Glossary
Turkish real estate: a glossary
The key Turkish terms you'll run into when buying — explained plainly, with facts we've checked.
Title Deed & Legal
Tapu
The official state document proving property ownership in Turkey. Issued exclusively by the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM).
Read the termEkspertiz Raporu
An official report on a property's independent market value, prepared by an expert licensed by Turkey's Capital Markets Board (SPK).
Read the termİpotek
A legal lien registered against a property in the Tapu registry as security for a loan or other obligation. Colloquially confused with 'mortgage' as a financial product (konut kredisi), but technically İpotek is the official registry record that the property is pledged — not the loan itself.
Read the termKat Mülkiyeti / Kat İrtifakı
Two ownership statuses for property in Turkey: Kat Mülkiyeti is full ownership; Kat İrtifakı is a temporary status for a property still under construction.
Read the termVekaletname
The official document authorizing a representative — a licensed real estate agent or lawyer, for instance — to act on a buyer's or seller's behalf before Turkish state institutions.
Read the termTaxes & Costs
Rayiç Bedel
The minimum official value of a property, set by the municipality (Belediye) — a floor below which the declared sale value cannot legally fall.
Read the termKDV İstisnası
A legal exemption releasing non-resident foreign buyers from VAT on the first sale of new residential or commercial property, bought directly from the developer.
Read the termDASK
Compulsory state earthquake insurance for residential property in Turkey. Covers structural damage to the building from an earthquake and its direct consequences.
Read the termEmlak Vergisi
A compulsory annual tax on property ownership in Turkey, paid to the local municipality (Belediye). The base rate for residential property is 1‰ of the cadastral value, but in cities with büyükşehir (metropolitan) status — including Antalya — the rate doubles to 2‰.
Read the termAbonelik
Transferring or opening the water and electricity meters in the new owner's name after the Tapu is registered.
Read the termAidat
The monthly contribution each unit owner is legally required to pay toward a building or complex's shared expenses — cleaning, elevator, security, common-area insurance, and staff wages.
Read the termFor Foreign Buyers
Building & Construction
İskan
The municipal document confirming a building was constructed to its approved plan and is ready for occupancy — the property's technical passport.
Read the termİmar Durumu
The official municipal document (İmar Durum Belgesi) defining what may legally be built on a plot — its designated use, building density, height, and setback distances.
Read the term