Buying a house in Turkey: a step-by-step guide

Today, foreing investors can openly buy real estate in Turkey. The only exceptions are coastal resorts areas near the Black Sea, as well as various objects that, in the opinion of the state authorities, are strategically important for ensuring security in the country.

There are many ways to find the right property. Some do it remotely, trusting the choice to a realtor. In addition, there are companies that arrange online tours of objects for free. To do this, it is important to determine in advance the region, available budget, the size of housing, etc. You can always get acquainted with the current listings on the TellProperty website.

In order to conclude a transaction, you need to find a realtor who will help with the preparation of documents, checking housing and processing the transaction. The advantage for international investors is that many residents prefer real estate in Turkey, therefore, a large number of representative offices of its real estate companies are represented in many countries.

Those who know little or do not speak Turkish are advised to keep all correspondence with realtors and other specialists, and record verbal conversations in audio or video.

The main stages of registration of the transaction

If all the preparations have been done, the buyer can proceed directly to purchasing the selected living space. At the same time, it is important to take all the important steps, which include:

• Conclusion of a purchase and sale transaction. At this stage, a special agreement is concluded, which spells out the parties and their obligations.
• Making a deposit. It is necessary in order for the object to remain booked for a specific person until the moment of the actual purchase. Usually it ranges from 5% to 10% of the total amount.
• Preparation of necessary documents. At the first stage, it is enough for the buyer to have a passport, however, to obtain ownership, a whole package of papers is required. This includes the TIN, which can be obtained from the tax office upon the relevant application. Also, in some cases, permission from government agencies may be required. It confirms the fact that the purchased object is allowed to be sold to foreigners. You can additionally open an account with a local bank.
• Payment that can be made both in local lira and in international currency - dollars, euros, etc. This issue should be resolved with the seller in advance. To obtain ownership, the buyer must transfer the full amount to the seller's account.
• Transfer of ownership and TAPU. For this, all parties of the transaction must visit the  Cadastral Office. If the buyer does not speak Turkish, a government translator must be present, who will also sign the document. If all payments up to this point have been made, including taxes, and all documents are correctly completed, the buyer obtains the ownership.
• Do not forget that after the purchase you need to sign contracts with utility providers. If we are talking about the secondary market, all securities are simply reissued to the new owner. If an apartment is purchased in a new building, then it is necessary to buy a technical passport on your own as soon as possible.