How do foreign owners sell property in Turkey?
A foreign owner sells through the competent Tapu Müdürlüğü after preparing the current title record, authority documents, SPK-authorised valuation where required, contract and tax analysis. Prepare the file before accepting a deposit or setting completion.
The parcel can have an ipotek (mortgage), haciz (attachment), şerh (notice or restriction), co-owner, inherited share, unpaid balance or permit issue affecting completion. The property lawyer service explains review before transfer.
Confirm current Tapu, tax and banking requirements for the transaction.
What should a seller check before listing the property?
Confirm ownership and authority
Obtain the current Tapu record and compare it with identity, independent unit and property shown to the buyer. Check owners, shares, property type and annotations; a company, representative, co-owner or heir must prove authority.
If inherited, do not assume a foreign probate document or old family agreement is enough for a Turkish transfer. Resolve the succession position and land-registry record before marketing or taking a deposit. The inheritance in Turkey guide explains why heirs need a clear title route.
Check construction, use and outstanding amounts
Gather the building licence, approved project, iskan or partial-use document, municipal, site, utility and property-tax records. A title deed alone does not establish habitation permission or authorise every physical alteration.
Request current balances where needed. The contract should state who clears debt, obtains documents, pays expenses and delivers possession.
Plan the sale price and evidence
TKGM’s FAQ requires a valuation report where a foreign national is party to a sale. An SPK-authorised property valuation company must prepare it.
The report covers value; it does not establish unencumbered title, permitted construction, paid debts or seller authority. Keep it with Tapu, contract, payment and tax records.
What is the step-by-step procedure for selling Turkish property?
1. Assemble the transaction documents
Start with current Tapu, identity, ownership or succession papers, permit and iskan file, valuation, bank and tax records, and any power of attorney. Ask the competent Tapu Müdürlüğü for its current list.
If abroad, decide early whether the seller attends or appoints a representative. An outdated or broad power of attorney can leave price, signing and funds authority unclear.
2. Obtain the SPK valuation report
Order the report from an SPK-authorised company. Check the correct parcel and unit, and keep the final report for the application; an agent’s price opinion is not a substitute.
3. Review and sign the sale contract
The contract should identify parties, property, price, currency, deposit, payment stages, completion, possession, fixtures, debts, fees, default and cancellation, including what happens if valuation or clearance is incomplete.
A buyer’s deposit is not a reason to skip title or tax checks. Preserve payment proof and ensure the bank recipient, payment reference and contract clause match. If a representative signs, check the authority before accepting the document.
4. Complete the Tapu transfer
The Tapu office applies its current procedure and schedules parties or representatives. The file should identify who pays the balance, receives the deed, takes possession and delivers clearance documents.
After the transaction is recorded, collect the final Tapu information and payment receipts. A signed private contract, receipt or valuation report does not prove that registered ownership has changed.
5. Close utilities, records and tax work
Arrange meter readings, utilities, site notifications, keys and handover documents. Preserve transfer, valuation, contract, receipt and clearance evidence, and ask how municipal property-tax records should be updated.
A seller who rented the property should reconcile income and expenses through the completion date and obtain current tax advice. Moving the proceeds, declaring income and meeting home-country obligations are separate from registering the Tapu transfer.
How does capital-gains tax work when selling property in Turkey?
For an individual, a qualifying residence sale generally falls within the Income Tax Law capital-gains regime if sold within five years of acquisition. A sale after five years is not automatically exempt.
Calculate the result from the acquisition date and evidence, cost indexation, annual exemption, seller’s resident or non-resident position, commercial activity and any other applicable rule. Check current GİB guidance and the relevant year’s rules before setting the sale price or treating an estimated gain as final.
Rental income is a separate category. The Revenue Administration’s foreigner guidance describes income from leasing qualifying properties and rights as immovable-property income; declaration, withholding, exemptions and annual thresholds depend on the applicable rules. The property taxes in Turkey guide provides related context; use the relevant tax-year rules, not old annual figures.
Assemble purchase documents, improvement evidence, prior tax records, valuation, sale contract and expense receipts. If records are missing or the property was inherited, the tax calculation may require reconstruction and professional tax advice alongside legal advice.
What does selling property cost in Turkey?
Law No. 492 and TKGM guidance state a 2% title-deed fee for the buyer and a separate 2% fee for the seller, calculated on the declared transfer and acquisition value but not below the property-tax value. The combined statutory rate is therefore 4%. The contract may state that one party will bear the other’s economic cost, but confirm the official assessment.
| Sale item | Position under current rules |
|---|---|
| Seller’s title-deed fee | 2% of the declared transfer and acquisition value, subject to the property-tax-value floor |
| Buyer’s title-deed fee | 2% on the same statutory basis; 4% combined before other expenses |
| Foreign-party valuation | Required under TKGM’s FAQ; the fee is set by the SPK-authorised valuation company, so ask for a quote |
| Capital-gains tax | Depends on the property, acquisition, calculation, seller and current tax-year rules; do not use an old threshold or calculator as a final figure |
| Power of attorney, translation, notary, banking and clearance costs | Vary with the document and transaction; confirm current provider amounts |
Legal fees are separate from title-deed fees, valuation and tax. A defined scope should state whether the work covers title checks, contract review, valuation coordination, Tapu representation, power-of-attorney review, post-sale records or a tax referral.
Can a foreign owner sell from abroad using a power of attorney?
A seller abroad may use a representative in Turkey under a power of attorney prepared for the actual transaction, not copied from a generic form. It should identify the owner, property, permitted acts, signing limits, sale conditions, receipt or transfer of funds and delivery of final documents.
The issuing route can involve a Turkish consulate, foreign notary or another process accepted by Turkish authorities. Translation, certification, apostille and notary requirements depend on the country, document and receiving authority. Turkey is a party to the 1961 Hague Apostille Convention, but an individual document can use an apostille only where the issuing country, document type and receiving authority permit it.
Before signing, confirm the current form with the relevant consulate, notary and Tapu Müdürlüğü. Check expiry, revocation, conflicting powers and whether the representative can complete every required act. The power of attorney in Turkey guide covers the wider cross-border document process.
A power of attorney does not remove the need for the owner’s title, valuation, tax, contract and bank checks. It also does not let the representative change instructions outside the authority granted.
How are inherited Turkish properties sold?
Inherited-property sales need a clear chain from the deceased owner to the people who may sign. Confirm succession documents, identify all heirs and shares, update or verify the Turkish land-registry record and resolve any foreign-document or court requirement before accepting a buyer’s money.
If one heir is abroad, a properly prepared power of attorney can be considered after the heir’s entitlement and authority are established. If a co-owner will not sign, the matter is not an ordinary consensual sale and may require separate advice. The inheritance and wills service addresses succession planning or a contested estate; review the individual title before signing.
Tax treatment can also differ where the property was inherited, improvements were made, or the acquisition date and cost evidence are unclear. Keep foreign death, succession, translation, valuation and registration documents together and obtain current tax advice before calculating a gain.
How long does a property sale take?
Timing follows the title record, ownership authority, valuation, contract, tax work, power of attorney, debt clearances and Tapu appointment. A seller abroad may need additional document preparation; an inherited or annotated title can require a separate route.
| Stage | Timing dependency | What the seller should do |
|---|---|---|
| Title and authority review | Current Tapu, owners, shares and annotations | Resolve missing authority or clearance before taking a binding deposit |
| Valuation | SPK-authorised provider and correct parcel information | Order the foreign-party report early enough for the intended application |
| Tax analysis | Acquisition history, evidence, seller status and current tax year | Obtain a current calculation before fixing the net-proceeds expectation |
| Contract and payment | Agreed conditions, currency, deposit and balance | Record what happens if documents or funds are late |
| Tapu appointment and registration | Competent office, accepted documents and appointment availability | Confirm the current office instructions and collect final registration evidence |
| Proceeds and handover | Bank compliance, utilities, keys and possession terms | Preserve the transfer, bank and handover file |
Use the table as dependencies, not guarantees. Test a fast proposed completion date against valuation, tax, authority and land-registry documents.
What should a Fethiye seller know about local offices?
Public map listings place Fethiye’s Tapu and Kadastro offices around 677 Sk. No:10A and 678 Sk., but those listings are not an official, permanent TKGM address source. Verify the competent unit, current entrance and appointment instructions with TKGM or WebTapu before travelling; the parcel, rather than the seller’s preferred town, determines the competent land-registry office.
Fethiye Courthouse’s main building is officially listed at Akarca Mah. Mustafa Kemal Bulvarı No:210, Fethiye/Muğla. A disagreement over a contract, co-ownership, debt or possession may involve a particular court or required pre-court procedure; the building address alone does not establish jurisdiction. Preserve the file and seek advice before responding to a formal notice.
Selling property can also affect a holiday-rental operation, tenancy, inheritance or residence position. Check the relevant Turkish rules before promising a buyer vacant possession or transferring a business arrangement. A local property-law review can connect the Tapu transfer with those separate issues.
What should a seller do before accepting a deposit?
- Obtain the current Tapu record and verify every owner, share and annotation.
- Check power to sell, including succession, company authority and representatives.
- Gather the building permit, approved project, iskan, debts, site records and utilities.
- Arrange the required SPK-authorised valuation report for a foreign-party sale.
- Obtain current capital-gains and rental-income analysis; do not rely on an old figure.
- Review a contract that sets price, currency, deposit, payment, possession, fees and default terms.
- Confirm whether the seller attends or uses a power of attorney, and validate its form.
- Confirm the Tapu office’s current document list and appointment process.
- Keep the registered transfer, receipts, bank evidence and handover documents.
Av. Yanatma advises foreign owners in English and Turkish on Turkish property records, sale contracts, valuation coordination, Tapu completion, powers of attorney and related issues. The property-law service explains the hiring route. For a defined sale or inherited-title question, use the contact page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a valuation report to sell Turkish property as a foreigner?
TKGM’s FAQ requires a property valuation report where a foreign national is party to a property sale. An SPK-authorised property valuation company must prepare it. The report covers value; separately check ownership, mortgages, attachments, zoning, iskan, debts, contract terms and the seller’s authority to transfer the title.
Is there capital-gains tax when a Turkish property is sold?
A qualifying individual residence sale generally falls within the Turkish income-tax capital-gains regime when sold within five years of acquisition. A sale after five years is not automatically exempt. Assess cost indexation, exemptions, commercial activity, ownership history, residence status and tax-year rules under current GVK.
Who pays the title-deed fee on a Turkish sale?
The statutory title-deed fee is 2% for the buyer and 2% for the seller, calculated on the declared transfer and acquisition value but not below the property-tax value. The parties may agree who bears the economic cost; confirm the assessment and current tariff treatment with the Tapu office. This fee is separate from valuation, legal, banking and other expenses.
How can I sell my Turkish property while abroad?
A foreign owner who cannot attend may use a properly prepared power of attorney for a representative in Turkey. The document must be accepted in the required form and identify the property and authority. Before signing abroad, confirm current consulate, notary, translation, certification and Tapu requirements and use clear instructions to protect sale proceeds and final documents.
What documents should a foreign owner gather before a sale?
Start with the current Tapu record, identity or passport, acquisition documents, valuation report, bank details, tax records, utility and site-management information, iskan or permit records and any power of attorney. If the title has co-owners, an inheritance, an ipotek, haciz or şerh, collect the documents explaining authority and clearance. The competent Tapu office can confirm its current transaction list.
Can heirs sell a property inherited in Turkey?
First ensure that succession and the land-registry record identify the people entitled to sell. A property is not a sole-owner sale if the deceased remains on the Tapu or the heirs’ shares and authority are unresolved. Foreign heirs may need a court-based succession route. The inheritance guide explains the steps before a sale contract is signed.
How can sale proceeds be transferred outside Turkey?
Ask the receiving and sending banks for current identity, source-of-funds, currency, reporting and tax documents before completion. Keep the Tapu transfer record, contract, valuation, fee receipts, tax analysis and bank confirmations together. Transfer rules and home-country tax obligations can change; confirm current requirements and the tax position.
What happens to rental income when a Turkish property is sold?
Rental income is analysed separately from the disposal gain. Turkish Income Tax Law treats income from leasing qualifying property and rights as immovable-property income, with resident or non-resident status, withholding, exemptions and current annual declaration rules affecting the result. A seller should reconcile rent received up to completion and check the current GİB guidance for the relevant tax year.
Legislation and official sources
This guide is general information about Turkish law and procedure. It is not legal advice for your situation.