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BurkayLegal counsel

Property lawyer in Turkey

Buying or Selling Property in Turkey

Independent legal help for foreign buyers and property owners, from contract and title checks to the Tapu transfer.

Jurisdiction
Turkish property law
Clients
Foreign buyers and owners
Focus
Purchases and sales

Your transaction

Choose legal help for buying or selling property in Turkey.

A buyer and a seller need different evidence, documents and protections. Choose the route that matches your next decision.

I am buying

Buying a home in Turkey

Review the legal position before paying a reservation fee, signing a contract or attending the title transfer.

  • Owner and title checks
  • Contract and deposit review
  • Payment and authority documents
  • Tapu transfer coordination
Legal help for buyers

I am selling

Selling property in Turkey

Prepare the ownership, authority, contract and payment documents needed to complete a sale in Turkey.

  • Seller document review
  • Offer and contract terms
  • Sale from outside Turkey
  • Completion and retained records
Legal help for sellers

Legal help for buyers

What we check before you buy property in Turkey

The useful time for legal review is before the deposit, contract or payment fixes your commercial position. The exact checks depend on the property and proposed purchase.

01

Owner and title records

We compare the proposed purchase with the available registry information, including the recorded owner, ownership shares, annotations and disclosed encumbrances. A title document supplied by the seller is not a current registry review.

02

The seller's authority

The seller's identity and authority must match the proposed transfer. Where a company, heir or representative is involved, the supporting authority documents need separate review.

03

Reservation and sale terms

The contract should state what is being purchased, the payment conditions, each party's obligations and what happens if completion does not proceed. Marketing statements are not a substitute for written contract rights.

04

Deposit and payment plan

The recipient, timing, currency, conditions and evidence for each payment should be clear before funds move. The written contract and the payment plan should be consistent.

05

Property and project documents

Legal review can identify questions arising from permits, declared use, zoning or project documents. Physical condition, engineering and valuation require separate specialist advice.

06

Rules affecting the buyer

Nationality, property type and location can affect the legal position. Eligibility, restrictions and any required approvals must be checked for the named buyer and property.

For a buyer, the review tests the proposed purchase against the title and supporting documents. For a seller, it confirms the ownership and authority position that must support the transfer.

A clean-looking title deed does not answer every legal question about a transaction.

Registry information can help establish who is recorded as owner, the share involved and which registered entries need closer attention. The significance of an entry depends on the facts and the legal step being considered.

Contracts, payment records, permits, corporate documents, inheritance records or earlier transaction documents may also affect the advice. The review should identify missing evidence instead of treating silence as confirmation.

Scope boundary

Legal due diligence does not replace a structural survey, valuation, tax advice or technical inspection. Where those questions matter, the legal plan should state which specialist input is needed and when.

Buying process

How a purchase moves from documents to Tapu transfer

The work begins with the documents and proposed payment, not with a generic checklist. Each stage should answer the next decision the buyer needs to make.

  1. 01

    Send the documents

    Provide the available title material, property details, draft agreement, payment plan, seller information and relevant correspondence.

  2. 02

    Define the review

    We identify the property, parties, proposed transaction, payment stage and immediate decision. This sets the scope for legal checks and further evidence.

  3. 03

    Check the legal position

    We review the available registry, ownership, authority, contract and payment material. Missing or inconsistent information is identified for follow-up.

  4. 04

    Receive clear advice

    The advice records identified risks, points that remain unverified and the available legal options. It separates legal questions from technical, valuation and tax work.

  5. 05

    Resolve open points

    The next stage may require revised terms, additional documents, specialist input or a change to the payment and completion plan.

  6. 06

    Prepare for transfer

    We confirm the agreed legal steps, authority and documents for completion. Attendance requirements depend on the buyer, seller and transaction.

Resale and off-plan purchases

The legal review changes with the property

A completed home and a property still under development do not present the same evidence or contract risks.

01

Buying a resale property

The review centres on the recorded owner, the current title position, seller authority, the written sale terms and the evidence required for transfer.

Review focus: ownership, registry entries, contract, payment and completion documents.

02

Buying off-plan or new-build property

The review also needs to address the land, developer authority, project documents, delivery obligations, staged payments and the planned route to title transfer.

Review focus: developer and land, project status, delivery, payment stages and title-transfer plan.

Legal help for sellers

Selling property in Turkey as a foreign owner

A seller needs a clear ownership record, valid authority, workable sale terms and a documented completion plan. Early review is particularly useful when the owner lives outside Turkey.

01

Ownership and the right to sell

We identify the recorded owner, ownership share and any heir, co-owner, company or representative whose position affects the proposed sale.

02

Documents for the sale

The required title, identity, authority and property documents depend on the owner and transaction. Missing evidence should be identified before completion is scheduled.

03

Offer, deposit and contract

The agreed property, price, deposit, payment conditions and completion obligations should be recorded clearly before either party relies on them.

04

Selling from outside Turkey

Where the owner cannot attend, the proposed power of attorney and supporting foreign documents need to be checked for the specific sale and intended use.

05

Payment and retained evidence

The seller should understand who will pay, when funds are due and which bank, contract and transfer records should be retained after completion.

06

Tapu transfer and completion

We confirm the legal documents, authority and agreed steps for the title transfer. Tax and financial questions are referred for separate current advice where needed.

Buying or selling from abroad

A Turkish property transaction without unnecessary travel

A purchase or sale can often be prepared while the client is outside Turkey. The documents and authority must be checked before deciding which steps can be handled remotely and which require attendance.

Start with the transaction documents

Initial instructions should include the available title material, draft agreement, payment record, identification details and relevant correspondence. A seller should also send the available ownership and authority documents.

Confirm authority before relying on it

Translation, notarisation, legalisation and power-of-attorney requirements are checked for the documents and transaction involved. We also confirm when personal attendance remains necessary.

Independent legal advice

Estate agent, lawyer and specialist: who checks what?

Each professional has a different role. Responsibility should be clear before the buyer or seller relies on a statement or document.

01

Estate agent

An agent markets or introduces property and supports the commercial process. The agent's exact duties depend on the appointment and transaction.

02

Independent lawyer

A lawyer advises on the client's legal position, reviews the relevant title, authority, contract and payment documents, and explains identified risks and options.

03

Tax and technical specialists

Tax treatment, valuation, engineering and physical condition require advice from the appropriate professional. Legal review should identify when that input is needed.

Ownership and title disputes

Start with the record, the evidence and the immediate risk.

A property dispute can involve the registry, a contract, payment, authority, inheritance or possession. The correct response depends on the source of the claimed right and what could change while the dispute continues.

  • Review the current registry record and the documents behind the disputed entry.
  • Separate contractual rights from rights that have been registered or transferred.
  • Identify every owner, heir, company or authorised person whose position affects the matter.
  • Assess whether evidence or the property position could change before the claim is resolved.

The available remedy, court, evidence and timing require matter-specific advice. No outcome should be inferred from a general description of a title dispute.

Buyer and seller questions

Buying and selling property in Turkey: direct answers

These answers state the starting point. Current records, current rules and the transaction documents determine the legal position.

01

Can a foreigner buy a home in Turkey?

Foreign individuals can acquire certain property in Turkey, subject to current restrictions and transaction-specific checks. Nationality, location, property type, area and approvals may affect the position, so eligibility should be confirmed for the named buyer and property before funds are committed.

02

Do I need a lawyer to buy property in Turkey?

The need for legal representation and the lawyer's role depend on the transaction. Independent legal review can establish the title, seller authority, contract and payment position before the buyer signs or pays, even where the formal process does not require a lawyer.

03

What does a lawyer check before I buy?

The scope may include the current owner and title position, seller authority, contract, deposit, payment plan and relevant property or project documents. The review should also identify which questions require tax, valuation or technical advice.

04

What should be checked before I pay a deposit?

Confirm the recipient, amount, refund conditions, property, seller and written terms before payment. The title and authority position should also be reviewed because a payment receipt does not establish ownership or a right to transfer.

05

What is a Tapu transfer?

The expression refers to the legal transfer and registration of the property at the relevant Turkish land-registry authority. The documents, authority and procedural requirements must be confirmed for the particular buyer, seller and property.

06

Can I buy property in Turkey without travelling?

Some purchases can be prepared or completed through valid authority, but this must be checked for the specific transaction. Identity, power-of-attorney, translation, notarisation, legalisation and land-registry requirements may affect what can be handled remotely.

07

Can I sell Turkish property while living abroad?

A sale may be coordinated while the owner is abroad if the ownership, identity and authority documents satisfy the requirements for that transaction. We confirm the required documents and whether any personal attendance is necessary.

08

Which documents are needed to sell property in Turkey?

The starting documents usually concern title, identity and authority, but the full list depends on the owner, property and proposed sale. Company, inheritance, co-ownership or foreign-issued documents can create additional requirements.

09

Do you advise on off-plan and resale property?

Yes. A resale review focuses on the owner, title position, contract and transfer evidence. An off-plan review also needs to consider the land, developer authority, project documents, delivery obligations, staged payments and title-transfer plan.

10

Can you help sell inherited or jointly owned property?

Advice may cover the recorded shares, inheritance documents, authority to sell and the position of each owner or heir. The first review should identify every relevant person and the evidence supporting each claimed right.

Buying or selling in Turkey

Have the property documents checked before the next commitment.

Send the available title, contract, payment and authority documents with a short explanation of the purchase or sale.

Have documents reviewed
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