Top 5 Mistakes When Buying Real Estate in Turkey and How to Avoid Them

Ignoring Legal Due Diligence: Hidden Restrictions and Unavailable Properties

One of the key problems when buying real estate in Turkey is insufficient legal review of the transaction. In practice, this leads to serious consequences: from the inability to register ownership rights to the imposition of arrest or sale bans.

Main risks:

• absence of iskan — a document confirming registered ownership rights;
• arrests, mortgages, and inheritance disputes;
• bans on sales to foreigners in strategic zones.

Special attention should be paid to the status of the property. Often apartments are offered in complexes without completed registration procedures, where obtaining a tapu is impossible. Sometimes there are cases when a building is declared illegal or constructed without project documentation.

Verification is carried out at the Land Registry Office, as well as through a lawyer specializing in transactions involving foreigners. Without this part, any deal remains questionable.

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Incorrect Assessment of Infrastructure and Location: Buying a “Pretty Picture”

Choosing a district is often based on the external attractiveness of the property but without assessing infrastructure availability. This is especially relevant for cities with active development. In practice, an investor may buy housing in an area without schools, hospitals, public transport, or even roads.

Overestimation of profitability is also common. A district may look promising but have weak rental demand or low potential for price growth. For example, remote areas not included in tourist flows may show negative dynamics even with quality construction.

Particular caution should be exercised when buying in developing neighborhoods. Developers often promise future parks, shopping centers, and metro lines, but projects may be frozen or only partially implemented. Without confirmed information at the municipal planning level, relying on promises is unwise.

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Financial Unpreparedness and Ignoring Additional Expenses

The property price is only part of the total amount. Mistakes begin when the investor counts only on the contract price, ignoring mandatory expenses.

Main additional costs:

• purchase tax — 4% of the cadastral value;
• notary, translator, and Land Registry registration fees;
• property insurance payment (mandatory DASK);
• opening a bank account and document processing costs;
• ownership taxes — annual fees ranging from 0.1% to 0.6%.

Another important point is currency conversion. Foreign investors must transfer the transaction amount through an authorized Turkish bank and obtain confirmation (the Döviz Alım Belgesi document). Failure to comply invalidates the transaction.

Also important is a reserve for unforeseen expenses, such as fixing technical defects, furnishing, or remodeling. Lack of these reserves often delays registration or commissioning of the property.

A comprehensive approach to buying real estate is impossible without a deep understanding of the local market, legal norms, and transaction logistics. The karayaka.ru team helps foreign investors avoid mistakes by supporting them at every stage — from legal due diligence to ownership registration.