The purchase and sale transaction of apartments in Turkey consists of several successive stages. One of the most important steps — This is the preparation of a formal agreement to confirm the seriousness of your intentions, transfer of collateral and fix all the conditions for the acquisition of real estate.
A contract for the sale and purchase of an apartment in Turkey is drawn up in accordance with the general provisions of Turkish law and imposes certain legal consequences on the parties to the transaction. Read about this and much more in our expert publication.
Content of the article:
- Turkish legislation on contracts for the sale and purchase of real estate
- Preparation for concluding a contract
- Contents of the purchase and sale agreement
- Legal consequences of the concluded agreement
Turkish legislation on contracts for the sale and purchase of real estate
Real estate purchase agreement — This is an agreement between the seller and the buyer. Under the terms of the contract, the buyer undertakes to pay the seller a fixed amount in exchange for re-registration of ownership in his name.
When drawing up the document, the provisions of the Civil Code of the Republic of Turkey and the law on real estate registration are taken into account. If legal standards are not followed, the contract will be considered legally invalid. Therefore, it is very important to approach the preparation of the contract as responsibly as possible and familiarize yourself with Turkish legislation.
Consider the main rules:
- In accordance with Article 213 Turkish Civil Code, a contract for the purchase of an apartment in Turkey is valid if it is drawn up and certified as required by law.
- According to Article 26 Law No. 2644 “On state registration of ownership of real estate and transactions with it” (original name “Tapu Kanunu”), agreements on the transfer of ownership of real estate, as well as other rights (such as transfer on security or in mortgage, for temporary or permanent use) are legal if they were registered in the Cadastral Chamber («Tapu Sicil Müdürlüğ»). That is, this is the only possible legal option for the lawful sale and purchase of real estate.
- Articles No. 60, 89 Law No. 1512 “On Notaries” determines the type of real estate transaction. Thus, the contract contains information about the conditions that both parties must fulfill. That is, the intention to transfer ownership of property from the seller to the buyer. In turn, according to the terms of the contract, the buyer, by signing the document, officially confirms his desire to buy the apartment.
- A contract for the sale and purchase of real estate in Turkey receives legal force only if it has been certified by a notary. A well-drafted document that takes into account all the conditions of sale and purchase, provides information about the apartments, — the key to a successful transaction.
- It is important to know that when concluding an agreement, the seller’s presence of TAPU is not mandatory. Example — participation in shared construction. The developer and the owner of the land plot enter into a construction contract, under the terms of which the customer of the work (land owner) has the opportunity to pay with finished apartments in the residential complex. All conditions are specified in the schedule of contract work and mutual settlements. Thus, in order to attract third-party investments, a developer can enter into notarial contracts with investors without yet having ownership rights to these objects. For foreign citizens, this is one of the easiest ways to purchase Turkish housing at affordable prices.
- An agreement for the acquisition of real estate can be concluded between the parties to the transaction or their attorneys under a notarized power of attorney. If the seller does not yet have ownership rights, the contract is registered only in his presence.
- After registration with the Cadastral Directorate (TKGM), according to paragraph 2 of Article 1009 of the Civil Code of the Republic of Turkey, fulfillment of obligations under the contract can be demanded even from third parties who will subsequently become owners of the property. This is additional insurance for the investor if he pays in the form of an advance payment.
- If the terms of the contract have not been fulfilled within five years from the date of its registration with the Cadastral Department, the document will be deleted from the electronic database.
Year of construction 2024, apartment 1+1, area 55 m², 1 floor, to the sea 3000 m, to the center 2500 m, Oba district.
1+1
55 m²
9953
Year of construction 2024, apartment 1+1, area 47 m², 2nd floor, 800 m to the sea, 650 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
1+1
47 m²
9952
Year of construction 2007, apartment 3+1, area 180 m², 2nd floor, 500 m to the sea, 200 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
3+1
180 m²
9951
Year of construction 2023, studio 1+0, area 33 m², 5th floor, 1500 m to the sea, 1250 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
1+0
33 m²
9949
Year of construction 2008, apartment 2+1, area 125 m², 7th floor, 250 m to the sea, 100 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
2+1
125 m²
9948
Year of construction 2023, furnished apartment 1+1, area 50 m², 2nd floor, 0 m to the sea, 100 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
1+1
50 m²
9947
Year of construction 2013, apartment 1+1, 60 m², on the 1st floor, distance to the sea - 150 m, to the center - 350 m, Mahmutlar district.
1+1
60 m²
9946
Villa type building 2008, duplex 3+1, 180 m², with terrace and sea view, Kargicak area, 2300 m to the sea, 2000 m to the center.
3+1, Duplex, Penthouse
180 m²
9945
Residential complex of 2016, duplex 3+1, distance to the sea 1500 meters and to the center 500 meters, Oba district.
3+1
155 m²
9944
Residential complex of 2022, apartment 2+1, distance to the sea 3500 meters and to the center 2500 meters, Oba area. There is a transfer to the sea
2+1
80 m²
9943
Residential complex built in 2007, apartment 2+1, distance to the sea 500 meters and to the center 250 meters, Mahmutlar district.
2+1
120 m²
9942
Residential complex of 2008, apartment 2+1, distance to the sea 2300 meters and to the center 2000 meters, Kargicak district.
2+1
90 m²
9941
Residential complex 2023, apartment 1+1, distance to the sea 2000 meters and to the center 1500 meters, Avsallar district.
1+1
55 m²
9940
Turkler, apartment 1+1, area 81 m², unfurnished, 2nd floor, built in 2025, 300 m to the sea, 500 m to the center.
1+1
81 m²
9939
Residential complex of 2018, apartment 2+1, distance to the sea 250 meters and to the center 100 meters, Tosmur district. There is a possibility of obtaining a residence permit.
2+1
100 m²
9938
Residential complex of 2005, apartment 1+1, distance to the sea 700 meters and to the center 500 meters, Oba district.
1+1
78 m²
9937
Furnished one bedroom apartment with balcony, stylish interior, located in a residential complex in Mahmutlar.
1+1
55 m²
9936
One bedroom apartment with balcony, sea view and well-thought-out layout, located in a modern complex in Kargicak.
1+1
55 m²
9935
Residential complex 2023, duplex 3+1, 700 meters to the sea and 500 meters to the center, Kargicak area. Unfurnished
3+1, Duplex, Penthouse
145 m²
9934
Residential complex 2016, apartment 1+1, distance to the sea 200 meters and to the center 450 meters, Alanya.
1+1
41 m²
9933
Important! Any other form of contract for the purchase or sale of real estate is legally void from the moment it is entered into. In particular, we are talking about oral agreements, documents drawn up in a simple form, certified only by a notary and/or translator, as well as any other organization or person. Such legally void agreements are invalid for all aspects related to the purchase and sale of real estate, including the terms of the transaction and penalties. That is, in this case, only voluntary, but not forced, fulfillment of the terms of the contract is possible (with the exception of the return of the amount already paid).
Preparation for concluding a contract
The first thing that interests an investor after he has decided on the choice of an object is — what documents are needed to buy an apartment in Turkey. In order to conclude a contract, the buyer only needs an international passport and a deposit amounting to 5–10% of the total cost of the property.
With regard to preparation for concluding an agreement, the parties should agree on the amount and method of payment, rights and obligations, penalties in case of failure to comply with the terms of the agreement.
At the time of signing the contract, the buyer makes a deposit. Thus, he confirms the seriousness of his intentions and is guaranteed to become the only contender for the property under the contract.
In most cases, the contract for the purchase of property in Turkey is tripartite. The third party is a real estate company that performs intermediary functions. This form of cooperation is the most acceptable for both parties to the transaction, since the agency protects the rights of the investor and the seller, undertakes to check the legal purity of documents and facilitates the receipt of all documentation for the transfer of ownership of housing.
Contents of the purchase and sale agreement
Standard information, the presence of which is mandatory in any purchase and sale agreement:
- Passport details of the seller and buyer.
- All information about real estate, including the number and purpose of premises, floor, building characteristics, construction date or completion date of construction work and issuance of a technical certificate (if purchased in a new building) and other data.
- Cost and method of transferring payment to the seller.
- Obligations and rights of the parties.
- Fines in case of failure to comply with the terms of the contract.
- Legislative norms.
Legal consequences of the concluded agreement
According to the laws of Turkey, the following legal consequences apply to the concluded contract for the purchase of real estate:
- Ownership is not transferred to the buyer.
- A correctly concluded contract guarantees the buyer the right to insist on the transfer of ownership by the seller.
- If the owner has not transferred ownership, the apartment can be re-registered in the name of the buyer by court decision.
- Design TAPU in Turkey or Turkish title is handled by the only government agency — Cadastral Chamber
- The future owner, even having a concluded contract in hand, does not have the right to evict tenants or other persons from the property being sold. Only the owner has the right to do this.
Year of construction 2024, apartment 1+1, area 55 m², 1 floor, to the sea 3000 m, to the center 2500 m, Oba district.
1+1
55 m²
9953
Year of construction 2024, apartment 1+1, area 47 m², 2nd floor, 800 m to the sea, 650 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
1+1
47 m²
9952
Year of construction 2007, apartment 3+1, area 180 m², 2nd floor, 500 m to the sea, 200 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
3+1
180 m²
9951
Year of construction 2023, studio 1+0, area 33 m², 5th floor, 1500 m to the sea, 1250 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
1+0
33 m²
9949
Year of construction 2008, apartment 2+1, area 125 m², 7th floor, 250 m to the sea, 100 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
2+1
125 m²
9948
Year of construction 2023, furnished apartment 1+1, area 50 m², 2nd floor, 0 m to the sea, 100 m to the center, Mahmutlar district.
1+1
50 m²
9947
Year of construction 2013, apartment 1+1, 60 m², on the 1st floor, distance to the sea - 150 m, to the center - 350 m, Mahmutlar district.
1+1
60 m²
9946
Villa type building 2008, duplex 3+1, 180 m², with terrace and sea view, Kargicak area, 2300 m to the sea, 2000 m to the center.
3+1, Duplex, Penthouse
180 m²
9945
Residential complex of 2016, duplex 3+1, distance to the sea 1500 meters and to the center 500 meters, Oba district.
3+1
155 m²
9944
Residential complex of 2022, apartment 2+1, distance to the sea 3500 meters and to the center 2500 meters, Oba area. There is a transfer to the sea
2+1
80 m²
9943
Residential complex built in 2007, apartment 2+1, distance to the sea 500 meters and to the center 250 meters, Mahmutlar district.
2+1
120 m²
9942
Residential complex of 2008, apartment 2+1, distance to the sea 2300 meters and to the center 2000 meters, Kargicak district.
2+1
90 m²
9941
Residential complex 2023, apartment 1+1, distance to the sea 2000 meters and to the center 1500 meters, Avsallar district.
1+1
55 m²
9940
Turkler, apartment 1+1, area 81 m², unfurnished, 2nd floor, built in 2025, 300 m to the sea, 500 m to the center.
1+1
81 m²
9939
Residential complex of 2018, apartment 2+1, distance to the sea 250 meters and to the center 100 meters, Tosmur district. There is a possibility of obtaining a residence permit.
2+1
100 m²
9938
Residential complex of 2005, apartment 1+1, distance to the sea 700 meters and to the center 500 meters, Oba district.
1+1
78 m²
9937
Furnished one bedroom apartment with balcony, stylish interior, located in a residential complex in Mahmutlar.
1+1
55 m²
9936
One bedroom apartment with balcony, sea view and well-thought-out layout, located in a modern complex in Kargicak.
1+1
55 m²
9935
Residential complex 2023, duplex 3+1, 700 meters to the sea and 500 meters to the center, Kargicak area. Unfurnished
3+1, Duplex, Penthouse
145 m²
9934
Residential complex 2016, apartment 1+1, distance to the sea 200 meters and to the center 450 meters, Alanya.
1+1
41 m²
9933
These materials have been prepared for informational purposes and are not of a commercial nature.
Point Property — is a certified real estate agency that specializes in providing a full range of real estate services for residential and commercial real estate transactions in Turkey. Our company takes care of all the organizational aspects of a real estate transaction: searching for an object, organizing a sightseeing tour, assistance in collecting documents and checking the legal purity of documentation, support in re-registration of ownership. In addition, we provide our customers with a wide range of after-sales services.
