Title Deed Transfer and Appraisal Support in Turkey

How a title deed transfer works for a foreign buyer

The title deed (tapu) is transferred at the land registry (Tapu ve Kadastro, TKGM). Once the price and the unit are agreed, the application is made to the land registry and an appointment is set. A valuation report from a valuation firm licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK) is required for a sale to a foreigner; it is obtained through Web-Tapu or TADEBİS. The buyer and the seller, or their representatives with a power of attorney, then sign at the land registry, the title deed fee is paid and the new title deed is issued. If you do not speak Turkish, an interpreter is arranged for the signing.

The valuation report

The report states the market value of the property. For a general purchase it is part of the file that a sale to a foreigner requires. For citizenship it is decisive: the valuation, the title deed price and the bank-proven payments must each reach USD 400,000, or the land registry does not issue the Amount Determination Certificate (Tutar Tespit Belgesi, TTB). The valuation report is valid for 6 months.

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. TKGM still checks the value and issues the TTB, so choosing a firm does not by itself make a report acceptable.

For a residence permit based on property bought from 16 October 2023, the sale price on the title deed is what counts, not the valuation (see the residence permit for property owners).

Paying for the property

Payments go through banks, never in cash. For citizenship, before the transfer your USD, EUR or GBP is sold to a bank in Turkey and 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, which is presented to the land registry with a certified receipt of the payment to the seller's account.

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; we confirm how it applies on the day of your transfer.

What we do, and what others do

As investment advisors, we:

• prepare the document list and check each document before the appointment;
• request the valuation report and follow it until it is issued;
• coordinate the land registry application and the appointment;
• coordinate the currency sale and the DAB with your bank, for citizenship;
• arrange an interpreter if you need one and accompany you on the signing day;
• help with the handover and the utility accounts after the transfer.

The land registry (TKGM) registers the transfer and, for citizenship, issues the TTB; the valuation firm prepares the report; a notary certifies translations and powers of attorney. For a legal opinion on the contract or the title deed record, appoint an independent lawyer. Where you need real estate brokerage for the purchase, it is provided by Burak Ünal, a registered real estate broker, through his own brokerage.

Who it does not suit

• Buyers who want a valuation report written to reach a price: the report states the market value, and the land registry checks it.
• Buyers who need someone to represent them in a dispute: an independent lawyer does that.

Costs

As general information, as of October 2026:

• Title deed fee: 2% from the buyer and 2% from the seller, 4% in total. Who pays can be agreed between the parties, but each remains liable for their share. Since Law No. 7566 (Official Gazette, 19 December 2025), the base is the declared transfer price, which may not be lower than the property tax value, and the penalty for under-declaration is 100% of the tax. The rate itself did not change.
• Revolving fund fee: a fixed amount per transaction, charged separately from the title deed fee.
• Valuation report: charged by the valuation firm.
• Translations, notary fees and the interpreter, where needed.

Our own fees are not published: contact us for fees, questions and service scope.

Common mistakes

• Letting the valuation report expire: it is valid for 6 months.
• For citizenship: paying before the DAB is issued, or paying from an account that does not match the file.
• Declaring a price lower than the real one: the tax-loss penalty is now 100% of the tax.
• A power of attorney that does not cover the sale, or is not in a form accepted in Turkey.
• Names spelled differently in the passport, its translation and the tax number record.

Guides

• The title deed process for foreign buyers
• The title deed appointment for citizenship
• The valuation report for foreign buyers
• The currency exchange document (DAB)
• The 4% title deed tax

Book a consultation or message us on WhatsApp: tell us which property you are buying and when, and we will plan the transfer with you.