What are the conditions for foreigners to buy property in Turkey?

Can foreigners own property in Turkey?

Foreigners can legally own property in Turkey. According to Article 35 of the Land Registry Law No. 2644, amended by Law No. 6302, citizens of 153 countries around the world can buy property in Turkey, after the reciprocity condition was abolished in May 2012.

The Turkish government has established clear legislation regulating the process of foreign ownership and ensuring the rights of all parties and preventing fraud.

What types of properties can foreigners own in Turkey?

Foreigners are allowed to own most types of properties in Turkey, including residential apartments, villas, commercial offices, shops, warehouses, as well as buildable land, agricultural land, and tourist properties such as hotels, chalets, cabins, and other similar properties.

Turkish laws have provided extensive facilities for foreigners wishing to own property, provided they comply with the legal requirements mentioned in the following section.

What are the conditions for buying property in Turkey for foreigners?

Foreigners are allowed to buy property in Turkey provided they meet a set of conditions related to the buyer and the property, including obtaining a property valuation, ensuring the property is not located in military zones, and not exceeding a total area of 30 hectares. The buyer must also be of a non-prohibited nationality.

Property-related conditions

For property-related conditions, all legal documents proving property ownership in the Land Registry Directorate must be available, such as the title deed, property valuation report, municipal registration document, and earthquake insurance certificate.

Foreign investors can own properties that allow their foreign owners to apply for Turkish citizenship, which are properties valued at more than 400,000 US dollars, provided they are not sold for three years from the date of purchase.

One of the property-related conditions is the total area; the total area of land that a foreign investor can purchase in Turkey, even if in different provinces, cannot exceed 30 hectares. Turkish laws also prohibit foreigners from owning property located near military or security zones. 

Buyer-related conditions

According to the regulations in force in Turkey, official contracts aimed at transferring property ownership must be completed at the Land Registry offices where the property is located. It is also important to sign the "title deed transfer" in the presence of a notary.

Most importantly, the foreign investor must not be from the nationalities prohibited from owning property in Turkey, which are Syrian, North Korean, Armenian, Greek Cypriot, and Cuban.

Investors wishing to own property must also secure all the required documents for buying property in Turkey, and provide their personal documents such as passport, residence permit, personal photos, and tax number when purchasing property in Turkey.

What are the main restrictions on buying property in Turkey for foreigners?

The Turkish government encourages foreign investors to own property in Turkey and provides all possible facilities for investment in Turkey, removing all obstacles that may hinder foreigners from owning property. Therefore, some laws have been enacted to regulate the sale of property to foreigners, aiming to organize the investment process.

Therefore, it can be said that there are no restrictions preventing foreign investors from freehold ownership in Turkey, but there are a set of conditions we discussed above, and regulations governing the transfer of ownership procedures according to the laws stipulated in the land registry.

Imtilak Real Estate removes all obstacles to buying property in Turkey

Imtilak Real Estate harnesses all its human resources to remove obstacles for investors aiming for freehold ownership in Turkey for foreigners, offering clients a package of professional services aimed at facilitating foreign ownership of Turkish properties.

Imtilak takes it upon itself to provide all possible facilities and services to investors throughout the property purchase journey, by offering the best real estate opportunities for ownership and investment, conducting comprehensive studies on the property and its features, analyzing the geographical location and general surroundings, as well as organizing field tours to view the property in person or through virtual tours when necessary.

Imtilak handles all procedures related to the transfer of the title deed at the Land Registry Directorate through a special power of attorney obtained from the investor. If the property meets the citizenship requirements, Imtilak has a dedicated department for handling citizenship and residence permit files and all related transactions.

There are also other departments at Imtilak specializing in property management after sale through leasing or resale, and other professional departments for furnishing the property inside and out with the most beautiful architectural designs.

Edited by: Imtilak Real Estate©