Turkish property glossary

Tapu, iskan, aidat, DASK and other terms you will meet when buying, selling or owning property in Turkey — explained in plain words.

A

Aidat (maintenance fee)Aidat is the monthly fee owners pay to maintain a residential complex: security, pool, cleaning, gardens, lifts and management.

D

DASK (compulsory earthquake insurance)DASK is Turkey's compulsory annual earthquake insurance for homes; without a valid policy you cannot complete a sale or connect utilities. Değer artış kazancı (capital gains tax)Değer artış kazancı is Turkey's tax on the gain from selling property within five years of buying it.

E

Ekspertiz (valuation report)Ekspertiz is a property valuation report by an SPK-licensed firm; it is required for residence permits and citizenship through property. Emlak vergisi (property tax)Emlak vergisi is Turkey's annual property tax; for homes in Alanya it is 0.2% of the tax value plus a 10% surcharge.

F

Flat layouts: 1+1, 2+1, 3+11+1, 2+1 and 3+1 is the Turkish way of describing flats: the first number is bedrooms, the second living rooms. A 2+1 has two bedrooms and a lounge.

G

Gross and net area (brüt / net)Net area is the usable space inside a flat; gross area adds walls and a share of the building’s common areas. In new complexes the gap is often 15–30%.

H

Hisseli tapu (shared title deed)Hisseli tapu is a shared title deed: you own a fraction of a plot or property, but no specific part of it is physically assigned to you.

I

Ikamet (Turkish residence permit)Ikamet (ikamet izni) is a Turkish residence permit issued by the migration authority, Göç İdaresi, on grounds such as property, family or study. Iskan (occupancy permit)Iskan (yapı kullanma izin belgesi) is the municipal occupancy permit confirming a building was completed to its approved plans and is fit to live in.

K

Kapora (reservation deposit)Kapora is the deposit a buyer pays in Turkey to reserve a property, take it off the market and lock in the price until completion. Kat irtifakı (right to a future flat)Kat irtifakı is a registered right to a future flat in a building that is under construction or has not yet received its occupancy permit (iskan). Kat mülkiyeti (full freehold of a flat)Kat mülkiyeti is full ownership of a flat in a completed building with iskan, together with a share of the land and common areas.

N

Numarataj (official address registration)Numarataj is the assignment of building and flat numbers in Turkey’s national address database (UAVT), needed for residence permits and utilities.

S

Site (residential complex)A site is a Turkish residential complex: one or more buildings on a gated plot with shared facilities such as security, a pool, gardens and parking.

T

Tapu (title deed)Tapu is the official Turkish title deed: the document issued by the land registry (Tapu Müdürlüğü) that proves who owns a property. Tapu harcı (title deed fee)Tapu harcı is the Turkish title deed fee paid on registering a sale: 4% of the declared price, by law 2% each from buyer and seller.

V

Vekalet (power of attorney)Vekalet (vekaletname) is a notarised power of attorney that lets a representative buy or sell property in Turkey on your behalf. Vergi numarası (Turkish tax number)Vergi numarası is the Turkish tax ID number a foreigner needs to buy property, open a bank account and sign up for utilities.