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Bosphorus mansions, Bodrum's marinas and the Turquoise Coast: how foreigners buy prime property in Türkiye, the 4% title deed fee, the new state escrow, and citizenship from US$400,000.
At a glance
| Can foreigners buy? | Yes, freehold title (tapu). US, UK and EU citizens are eligible. Limits apply in military and security zones and to how much land one person can own. |
|---|---|
| Title deed fee | 4% of the declared value, customarily 2% buyer and 2% seller. The declared value may not be below the property tax value, and under-declaring carries a 100% penalty. |
| Secure payment | From 1 December 2026, property sale payments go through the state "secure payment" system, held at a bank until the deed is registered. A ministry protocol may exclude some sales. |
| New builds | VAT at the standard 20% for most prime homes. |
| Residency through property | Yes. A residence permit for property owners from US$200,000, in every province; citizenship through property of at least US$400,000 held for three years. |
| Currency | Turkish lira (TRY). Prime prices are often quoted in US dollars or euros, but the deed and taxes are in lira. |
| US tax treaty | Yes. |
Why buy here
Türkiye's prime markets are few and distinct: the yalı mansions and hillside villas of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, the marinas and beach clubs of Bodrum and Yalıkavak, the yachting bays of Göcek and the Lycian coast at Kaş and Kalkan, and the summer houses of Çeşme and Alaçatı on the İzmir peninsula.
It is also the Mediterranean's clearest route from a home to a second passport: property of at least US$400,000, held for three years, qualifies the whole family for Turkish citizenship. A residence permit for owners starts at US$200,000.
Planning a first visit? See our guide to Istanbul, Bodrum and the Turquoise Coast.
Who can buy
Freehold. Foreign individuals can acquire property under Article 35 of the Land Registry Law. The President decides which countries' citizens may buy; US, UK and EU citizens are eligible.
Limits. A foreign individual's holdings may not exceed 10% of the privately owned area of a district, or 30 hectares nationwide. Purchases in or near military and security zones may need clearance, which the land registry requests itself.
Valuation report. A report from a licensed valuer is mandatory for foreign buyers and is valid for three months.
No limit on numbers. A foreigner may buy any number of properties.
Best areas to buy
Prices are in Turkish lira and indicative only. With high inflation, convert at the current rate and compare in US dollars or euros.
Indicative prime priceBebek TRY 250,000+ per m²; Arnavutköy TRY 190,000+ per m²
Waterfront yalı mansions and hillside apartments on the European shore. Bebek is Türkiye's most expensive neighbourhood; yalıs are priced individually, far above these averages.
İşçi Haber, 31 July 2026, citing announced data (basis not stated; most likely asking prices).
The Istanbul & the Bosphorus Territory →Indicative prime priceNişantaşı TRY 200,000+ per m²; Etiler TRY 220,000+ per m²
Prime city-centre apartments beside the city's luxury shopping streets.
İşçi Haber, 31 July 2026 (basis not stated).
The Istanbul & the Bosphorus Territory →Indicative prime priceTRY 135,000+ per m²
Gated villa compounds near the Belgrad forest, north of the Bosphorus.
İşçi Haber, 31 July 2026 (basis not stated).
The Istanbul & the Bosphorus Territory →Indicative prime priceAbout TRY 160,800 per m²
The superyacht marina, the Palmarina enclave and sea-view villas; third in Türkiye's summer-home price rankings.
May 2026 summer-regions research by a property data platform, reported by Yeni Asır, 28 June 2026.
The Bodrum Territory →Indicative prime priceNo reliable per-m² figure published
The beach-club summer scene of the Bodrum peninsula, with waterfront villas and wooden jetties.
Searched 31 October 2026.
The Bodrum Territory →
Indicative prime priceNo reliable per-m² figure published
Yachting bays at Göcek and cliffside villas on the Lycian coast at Kaş and Kalkan.
Searched 31 October 2026.
The Turquoise Coast Territory →
Indicative prime priceNo reliable per-m² figure published
Stone houses, windmills and summer villas on the Aegean, west of İzmir.
Searched 31 October 2026.
The Çeşme & Alaçatı Territory →Homes and settings
Photographs to show the setting and style of homes; they are not listings for sale.
Developers
Projects selling or taking enquiries on 31 October 2026.
Emaar Turkey's Istanbul district, with Address Residence SkyView, Address Residence Istanbul and the Emaar Square Residences. Visit website (opens the official site) ↗︎
How to buy
Get a Turkish tax number, open a bank account and hire an independent lawyer. Sworn translation is required at the deed office if you do not speak Turkish.
Check liens and annotations, zoning and the occupancy permit, earthquake-code compliance, military-zone status, and whether the home has already been used for a citizenship application.
A deposit is usual. A sale-promise contract must be made before a notary to be enforceable.
Commission a report from a licensed valuer.
From 1 December 2026 the price goes through the state system and is released when the deed is registered. Any part paid by a bank loan is exempt.
File through WebTapu, pay the deed fee and sign before the registry official. The deed is issued the same day.
Take out compulsory DASK earthquake insurance, connect utilities and register with the municipality for property tax.
A clean resale takes about two to six weeks; allow longer if military clearance is needed.
Lawyers and lenders who serve foreign buyers can be listed on this page. To advertise, write to [email protected].
Taxes and fees
| Item | Rate or cost | Paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Title deed fee | 4% of the declared value, which may not be below the property tax value | 2% buyer, 2% seller by custom |
| VAT (new build) | Standard 20%; reduced rates apply only to some smaller homes | Buyer |
| Valuation report and DASK insurance | Mandatory for foreign buyers | Buyer |
| Annual property tax | A small percentage of the property's tax value, set by the municipality | Owner |
| Valuable Housing Tax | 0.3% to 1.0% on homes whose tax value is above an annually indexed threshold | Owner |
| Rental income (non-residents) | Progressive income tax of 15% to 40% | Owner |
| Capital gains on sale | 15% to 40% after inflation indexation if sold within five years; outside the tax after five years | Seller |
There is no general wealth tax.
Residency
Citizenship by investment: open. Property of at least US$400,000, with a three-year no-sale annotation on the deed (Official Gazette 31834, effective 13 June 2022). The valuation, the contract price and the registered value must each reach US$400,000, and payment must come by bank transfer with a foreign-exchange certificate. The spouse and children under 18 qualify too. Allow about six to twelve months. The Land Registry's own foreign-buyer site still shows the old US$250,000 figure; the 2022 Official Gazette amendment governs.
Residence permit for property owners: a short-term permit for owners of a home worth at least US$200,000, in every province, since 16 October 2023. It is usually issued for a year and renewed; the home must be lived in, not let.
Investor residence: the Investment Office lists five-year permits for investors, including owners of US$400,000 of property with a three-year resale restriction.
For Americans: the US–Türkiye income tax treaty applies. Americans who become Turkish citizens remain US citizens for tax purposes.
Founding Partners
Founding Partners
Three places for Founding Partner Agencies and three for Developers in each Territory. Places are open.
Territories in Türkiye: Istanbul & the Bosphorus, Bodrum, The Turquoise Coast, Çeşme & Alaçatı.
Questions
Yes. US citizens can buy freehold property, outside military and security zones and within limits on total land holdings. A licensed valuation report is required.
At least US$400,000, held for three years under a no-sale annotation on the deed. The spouse and children under 18 qualify too.
US$200,000, in every province, since 16 October 2023. The permit is usually issued for one year and renewed.
From 1 December 2026, the purchase price is paid into a state escrow at a bank and released to the seller only when the deed is registered.
The title deed fee is 4% of the declared value, usually split equally between buyer and seller. Add the valuation report, DASK insurance, legal fees and, on new builds, VAT.
Where to stay while you look
Selected by TheMediterranean.com · Paradise Bay, Bodrum
View the ResortChecked and sourced
Checked 31 October 2026. Rules and rates change; confirm with a qualified lawyer and tax adviser before you buy. TheMediterranean.com is not a real estate broker, agent or finder, and nothing here is legal, tax or immigration advice.
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