry and the approved project. Particular care is required where balconies have been enclosed, rooms combined, storage areas converted or common areas incorporated into private use.
Check the building and planning file
The building licence, occupancy permit, zoning status and available project records should be reviewed. The existence of an occupancy permit is important, but later unlicensed changes may still create enforcement, financing, insurance or resale risk.
Check management and property debts
The buyer should investigate service charge arrears, extraordinary building expenses, municipal obligations, utility issues and major planned repairs. Contractual protection may be needed for liabilities attributable to the seller's ownership period.
Use a protected contract and payment structure
Any reservation or preliminary contract should accurately identify the property, price, deposit and completion conditions. It should state what happens if title, planning, building or citizenship checks are not satisfactory.
Payments should be traceable and made to the correct party. Requests for cash, third-party transfers, circular payments or a false declared price are serious warning signs.
Arrange an independent technical inspection
Legal due diligence does not assess structural condition, hidden defects, mechanical systems or repair costs. An independent engineer or surveyor should be considered, particularly for older buildings or properties with visible alterations.
Additional checks for citizenship by investment
The current minimum real estate investment for Turkish citizenship is USD 400,000 or the qualifying foreign currency equivalent. The title must carry a restriction preventing sale for at least three years.
A second-hand property can potentially qualify, but the asking price and current seller's nationality are not enough. The following must be reviewed before commitment:
The seller's status and the property's ownership chain
Whether the property was transferred by a foreign owner within a restricted period
Whether the property has already been used for a citizenship application
Whether the buyer or a close relative previously transferred the property
Whether the official sale value, valuation and banking documents meet the applicable rules
Whether the investment funds come from the buyer through a genuine, traceable payment
Whether all required foreign currency and Land Registry steps can be completed in the correct order
Current Land Registry guidance contains detailed restrictions on second-hand properties. For example, a property transferred by a foreign individual to a Turkish person or company within the preceding three years may be disqualified, subject to the precise facts and stated exceptions. Property registered to certain persons who acquired Turkish citizenship exceptionally can also be ineligible. A property may be used only once as the basis of a citizenship acquisition.
The rules should be checked again on the planned transaction date. Citizenship compliance must be built into the acquisition from the start.
The purchase process
1. Shortlist the property
View the property and collect the core documents. Avoid making an unconditional payment merely to secure time for review.
2. Complete an initial legal screen
Confirm the title identifiers, owner, visible restrictions, planning position and any immediate citizenship concerns. This stage can prevent unnecessary valuation and contract costs.
3. Conduct full due diligence
Review the Land Registry, municipal and building records. Compare the approved documents with the property and investigate any mortgage, attachment, alteration or management issue.
4. Agree protected contract terms
Document the price, deposit, payment timetable, release conditions, required documents, allocation of costs and consequences of failed due diligence.
5. Complete valuation and citizenship steps
Where citizenship is intended, coordinate the valuation, banking documents, foreign currency process and statutory declarations before transfer.
6. Transfer title
Complete the formal sale and registration through the competent Land Registry procedure. A valid DASK policy and other transaction documents must be ready.
7. Complete post-closing matters
Update utilities, management records, municipal declarations and insurance. Preserve the full transaction file, especially where citizenship is involved.
Warning signs during a property search
Pause the transaction if:
The seller or agent refuses to provide a title deed copy
A deposit is demanded before basic documents are shared
The negotiator is not the owner and cannot prove authority
The unit shown does not match the title or approved plan
The building lacks an occupancy permit without a clear legal explanation
The true price and the price proposed for official records are different
Payment is requested in cash or through unrelated third parties
The seller offers a rebate or return of funds after closing
Citizenship is described as guaranteed before a file review
You are told that an official valuation makes legal due diligence unnecessary
Frequently asked questions
Do foreign buyers need a residence permit to purchase property
No. A residence permit is not a precondition for acquiring real estate in Türkiye. Immigration status and the right to remain in Türkiye are separate questions that should be assessed independently.
Does a notarised contract transfer ownership
No. Ownership transfers through formal registration. A preliminary contract may create contractual rights, but it does not by itself make the buyer the registered owner.
Is an occupancy permit enough to prove that an apartment is fully compliant
No. It is an important document, but later changes may conflict with the approved project. The physical unit and current records may require further review.
Can a second-hand apartment qualify for citizenship by investment
Potentially, yes. Its value, seller, ownership history, prior citizenship use, payment trail and Land Registry status must satisfy the rules applicable on the transaction date.
When should legal due diligence begin
Before signing an unconditional contract or paying a non-refundable deposit. The strongest protection is to identify legal risks while the buyer can still walk away or renegotiate.
Official references
This guide provides general legal information as of 23 September 2026. It does not constitute legal advice for a particular property or transaction. Rules, administrative guidance and local records may change. A buyer should obtain advice based on the current documents and intended transaction structure.
