It is Legal
The current law states that foreigners may purchase or acquire real property via inheritance or other ways in Turkey provided that there is legal and actual reciprocity between Turkey and the country whose citizen intends to buy real property in Turkey.

Certain restrictions apply relating to the areas in which foreign buyers can purchase land or property and a simple guideline is that if a property is close to Turkish military land or bases permission will be denied.

The owners of all new build developments targeting overseas buyers can usually provide proof that apartments and villas for sale qualify for sale to foreign buyers and if in doubt make sure your solicitor checks out any property you’re interested in before you sign a contract to buy. The acquired property may be resold or rented out and the proceeds of the sale or the rental income may be transferred out of Turkey freely.

There is a limit on the total area of the purchase. As a general rule, foreign individuals may not purchase a real property in Turkey larger than 30 hectares.

Regarding solicitors, lawyers and legal representation it is quite essential that you appoint an independent local lawyer who speaks English to represent you. It’s unlikely you would buy a house in your home country without seeking the assistance of a lawyer so don’t be tempted to proceed in Turkey without the aid of legal representation.

Once you’ve found a property, made an offer and had that offer accepted verbally your lawyer will draw up a preliminary contract to purchase and upon signing this contract a deposit of between 4 and 10% will be required. This deposit is non-refundable if you withdraw from the sale, it is refundable if the vendor withdraws and it is refundable if a problem is discovered during the next stage.

Next Step
The next stage is when your lawyer begins his checks into the title of the property and conducts land registry searches. Your lawyer will be checking whether the vendor has the right to sell, whether the title is free of debts and outstanding claims and making sure that everything you’ve been told about the property is basically correct.

If all searches are satisfactorily completed you will move to the final stages of the buying process where either you (or your lawyer if you’ve given him power of attorney) and the vendor meet at the nearest Land Registry Office in Turkey to sign the final contract. The new title deeds (Tapu) are then applied for in your name and this process can take a few months. To receive them you or your lawyer must attend a public notary’s office and sign for them. When you get the deeds you have to pay all your taxes and charges. These can come to around 10% of the purchase price.

For more detailed information about the legal process for buying property in Turkey please visit Buying Property in Turkey.