Buying Property in Türkiye as a Foreigner: Complete 2026 Guide

Ekaterina Orlova · Founder & CEO, Palma Realty World · Updated: September 2026

Yes. Foreign citizens can purchase residential and commercial property in Türkiye, subject to certain legal restrictions.
In most cases, foreign buyers can acquire property directly in their own name and receive a Turkish title deed (Tapu).
However, before proceeding with a purchase, it is important to check whether any restrictions apply to the buyer’s nationality, the location of the property or the specific property itself.
For this reason, I recommend verifying the legal status of the property before making substantial payments or entering into binding commitments.

Before looking at individual properties, I recommend answering one fundamental question: why are you buying property in Türkiye?
The criteria will be very different depending on whether the property is intended for:
• permanent or seasonal residence;
• investment and capital preservation;
• rental income;
• future resale;
• obtaining Turkish citizenship.
A property that works well for one objective may be unsuitable for another.
This is why I normally start with the buyer’s objectives, budget and expected holding period, and only then move on to specific locations and properties.

This is particularly important in Istanbul, where the investment potential of two seemingly similar properties can differ significantly depending on their location.
I look not only at the residential development itself, but also at the surrounding area: transport connections, infrastructure, existing and future development, rental demand, competing supply and potential resale liquidity.
There is no single list of the “best” districts in Istanbul for every buyer. The right location depends on what the property is expected to achieve.

Once a suitable property has been identified, the next step is due diligence.
Before proceeding with the transaction, it is important to verify the ownership information in the Tapu records and check whether there are any mortgages, attachments, restrictions or other legal issues that could affect the purchase.
For new-build or off-plan properties, additional attention should be paid to the legal status of the development, the developer’s documentation and the terms of the purchase agreement.
A visually attractive property or a well-known development is not, by itself, sufficient reason to proceed with a purchase. The buyer should understand exactly what is being acquired and whether the property is legally suitable for the intended transaction.

Once the property has been selected and the initial checks have been completed, the price and transaction terms should be agreed with the seller or developer.
At this stage, I pay attention not only to the advertised price, but to the final cost of acquisition.
Discounts and instalment plans can be attractive, but they should always be evaluated in the context of the market. For example, when a developer offers a long payment plan, it is useful to compare the final price with the price of an equivalent property purchased with full payment.
The same applies to large advertised discounts: what matters is not the percentage shown in the offer, but whether the final purchase price is reasonable compared with comparable properties.
All important commercial terms - including the price, payment schedule, completion conditions and what is included in the purchase - should be clearly established before substantial payments are made.

The exact documentation required depends on the buyer, the property and the structure of the transaction.
A foreign buyer will generally need a valid passport and a Turkish tax identification number. Depending on the transaction, additional documents, translations or notarised documents may also be required.
If the buyer does not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter may be required during the official title deed procedure.
When a transaction is carried out through a power of attorney, the power of attorney must also meet the applicable Turkish requirements.
I recommend confirming the required documents for the specific transaction in advance rather than relying on a generic checklist, particularly when the buyer is completing the purchase from abroad.

The payment structure should be agreed before the transaction proceeds.
Depending on the property and the seller, payments may be made in one instalment or according to an agreed payment schedule.
For international buyers, it is particularly important to plan in advance how the funds will be transferred to Türkiye and to make sure that the payment process complies with the requirements applicable to the transaction.
Payment records and bank documentation should be retained, especially when the purchase is connected with an application for Turkish citizenship.
I recommend coordinating the payment procedure before transferring substantial funds rather than resolving banking and documentation issues at the final stage of the transaction.

The purchase is formally completed through the transfer of the title deed (Tapu) at the relevant Land Registry Office.
During the title deed procedure, the parties complete the required formalities and the property is registered in the buyer’s name.
Foreign buyers who do not speak Turkish may need to participate with a sworn interpreter.
Once the transfer has been completed, the buyer becomes the registered owner of the property.
The Tapu is therefore one of the most important documents in the transaction, but the legal and financial checks should take place before the title deed transfer, not after it.

A formal property valuation report is not required for every ordinary property purchase by a foreign buyer in Türkiye.
However, valuation requirements may apply in certain transactions, most notably when property is being acquired for the purpose of obtaining Turkish citizenship.
It is also important to distinguish between a formal valuation report and an assessment of whether the asking price makes sense in the current market.
In my work with buyers, I place considerable emphasis on analysing the actual market position of a property — comparing its price with relevant alternatives and considering its location, characteristics, future demand and resale potential.
A valuation figure alone should not replace a broader assessment of whether a property represents a sensible purchase for the individual buyer.

If the purpose of the purchase is to obtain Turkish citizenship through real estate investment, this should be established before the property search begins.
Under the current rules, a foreign investor may qualify for Turkish citizenship by purchasing eligible real estate with a value of at least USD 400,000, subject to the applicable legal requirements and a commitment not to sell the qualifying property for three years.
However, an advertised purchase price above USD 400,000 does not automatically mean that a property or transaction will qualify.
The property, valuation, payment documentation and transaction structure must satisfy the requirements of the citizenship procedure.
For this reason, I prefer to structure citizenship-related purchases correctly from the beginning rather than trying to adapt an already selected property after payments have been made.

Receiving the Tapu completes the property transaction, but for an international buyer it is often the beginning of another stage.
Depending on the property and the buyer’s circumstances, post-purchase matters may include utilities, insurance, furnishing, renovation, property management, rental arrangements and eventually resale.
This is particularly important for owners who do not live in Türkiye permanently and need someone locally who understands both the property and the history of the transaction.
Receiving the Tapu completes the transaction, but it does not complete my work with the client.

In my experience, many problems can be avoided by making the right decisions before the transaction begins.
Some of the most common mistakes include:
• choosing a property before clearly defining the purpose of the purchase;
• focusing on the development while paying insufficient attention to the location;
• making substantial payments before completing the necessary checks;
• assuming that a large advertised discount automatically means a good investment;
• evaluating an instalment plan without comparing the final purchase price with the market;
• considering rental income without thinking about future resale liquidity;
• selecting a property for Turkish citizenship before checking whether the transaction can satisfy the applicable requirements;
• treating the Tapu transfer as the only important stage of the purchase.
A successful property purchase is not simply about finding an attractive apartment. It is about making sure that the property, price, legal structure and long-term prospects all make sense for the individual buyer.

My work normally begins before individual properties are selected.
I first establish the client’s objective, budget and priorities. Based on this, I identify suitable locations and properties, compare the available options and help the client understand the advantages and limitations of each one.
I personally remain involved throughout the process — from property selection and negotiations to the transaction itself and post-purchase matters.
Palma Realty World is a boutique real estate agency, and I deliberately work with clients on a personal basis rather than passing them between different departments at different stages of the transaction.
For international buyers, this continuity is particularly important because purchasing property in another country involves much more than choosing the property itself.

Founder & CEO, Palma Realty World
Ekaterina Orlova has lived and worked in Türkiye for more than 20 years and specialises in assisting international property buyers, including clients purchasing real estate for lifestyle, investment and Turkish citizenship.
She is a graduate of the Institute of Asian and African Studies at Lomonosov Moscow State University and holds the professional qualification Sorumlu Emlak Danışmanı (Seviye 5).