A pre-transfer checklist for foreign buyers
Six items to settle in advance so that transfer day holds no surprises.
Avoiding surprises on the day of the title transfer comes down to a few checks made beforehand. The following are what foreign buyers most often skip.
Are there annotations on the title
A property may carry a mortgage, a lien or a promise-to-sell annotation. These may not block the transfer, but they change what you take on. The record should be reviewed before the purchase decision.
Regional restrictions
Foreign acquisition is restricted for properties in military and security zones. The check runs through the land registry and can take several days — the contract timetable should be built around that.
Traceability of the payment
The purchase amount should be transferred from abroad into the buyer's own account, with a foreign currency purchase document issued. If citizenship is being considered, this document sits at the centre of the file and cannot be produced afterwards.
Validity of the valuation report
The report is mandatory and has a validity period. If it expires it must be obtained again, which extends the timetable.
The DASK policy
Compulsory earthquake insurance must be in place before transfer. It looks like a small item; without it the appointment does not complete.
The interpreter
If the buyer does not speak Turkish, a sworn interpreter is required at the title office. Not arranging one in advance is among the most common reasons an appointment is postponed.
With these six ready, transfer day becomes a technical formality. Without them, the process can stretch by days.