A large share of the people buying homes in Antalya come from abroad. The process is less complicated than it looks, but starting it in the wrong order costs you days at the land registry with a missing document. Below is the process in the order a foreign buyer actually meets it.
First decide what you are buying for
Whether you are buying to invest, to live in, or to spend a few months of the year changes everything from the district to the complex. Answering this clearly at the start prevents most of the decisions people later regret.
- Buying to live: schools, hospitals and transport links matter most.
- Buying to invest: how quickly you find a tenant and off-season occupancy decide the outcome.
- Buying for holidays: whether the complex keeps its services running through the winter matters.
Tax number and bank account
Every foreigner buying property in Türkiye needs a tax identification number. You can get it from the tax office the same day with your passport, free of charge.
Opening an account at a Turkish bank alongside it makes everything easier. Paying through a bank documents the sale and produces the paperwork you will be asked for if you later apply for citizenship.
See the property in person
Do not decide remotely. Photographs and video give you an idea, but noise, ceiling height, the empty plot in front of the view and the neighbours only become clear on site. Ask for these when you visit:
- The title record — any mortgage, lien or annotation?
- The service charge and what it covers, in writing.
- The year the building was built and which earthquake code applied then.
- Any existing tenancy agreement and its end date.
The valuation report
A property valuation report is mandatory for sales to foreigners. It is prepared by a licensed valuation company and is valid for a limited period; the land registry will not complete the transfer without it.
Getting the report before the sale prevents any surprise between the declared price and the valued figure.
Preliminary contract and deposit
Once you agree, a preliminary contract is usually signed and a deposit paid. The contract must carry both parties’ identity details, the parcel details of the property, the total price, the payment schedule and the transfer date.
Put in writing the conditions under which the deposit is returned. A verbal understanding is worth nothing in a dispute.
The title transfer appointment
The transfer takes place at the Land Registry Directorate. If you do not speak Turkish, a sworn translator is compulsory — arrange one in advance. Bring the following:
- Passport and its notarised translation
- Tax identification number
- Biometric photograph
- Valuation report
- Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) policy
- Sworn translator
After the transfer
Once the deed is yours, transfer the electricity, water and gas accounts into your name, and register with the site management so your service charge account is opened.
If you intend to live in Türkiye, the residence permit is a separate process. Owning the deed does not by itself give you the right to reside.
Costs and timescales
With complete paperwork the process usually finishes within a few weeks. The costs are the title deed fee, the registry service charge, the valuation report, the translator and any notary fees.
The figures for this section will be published once we have verified them against official sources and our own portfolio.
This post is general information; it does not replace legal or financial advice. Talk to our advisers about the specifics of your own purchase.
