Purchasing property in Turkey; is it safe? How can one minimize risks before purchasing an overseas property in Turkey

Suggestions before purchasing a property in Turkey:
Purchasing property in Turkey is easier than UK,where there are some complex tax implications and forms of ownership (freehold,leasehold etc).



Most Turkish properties are bought as freehold. The property you purchase should be either completed and ready for occupatior or an offplan nearing completion.

Whatever the stage of the construction , you should make sure that you have an enforceable consideration for any funds transferred. Or you should only accept minimum exposure without a reciprocal consideration. This should always be at the back of a legally notarized and witnessed contract.

Moreover, you need to ensure that the person (or company) selling you the property in Turkey indeed has legal title to the property you are purchasing and parting with funds for.

You should ensure that the property you are purchasing has habitation licence and appropriately built in line with local by-laws and planning regulations in force in that particular property region of Turkey.

Provided the above have been checked and necessary assurances are obtained, including a legal charge on the property after having paid significant part of your purchase consideration but prior to obtaining your legal title deed, which is usually the case due to foreign nationals military clearance protocol before your title deed relevant to your property in Turkey can be registered on your name, risks of fraud or undesirable consequences will be extremely low.