Buying or renting a property in Turkey is
not as difficult or as complicated as you might imagine. Below are
many of the questions that we are asked frequently with their answers
to put your mind at rest.
- What nationalities are permitted to purchase a
property?
- Are there any restrictions about buying property?
- Is the property I buy Freehold?
- Do I have to have a Residents permit to rent,
purchase land or property in Turkey?
- What has to be checked prior to the purchase?
- How long does the buying process take?
- On top of the purchase price, are there any extra
taxes or fees payable?
- Once I have seen a property I want buy, how do
I go ahead with the purchase?
- If my property needs renovation or other work
how does this affect the process?
- How can the payment be made for the purchase
of a property?
- Can the property be re-sold and, if so, can the
proceeds be taken out of the country?
- Do normal inheritance rules apply to the property?
- Can I import my furniture or car into Turkey
with me?
- What proof should I have that my purchase is
complete?
- Should I insure my property?
Please also see our Financial
and Management Services pages for details
on how we can make the process as easy as we can and our living
in Turkey page for other useful information.
What
nationalities are permitted to purchase a property?
Turkey has a reciprocal agreement for the purchase of land and property
with many countries. This means that the people of these nations
that allow Turks to buy land in their countries, can in turn, buy
land in Turkey. Foreigners may purchase in their own name providing
the property is outside military zones. Based on these agreements
foreigners of the following countries are eligible. England, Germany,
Australia, Austria, Belgium, France, Holland, Ireland, Spain, Italy,
Canada, Luxemburg, Norway, Greece as well as some African and South
American states.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Are
there any restrictions about buying property?
Foreigners may purchase land and property in Turkey in their own
names provided that properties are located in towns and you do not
need a Turkish "partner" to buy a property in Turkey. There must
be a municipality in the area where the property is and the property
must be within the boundaries of that municipality or borough. The
rules are changing and the purchase of property in these areas is
becoming easier for foreigners, Should you decide to purchase in
such a place then we would make the official checks at the land
registration office to confirm that the sale is possible. Prior
to recent changes in the law foreigners were unable to buy land
or property in "village" areas but the situation has changed and
it is now possible. We have had much interest in these houses, the
majority of which need renovation but are set on large plots of
land in beautiful scenery.
No matter where the land or the house may be situated
if the buyer is a foreign person, the deed office has to officially
ask the prior approval or permission of the highest military command
of the area before transferring the title. The reasons for this
are to ensure that foreign buyers will not acquire a property within
military zones. Although you may be willing to and prepared to pay
the price immediately, there is no way a purchase can be made without
obtaining the required permission. No land or property within forbidden
regions and safety regions can be sold, transferred or rented. (Forbidden
regions - Military zones)
If you plan to buy a plot of land lager than 30
hectares (about 74 acres) you will have to have the Council of Ministers
approval. If a house is sold from Turk to Turk then the purchase,
sale and exchange of monies transaction can be completed within
24hours. So, in some circumstance a house owner may ask for a larger
than 10% deposit because by selling the house to a European then
the house-owner will have to wait a further 8-12 weeks for the remaining
monies, as the balance is payable upon delivery of the TAPU
to the land registry office, registered in new owners name and the
process takes this long.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Is
the property I buy Freehold?
Yes, all properties sold by Motif Homes are Freehold.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Do
I have to have a Residents permit to rent, purchase land or property
in Turkey??
No, the amazing thing is that you can buy a house but not a car
without a residents permit. If, however at a later date you want
to buy a car or have a telephone connected then you will need this.
An initial tourist visa is valid for 3 months and allows you to
come and go, as you want within those three months. Within this
time if you re-visit you do not need to pay for the tourist visa
once again. Prior to the end of these 3 months an application can
be made to the Police in Manavgat or direct to Antalya for another
3 months. This is usually approved. Alternatively you can leave
the country and travel to a Greek island by boat for a day trip
and your passport will be stamped for another 3 months. You can
then apply for a resident’s permit, which can be valid for 6 or
12 months. You must show proof of 1$100 per month in the bank for
every month of the permit you want issued e.g. 12 months= $1,200.
A 5 years residents permit can be applied for from the Turkish Consulate
in London at the cost of 1.800 Euros and more recently (June 2004)
visitors using a 3 months tourist visa have upon application at
the end of the 3 months been readily granted a 1 year Residents
permit from the Manavgat office. (With bank statement as proof of
monies in the bank). Another alternative would be to apply for the
yearly visa, again though the Turkish Consulate in London.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
What has to be checked prior to the purchase?
These are checks, which we carry out on your behalf. Each property
that we sell has had the existing TAPU
checked to confirm the following by a solicitor through the Land
Registry office.
- The seller has the legal right to sell the property and that
they have the TAPU
(TittleDeed)
- That the property is legally available for sale.
- That the property is within an area available for foreign purchase.
- That there are no outstanding rental, lease agreements or mortgages
on the property.
If you are not buying a property from us you should
never buy without having the TAPU
checked by a solicitor who explains the full implications of it
to you. Many of the horror stories you hear are true and usually
only happen when a property is purchased without an agent and a
solicitor being involved and explaining the TAPU
to the purchaser.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
How long does the buying process take?
Where the owner of the property is already a foreigner and the checks
and searches have already been carried out the whole procedure takes
only a few weeks. However in normal circumstances from the time
you pay your deposit until the Title Deeds (TAPU)
arrival at the local Land Registration office it takes between 8-12
weeks.
We can in fact complete the purchase documentation,
the signing of the contracts at the Solicitor, a copy of the purchase
contract and the obtaining of the Power of Attorney within a couple
of hours of seeing a property that you wish to purchase. The documents
which include the existing TAPU
are then delivered to the Land Registry office in Izmir for control
and here they stay until all checks are made and then upon their
return we will contact you, usually 8-12 weeks later.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
On top of the purchase price, are there any extra taxes or fees
payable?
Yes, There are some extra costs.
- A 3% of the property value tax. This is a once off payment and
it is due for payment once the TAPU
is received. Please ask for more details.
- The solicitor’s fee starts from £200.00 pounds and is
charged as a percentage of the total house land price and dose
not purchase, includ any modernization/ renovation work. This
covers a meeting with him, the preparation and signing of contracts
and his services throughout the purchase. Please be prepared with
your passport and 8 photos for your meeting with him. He will
also accompany you to the Notary's (Commissioner of Oath’s) office
as your official translator.
- An approximate 100 million Notaries Charge for giving us the
Power of Attorney to handle the documents relating to the property
in your absence.
- A 3% agency fee that covers all our charges. This is payable
at the time that the contract is made, together with the initial
deposit payment on the property
- It is compulsory to have earthquake insurance and we recommend
you take out Full insurance home and contents cover as soon as
the house is registered in your name.(the cost of this varies
depending on the value of the property, it's contents for the
number of months it will be occupied.)
- Earthquake tax and insurance (compulsory). We recommend you
take out full insurance with home and contents cover as soon as
the house is registered in your name. The cost will vary dependiing
on the property value, it's contents and the number of months
that it will be occupied. Approximately £150
- The connection of Water and Electricity into your name so the
bills will come directly to your house. Does not apply to some
sites.
This is an idea of costs for the purchase of a
property of £50,000
|
Property price |
£50,000 |
|
Tax @ 3% |
£1,500 |
|
Solicitor |
£500 |
|
Notary's fee |
£110 |
|
Agency Fee @ 3% |
£1,500 |
|
Full insurance
(incl. earthquake cover) |
£150 |
|
Utility
Connections |
£180 |
|
|
TOTAL |
£53,940 |
Once you have received your TAPU
there are some other charges, which need to be paid. We estimate
annual costs per property to be as follows:
|
Electricity |
£120 |
|
Water / Sewage |
£50 |
|
Gas |
£25 |
|
Rubbish removal |
£10 |
|
Site maintenance |
£200 |
|
DigiTurk Satelite TV |
£150 |
|
Council tax |
£15 |
|
|
TOTAL |
£570 |
It is not necessary to pay anyone to pay bills.
Electric can be paid by automatic standing order once you have a
bank account. (We can advise you how to do this) Water bills are
intermittent and likewise your council tax can be paid when you
visit annually.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Once I have seen a property I want buy, how do I go ahead with the
purchase?
You will need to have your passport with you during the following
transactions. Once you have seen a property that you would like
to purchase you will need to find the deposit. This is payable by
cash or credit card – Personal cheques are not accepted by banks
here in Turkey. An initial payment of 10-20% of the property price
is required. The exact figure will be confirmed individually with
the house owner at the time of purchase. When this is paid a receipt
is given.the amound received is written into the contract.
Photographs are also required; we can take these
at photographers who are located near the solicitor’s office (approx
£4 for 8 photos).
We will then, as soon as possible, take you to
the Solicitor in Manavgat who will prepare the purchase contact.
He is there to help you. You are paying for his services so please
use this time to ask any questions you may have. From the solicitors
we go together to the Notary’s office (similar to Notary public
in the UK) to sign a document giving us power of Attorney for the
property, not for money. This enables us to continue with obtaining
the Title Deeds in your absence. Then we return to the solicitors
office, where the sale contract showing the property address and
payment details will be signed by you the purchaser(s) and ourselves.
The initial stage has been completed and you do
not need to be present for any more of the purchase transaction.
You will take the original contract, copy of the power of Attorney
and a letter from us confirming all details with you back to your
home with you. The same day or the next day your papers are forwarded
to the Land Registry office for all documentation relating to the
purchase is then forwarded to the Land Registration office in Izmir.
Here everything is checked and then the title deeds (TAPU)
are re-issued in the new owners name and forwarded back to the local
Land Registration office who, in turn contact us. We will normally
advise you of this initially by telephone and E-mail. At this time
we will need you to pay the final balance plus the 3% property tax.
Upon receipt of this we can then sign for and collect your TAPU
from the Land Registration office on your behalf and this will then
be held in the office pending your next visit and collection.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
If
my property needs renovation or other work how does this affect
the process?
Some people prefer to wait until the TAPU
arrives to show official ownership before any work starts. Costs
will be confirmed in writing and normally 50% must be paid prior
to the start of work and the remaining 50% upon completion.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
How
can the payment be made for the purchase of a property?
Initially a deposit of 10-20% of the agreed purchase price is required
in order for the purchase to go ahead. If this much can not be paid
whilst in Turkey an available amount can be paid and an option given
on the property pending receipt of the remaining monies upon your
return to your home. Money can be sent by "money order" from any
Thomas Cook branch, which guarantees arrival within 24 hours. Alternatively
an emergency bank transfer or Money Gram by Western Union can be
made and this can take between 3 and 5 days to reach us. Upon arrival
of the TAPU
back from Izmir the balance payment and tax are due, these can be
Bank Transfer. There is no need for you to return to Turkey, at
this time unless you wish.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Can
the property be re-sold and, if so, can the proceeds be taken out
of the country?
The sale of the property is unrestricted and yes, the proceeds of
the sale can be taken out of Turkey.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Do
normal inheritance rules apply to the property?
The Turks cannot do what they want with their property when they
die. International rules apply. As a European you can dispose of
your property in whatever way your natural law allows, but
you must make a will to make this happen. If you don't make a Turkish
will your English will is treated as valid in Turkey and used to
distribute your estate. This will and any other should be modified
to accomodate a will made in Turkey.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Can
I import my furniture or car into Turkey with me?
Yes, you can import all household goods but, the expenses are so
high for transportation, tax and bonds that we recommend buying
new in Turkey.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
What
proof should I have that my purchase is complete?
The "TAPU"
certificate is your proof that the property is in your name at the
property record office.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
Should
I insure my property?
Insurance against the risk of earthquake is compulsory but relatively
inexpensive as the main earthquake zone is some distance from the
region of Side. It is both possible and recommended that you take
out a multi-risk household insurance policy. The good news is that
having now been awarded an Aviva
insurance company contract - the world's 6th largest insurance company
and the biggest in the UK - our dedicated insurance sales staff
(English speaking) can advise you and issue your policy. The main
advantage of dealing with Aviva is that the documents are in English
and you have the peace of mind that the company has a UK base and
an English website.
BACK TO QUESTIONS
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