Buying a flat

Foreigners can freely buy homes in Alanya — flats, villas, shares. The sale is registered at the land registry (Tapu Müdürlüğü), and the ownership document is called the tapu (title deed).

Step by step

1. Choose and check the property. Check the title deed: owner, area, use (konut — residential), no seizures or mortgages, no unpaid aidat or utility bills. For new builds — the building permit and occupancy certificate (iskan).
2. Tax number. Issued at the tax office (Vergi Dairesi) with your passport — free, in a few minutes.
3. Bank account. Needed for payment and the currency exchange certificate (DAB).
4. Contract and deposit. A preliminary contract with the price and payment schedule. When buying from a developer — a contract with the developer, ideally notarised.
5. Valuation. A report from a licensed valuer is mandatory for foreign buyers.
6. Signing at the land registry. The application is made through e-Tapu; on the appointed day both parties sign with a sworn translator. The title deed is issued the same day.
7. After the sale. DASK insurance, transferring the utility meters, registering your address.

Buyer's costs

• Title deed tax (tapu harcı) — 4% of the declared price. By law it is split 2% / 2% between buyer and seller, but in practice the buyer often pays — agree this in advance. The price cannot be below the official tax value.
• Land registry service fee (döner sermaye) — a fixed amount, a few thousand lira.
• Valuation report — depends on the property.
• Translator and notary — if you don't speak Turkish, a translator at the signing is mandatory.
• DASK — compulsory earthquake insurance, paid yearly.
• VAT — may apply when buying a new build from a developer; non-resident foreigners can be exempt under certain conditions. Check before signing.

Yearly costs

Property tax (emlak vergisi) — a small percentage of the official value, paid to the municipality in two instalments a year. Aidat — the monthly maintenance fee for the complex: pool, security, cleaning, gardens.

Watch out for

• Don't pay large sums before the title deed has been checked.
• The price on the title deed must be the real one: under-declaring to save tax risks fines and problems with a residence permit or citizenship.
• A property-based residence permit in Antalya requires a property worth $200,000+, citizenship $400,000+ (see Citizenship through property).
• If you plan to rent the flat out short-term, you need a separate short-term rental licence — find out in advance.