1. How long does it take to buy property in Bodrum?

A Turkish citizen can buy a land or property in Bodrum in a few days, however, it takes approx. 6-8 months for a non-Turkish citizen due to checking of records by the government.

2.Can I buy property anywhere on the penisula?

There are certain areas called military zones where for security reasons foreigners are not allowed to buy. If you buy a plot of land which is designated as an archaeological site, the Museum Service can freeze all activity on the land until it has been thoroughly investigated. Your real estate agent will advise you about the restricted areas.

As of July 2003 foreigners are able to buy in areas that do not have a municipality.

3. Do I have to remain in Bodrum during this buying procedure?

No, whilst the security checks are being made you are free to return to your home country. You will need to be present when your deposit is made and when the deeds of the house are put in your name.

4. What other costs need to be made, apart from the estate asking price?

You will have to pay the buying tax on the land or property. This varies greatly from property to property, for a rough guide, please ask us. A new tax, Map Tax has been introduced in 2005 this varies in different districts. From £100 - £600. This is paid to the local map centre who provide for the military a detailed map and description of where the property is situated.

Fees must be paid to the lawyer (approx 1000 GBP) and official translator’s fees (approx 150 GBP).

Noter fees (approx 200 GBP)

Turkish estate agents fees are standard. This is a set price of 3% of the buying price.

5. What is the procedure for buying a property in Turkey and who will help me with this?

The official paper work for buying a property in Bodrum can be quite different to that of the other countries. Our team is with you at all times during this procedure.

First you find a property you like. We then carry out various checks to ensure that the property has good transferable title, planning permission etc. A check is made to find if there are any outstanding bills to be paid on the property and that they insist on the payments of these by the owner. Then a purchase contract is signed with the presence of a lawyer and official translator and the deposit of approximately 10 -20% is paid.

A security clearance to permit you to own a property in Turkey is applied for. When this is cleared the property tax is paid and the deed of transfer is sign in front of an officer at the land registry and the rest of the price is paid.

The land Registry can then record you as the official owner of the property.

6. After buying my property, what other costs need to be paid?

After you have purchased the property you should put the electricity, water and telephone in your own name. This will cost up to 200 pounds sterling in total.

Full earthquake insurance is compulsary in Turkey, which costs approx £100, full house insurance for fire, flood and theft is recommended.

Finally you should register with the local registrar (muhtar), which costs about 5 pounds sterling.

Council taxes are paid twice yearly for roads, rubbish collection and sewage, in the months of May and November, these are approximately 50 pounds sterling a year.

Some of the properties we offer are in complexes. These have security guards, gardeners, communal swimming pools etc, for these complexes there is a monthly fee. These prices will be explained to you if you are interested in purchasing a property in a complex.

7. Will the property be solely in my name?

Yes the house will be solely in the name of the buyer. If you request the property can be in joint names.

8. Who do I go to if the property needs maintance or repair?

After purchasing your property, maintenance and repairs can be arranged through our agency. We have many skilled staff on our team who can provide professional services e.g. Architects, builders, plumbers and painters

9. How much deposit must I give?

Foreigners are often asked to pay a deposit as the seller has to wait three months for the buyer to get permission whereas if they sold to a Turk the transaction would be completed in a few days.

When the contract for buying a property is made a deposit has to be given to the seller.  The real estate agent is paid their 3% commission at this stage. The rest of the monies are then paid when the deeds change hands.

If the price of the property has been reduced the seller may ask for a high deposit or full payment..

10. If I want to sell my property, can I take the money back to my home country?

You are able to sell the property through the same procedure as it was bought and you can export the proceeds of the sale.

11. What documents do I need to supply when buying a house in Bodrum?

You will need your passport and copies of it. You will also need some passport photographs. Opening a bank account with HSBC in your home country and in Bodrum is a good idea.

12. Is the process of buying property in Turkey similar to that of buying abroad?

No. The Turkish legal system is very different from that of the UK, but less complicated, however, generally speaking, provided all the necessary checks and enquiries are made, there is no need to worry about buying a house in Turkey than that of buying one anywhere else in Europe.

Unfortunately, some people have purchased property in Turkey with little or no legal advice and are indeed quite casual about the purchase and the signing of legal documents. They have then found there is no title to the property, that it was built without planning permission, or that it does not even exist.

You will have heard of cases where buyers have suffered loss. There is no reason why this should happen provided that you take proper legal advice such as that from our lawyer with the aid of an official translator.

13. Do I need to get a survey of the property to buy it?

This is not the usual procedure in Turkey. If you wish the building to be surveyed we can arrange this for you at an extra cost. A typical price would be 250 pounds sterling.

14. How do I get money to Turkey?

For money to be transferred to you in Turkey, a Turkish bank account must be opened in your name. This can be easily opened. Bodrum offers a variety of banks who work with foreign banks including HSBC. A Turkish account for HSBC can be opened whilst you are in the UK. The process of transferring money can take a few days, check with your branch how long they estimate this process to take.

Whilst waiting for the permission to purchase the property, you should get a tax number from the Tax Office (Vergi Dairesi), which is in Bodrum, so that you can open a bank account with any Turkish bank.

The funds being transferred should be specifically identified, for example; transfer purpose for the purchase of Land in Bodrum Title Deed No 3466. Keep all receipts to prove the original purchase.

15. What are the inheritant laws like in Turkey?

The inheritant laws in Turkey are the same as Europe, unless a will a is made, the estates of deceased are inherited by the next of kin. For inheritant tax information please ask us.