Bursa attracts foreign buyers for its coast at Mudanya and Gemlik, the Uludağ mountain resort and the modern residential districts of Nilüfer. The buying process itself is short, often a single appointment at the land registry, which is exactly why the checks must be done before you pay a deposit. We act for foreign buyers from the first viewing to the day the title deed is in their name.
Step 1: Checks before you pay a deposit
The land registry confirms who owns a property and records the transfer. It does not advise you on whether the purchase is safe. Before you sign anything, we check:
- The title deed record (tapu): mortgages, liens, attachments, pre-emption rights, lease annotations and any litigation notes on the property.
- Legal status of the building: whether it has full condominium ownership (kat mülkiyeti) or only construction servitude (kat irtifakı), and whether an occupancy permit (iskân) has been issued.
- Zoning and permits: whether the building matches its permit and whether any part is unlicensed.
- The seller’s authority: identity, shares of co-owners and the validity of any power of attorney used by the seller.
- The sales or reservation contract: deposit terms, completion date, what happens if the seller withdraws.
- Residence permit and citizenship eligibility: if either is your goal, whether this property and this address qualify.
Bursa is in a seismically active region. For older buildings we recommend asking whether the building has been assessed and what urban renewal plans exist for the area.
Step 2: Tax number, payment and valuation
To buy property you need a Turkish tax number, which is issued on the same day at a tax office or through us. Two documents are specific to foreign buyers:
- Valuation report: The land registry requires a report by a licensed appraiser for purchases by foreigners. The declared sale price should not be below the appraised value.
- Foreign exchange certificate (Döviz Alım Belgesi): Since January 2022, foreign buyers must bring the purchase money from abroad in foreign currency and sell it to a Turkish bank, which issues this certificate. Without it, the land registry will not complete the transfer.
Step 3: Transfer at the land registry
The sale is signed before a land registry officer at an appointment booked in advance. Bursa has several land registry offices; the right one depends on where the property is. If you do not speak Turkish, a sworn translator must be present. The title deed fee is paid before the appointment, and compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) must be in place. At the end of the appointment the new title deed is issued in your name.
Costs at a glance
| Item | Who usually pays |
|---|---|
| Title deed fee: 4% of the sale price | Customarily 2% buyer, 2% seller |
| Land registry service charge | Buyer |
| Valuation report | Buyer |
| Compulsory earthquake insurance (DASK) | Buyer |
| Sworn translator | Buyer |
| Annual property tax | Owner, paid to the municipality |
Declaring a lower price than the real one to reduce the title deed fee is unlawful and can create tax problems and weaken your position in any later dispute.
Residence permit through property
Owning a residential property in Turkey can support an application for a short-term residence permit. Since October 2023 the property must be worth at least USD 200,000, it must be residential, and you must live in it rather than rent it out. The permit is issued by the Presidency of Migration Management, not by the land registry, and certain neighbourhoods are closed to new residence registrations by foreigners. We check these points before you buy.
Turkish citizenship by property investment
Foreign nationals who buy property worth at least USD 400,000 may apply for Turkish citizenship. Since May 2022 an annotation is placed on the title deed that the property may not be sold for three years. The purchase price must be paid through a Turkish bank in foreign currency and documented with the foreign exchange certificate. The land registry then issues a certificate of conformity, which is the basis for the citizenship application. The rules are strict and change from time to time, so each step must be checked against the current regulations before payment.
Buying off-plan
Many new developments in Bursa are sold before completion. In these purchases the sales contract must be signed before a notary, and Turkish consumer law gives buyers of pre-paid residential property specific rights. Before you sign, we review the developer’s permits, the delivery date and how your advance payments are secured.
Buying with a power of attorney
If you cannot be in Bursa for the purchase, you can give us a power of attorney. It can be signed at a Turkish notary with a sworn translator, at a Turkish consulate in your country, or before a local notary and then apostilled and translated. We then carry out the checks, arrange the payment steps and sign the deed for you, and send you the new title deed and a written summary.
Independent advice
We act only for the buyer. We do not accept commission from estate agents or developers, so our advice is not linked to whether the sale goes ahead. For disputes about property already owned, such as co-ownership, tenancy or construction defects, see our Turkish page on real estate law, or contact us in English through the form below.
Last updated . General information only; not legal advice.