Guide to Buying Property in Turkey as a Foreigner

How buying property in Turkey works, step by step

The steps are the same in every city. What changes is your purpose: a home, a holiday home, a rental investment, a residence permit or Turkish citizenship each add their own checks.

1. Define your purpose and budget. Decide what the property is for before you look. A residence permit or citizenship sets value thresholds and conditions that the unit must meet, and the budget has to cover the purchase costs as well as the price.
2. Get a Turkish tax number. Every property transaction needs one. The tax office issues it on presentation of your passport; see the Turkish tax number for foreigners.
3. Open a bank account in Turkey. The price is paid through banks, and for citizenship the currency sale and the currency certificate (DAB) are handled by a bank in Turkey; so open the account early.
4. Choose the property and check it. Before you commit, check the title deed record (owner, type of title, recorded use), any mortgages, annotations or liens, the building permit and the occupancy permit (iskan), and whether the seller is entitled to sell. Our property selection and due diligence page lists these checks.
5. Sign the reservation or sale agreement. Have it reviewed by an independent lawyer before you sign, in particular for an off-plan purchase on a promise-of-sale contract (satış vaadi).
6. Order the valuation report. It is requested from an SPK-licensed valuation firm through TADEBİS or Web-Tapu and must still be valid on the day of the transfer.
7. Apply to the land registry. The application is made to the land registry (Tapu ve Kadastro, TKGM) and an appointment is set. For a residence, a valid compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) policy is normally required; see DASK for foreign owners.
8. Pay and sign. The price is paid through a bank, never in cash. The buyer and the seller, or their representatives under a power of attorney, sign at the land registry, the title deed fee is paid and the new title deed is issued in your name.
9. Take over the property. Collect the keys, record the meter readings, put the electricity, water, gas and internet accounts in your name and, if the property qualifies, apply for your residence permit.

Our purchase assistance page explains how we advise foreign buyers through each of these steps, in person in Istanbul or by video call.

The valuation report

A valuation report states the market value of the property. For a sale to a foreigner it is part of the land registry file, whatever the purpose of the purchase. It is prepared by a valuation firm licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) and requested through TADEBİS, the land registry's valuation system, or through Web-Tapu. The report is valid for 6 months, so plan the transfer date before you order it.

For citizenship the report is decisive. Three amounts must each reach USD 400,000: the sale price on the title deed, the payments to the seller proven by bank records and the market value in the valuation report. If one of them is lower, the land registry does not issue the Amount Determination Certificate (Tutar Tespit Belgesi, TTB) and the property cannot be used for the application. Until 27 September 2026, only GEDAŞ could prepare citizenship valuation reports. Several law firms and news sources reported in October 2026 that, from 28 September 2026, any valuation firm licensed by SPK, active in the Turkish Valuation Experts Association (TDUB) and connected to TADEBİS may prepare them. The land registry still checks the value, so choosing a firm does not by itself make a report acceptable. Our title deed transfer and appraisal support page and the guide to the valuation report for foreign buyers explain the process.

Paying for the property: banks, the DAB and the secure payment system

Payments for a property go through banks, not in cash, and the price you declare at the land registry must be the real price. Declaring less exposes both parties to a tax-loss penalty of 100% of the missing tax, and for a residence permit or citizenship it can leave the property below the threshold you rely on.

For citizenship there is one more step. Before the transfer, your USD, EUR or GBP must be sold to a bank operating in Turkey, which sells it on to the Central Bank (TCMB). The bank issues a Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi, DAB) showing the USD equivalent and the citizenship purpose. The DAB is presented to the land registry with a certified bank receipt of the payment to the seller's account. Paying before the DAB is issued is one of the most common reasons a property cannot be used for citizenship; see the currency exchange document (DAB).

A secure payment system for title deed sales (Güvenli Ödeme Sistemi) applies to all buyers, not only foreigners. On 28 September 2026 its mandatory start was postponed to 1 December 2026, so check how it applies on the day of your transfer.

Fees, taxes and VAT as general information

As general information, as of October 2026, the main costs of a purchase are:

• Title deed fee (tapu harcı): 2% from the buyer and 2% from the seller, 4% in total. The parties can agree who pays, but each remains liable for its share. Since Law No. 7566 the base is the declared transfer price, which may not be lower than the property tax value.
• Revolving fund fee (döner sermaye): a fixed amount per transaction, charged separately from the title deed fee.
• Valuation report: charged by the valuation firm.
• VAT on a new build: for buildings with a permit dated on or after 1 April 2022, the part of the net area up to 150 m² is taxed at 10% and the part above at 20%; 1% survives mainly for urban-transformation projects. The first sale of a new residence or workplace to a foreigner who is not resident in Turkey can be exempt if the price is brought into Turkey in foreign currency; selling within three years makes the unpaid VAT and interest due.
• Translations, notary fees and an interpreter where needed.
• Brokerage commission where a real estate broker is involved: it is set by the broker and agreed in writing.

Once you own the property, it is subject to the annual property tax collected by the municipality, and income from letting it is in general taxable in Turkey. Our guide to the costs of buying property in Turkey covers each item in detail. These are general rules, not tax advice: for your own situation, ask a licensed accountant or tax advisor.

Closed neighbourhoods and residence permits

From 2022, neighbourhoods with a high share of foreign residents were closed to new residence permit registrations, and owning a property there did not give a right to a first permit at that address. That restriction has been lifted: as of October 2026, all neighbourhoods are open for residence permit applications. We still check the address before you buy, because the rules can change.

Buying property does not grant a residence permit automatically, but owning a residential property can support a short-term residence permit, renewable while you own it. For property bought from 16 October 2023, the sale price on the title deed must be at least USD 200,000, converted at the Central Bank rate on the acquisition date, in every province; a valuation report is not accepted in place of the title deed price. Commercial units do not qualify. See the residence permit for property owners.

Buying property for Turkish citizenship

Turkish citizenship by real estate investment requires property worth at least USD 400,000 and an annotation on the title deed that it will not be sold for three years. Not every property qualifies:

• it must be an independent unit (bağımsız bölüm) under Condominium Law No. 634 for purchases from 12 December 2023, so vacant land does not qualify;
• a share (hisseli) of a property acquired on or after 1 February 2023 cannot be used, nor a property bought with a statutory mortgage;
• it must not come from a foreigner, from a person who became a Turkish citizen through investment, or from someone to whom such a person or your first-degree relatives transferred it in the last three years;
• several properties bought by sale can be combined, but an off-plan purchase must have the full amount in one promise-of-sale contract.

The investor's spouse and children younger than 18 can apply with the investor. Citizenship by investment usually takes 8 to 12 months end to end, and no timeframe can be promised. In 2026 the Interior Ministry announced that citizenship decisions for 6,134 people had been cancelled or withdrawn, mostly over collusive transactions such as inflated appraisals, which is why each amount must be real and documented. See citizenship by real estate investment for the full route.

After the purchase

After the transfer, keep the title deed and the payment records safe: you need them to sell, to pass the property on, to renew a residence permit and, for citizenship, for the file. Register your address once you move in, renew the earthquake insurance every year and keep paying the property tax.

If you plan to let the property, the rental agreement, the owner's obligations and the tax on rental income are worth understanding before you sign with a tenant. Our rental and after-sales advisory covers what to expect. Gordion Partners advises on letting; it does not list properties for rent or search for tenants.

How Gordion Partners helps foreign buyers

Gordion Partners is an investment advisory firm: we advise on investment, citizenship by investment and immigration, and for property buyers on what to buy and why, the checks before you commit, the title deed and valuation process and the residence permit or citizenship rules a purchase must meet. Our real estate advisory page gives an overview.

Gordion Partners does not list, market or sell property. Where you need real estate brokerage, such as a property search, viewings or the negotiation, it is provided by Burak Ünal, a registered real estate broker, through his own brokerage; viewings can be in person or by video call. The property projects pages give information on projects in Turkey; they are not our listings. We advise in ten languages, at our office in Şişli, Istanbul, or by video call. Our own fees are not published: contact us for fees, questions and service scope.

Frequently asked questions

Can a foreigner buy property anywhere in Turkey?

Foreigners can buy property in most of Turkey, but military and security zones are closed to foreign buyers, and the land registry checks this during the process. Some nationalities face additional limits, so confirm your case before you pay a deposit.

Do I need to be in Turkey to buy property?

No. You can give a power of attorney to a representative at a notary in Turkey or at a Turkish consulate, and the representative signs at the land registry for you. Viewings and consultations can also be done by video call.

How much does it cost to buy property in Turkey?

As general information, the title deed fee is 4% of the declared price (2% from the buyer, 2% from the seller), plus a fixed revolving fund fee, the valuation report, translations and, for a new build, VAT unless an exemption applies. A licensed accountant can tell you what applies to your own purchase.

Is a valuation report required for every foreign buyer?

Yes, a sale to a foreigner needs a valuation report from an SPK-licensed firm, obtained through TADEBİS or Web-Tapu. It is valid for 6 months. For citizenship, the value in the report must reach USD 400,000.

Does buying property give me a residence permit?

Not automatically. A residential property bought from 16 October 2023 with a title deed sale price of at least USD 200,000 can support a short-term residence permit, renewable while you own it. The closed-neighbourhood restriction has been lifted, so all neighbourhoods are open for applications.

Can I get Turkish citizenship by buying property?

Yes, with property worth at least USD 400,000 that meets the eligibility rules and is kept for three years. Your spouse and children younger than 18 can apply with you. The process usually takes 8 to 12 months, with no guarantee.

Can I pay for a Turkish property in cash?

No. Payments go through banks. For citizenship, the foreign currency must be sold to a bank in Turkey and a DAB obtained before the transfer.

Official sources: TKGM, questions on sales to foreigners (tkgm.gov.tr), TKGM, valuation report (yourkeyturkiye.gov.tr), TKGM, citizenship acquisition (yourkeyturkiye.gov.tr), TKGM, VAT exemption notice (tkgm.gov.tr), Law No. 6458 (goc.gov.tr), e-ikamet.goc.gov.tr.