Buying property in Kalkan is a simple process & once you understand the procedures & requirements, it is as easy as buying in the UK.
The main difference is that in Turkey, an international Client must apply for Military Permission. This is a quick process & really only a formality, which involves sending signed documents, a photograph & a copy of your passport attached to the relevant forms & then waiting for the permission to be granted, which normally takes between eight to twelve weeks. You will require a Turkish tax number to apply for Military Permission & this is easily obtained from the government department based in Kas. Once we have helped you obtain this, you will then need to open a bank account in one of the many banks in Kalkan, again this is not a difficult as all the banks have trained English speaking staff & with us by your side, this is a quick process.
The cost of Military permission is normally under £500, although there will be additional costs of land tax payable on completion of the sale, which is currently 3.3% of the purchase price. Normally the cost of this is divided equally between the vendor & buyer. The Belediye in Kalkan also charges approximately 400 TL to change the water & electricity into the new owner’s name. There will also be further costing for the land registration documents & Power of Attorney should this be needed.
Before you make a final decision to purchase a Kalkan property, we will guide you through the process from start to finish.
At MSJ Real Estate, although this is not necessary we do recommend you employ a qualified independent solicitor to guide you through all the legal documents & to complete all the necessary checks needed regarding deposits, contracts & property paperwork. The conveyance charges are currently cheaper than in UK & we believe that using an independent solicitor gives you support & peace of mind.
Please be aware that there are many people who will claim to offer you a better deal than a qualified real estate agency & if you think you are being offered something that is too good to be true, then it probably is so a few points that are worth remembering are...
DO NOT buy from anyone who is not a qualified real estate agent.
DO NOT buy from anyone who cannot provide references for you.
DO NOT buy from anyone who pressures you into leaving a deposit there & then.
DO NOT buy from anyone who cannot provide you with a written contract or agreement.
DO NOT buy from anyone until you know the full costs involved.
Sales Agreement and Deposit
Once you have decided to buy a Kalkan property & the seller has agreed your offer, we will draw up a sales contract between you, the seller & MSJ. It will detail all the particulars of the sale, the deposit to be paid which is usually around 10% together with any other fees. Once the contract has been signed by all parties, the non-refundable deposit is payable by return & each party will have a copy of the contract. If you choose to use a solicitor to proceed with the sale, this contract will form the basis upon which he or she will proceed.
Documentation and Military Check
Once the contract has been signed, we will take a photocopy of the buyer(s) passport as this needs to be officially translated at the Notar’s office in Kas, obtain passport sized photos for each buyer & take a photocopy if we do not already hold one on file of the title deeds for the property in question. With this information, we will then submit the documents for the military check & also to other government bodies as required.
The military check is to ensure that the property you are purchasing is not in a zone restricted to foreigners & although all of MSJ’s properties are not in these restricted zones, a new military application still has to be made each time the property is sold. This process normally takes around 3 months & at the end, the sale can be completed within one day once the final balance has been transferred to the seller. The title deeds will then be issued in the buyer(s) name & recorded in the official documents held at the Land Registry office in Kas.
Power of Attorney
Before the sale can be completed, both the buyer & the seller need to be present at the Land Registry office to sign the property over, which is done once the military application has come back approved. As this is not always possible given people’s busy lives & the cost of returning to Kalkan, in this instance it is quite normal to assign Power of Attorney to either MSJ or a solicitor to complete the transaction on your behalf but you MUST be in Kalkan to do this. We normally suggest you do it at the time of signing the contract. MSJ or your Solicitor will take you to the Notar’s office in Kas to draw up the Power of Attorney. It will be specific to completing the sale & transferring the utility bills into your name only & will become null & void once the sale transaction has completed. You will also have an official translator present to explain the document to you, which you are required to have by law.
Buying and Post-Sales Costs
You should budget around an additional 3% for buying costs. On top of your purchase price there will be our fee which ranges between 0% and a maximum of 3%, which is the standard rate within Kalkan but is also dependent upon the property purchased. There is also a 3% sales tax, which is normally split between the buyer & seller & is based on the property price as valued & declared by the local Government as well as land registry tax.
Example:
| Apartment purchase price |
£100,000 |
3% max. agents fee |
£3000 |
1.65% sales tax (based on declared value of property as valued by local Government) |
£1650 |
Land registry tax |
£150 |
Military application |
£100 |
Passport translation cost |
£100 |
Total |
£105,000 |
Power of Attorney costs start from £280 dependent upon number of owners and whether MSJ or a solicitor holds it for you. |
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There are 67 countries that can buy property or land in Turkey which includes the UK and most of Europe.
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Approximately 8-12 weeks to completion.
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Yes. A 10% deposit will secure most properties with the balance upon completion. If you are buying off plan, payments are normally staged, but this would be negotiated at the time of purchase.
You can transfer the money directly to an account in Turkey which can take several days, although transferring money through Western Union www.westernunion.com can be quicker.
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Some people choose to release equity from their UK home, but Turkish mortgages are now becoming increasing popular. Our Turkish Mortgage section will answer any questions you may have regarding the process for applying for a Turkish mortgage.
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No. Whatever currency the property/land is being sold in, is the currency to pay in. Normally, properties/land are sold in Sterling or Euros.
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Following the completed sale procedure, which includes the sale agreement, all background searches done on the property/land, and the statutory military check, this is a search to confirm the property is not within a military zone or national forestry land (your agent will conduct this process via the land registry office on your behalf). Upon approval you will then receive your Tapu. The whole process will take approximately 8-12 weeks.
You will need to be present in Turkey to conduct part of the above procedures, unless you instruct a Power of Attorney to act on your behalf. We are happy to hold Power of Attorney for you.
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Power of Attorney is you giving another person the legal authority to act on your behalf throughout the buying/selling process. It is arranged through the Notars office, where you will go along with the person you are giving the Power of Attorney to. You must also have an official translator which the Notars office will arrange for you. You cannot ask a friend or the person who will hold your Power of Attorney to act as the translator. The only documents required for this is your passport and photographs.
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Your passport, also an official translation is needed of this and passport sized photographs, plus a tax number provided by the tax office in Kas.
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You must have one by law. If you already have a Turkish bank account, then you will already have a tax number. If you don’t have a tax number, you can go to the tax office in Kas and they will register you for one.
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Yes. There are no restrictions, and you do not have to have owned the property/land for a certain period of time. However, there will be capital gains tax to pay if the property has been owned by your for less than four years if purchased prior to 1st January 2007 (five years after this date). www.gib.gov.tr
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Agents Fees - Our fees are kept in line with competitor real estate agents of Turkey which is currently 3% of the purchase price of the land / property.
Land Registry Tax – This is a nominal payment whereby tax is levied as a percentage of the value of the document, issued by the Notors office/land registry office.
Stamp Duty – This is payable to the Tapu (title deeds office) and is currently 3%, half is paid by the seller and half by the buyer.
Compulsory Insurance – For property purchases, you must have earthquake insurance, but it is also advisable to have contents insurance.
Legal Fees– A solicitor is strongly advised. We are happy to recommend a local solicitor who will draw up a sales contract. If you choose to use an agent to act on your behalf as Power of Attorney, this will incur Notars and translator fees.
Utilities (Water/Electricity/Council tax) – You must register these services in your name which will incur a small fee. We are happy to guide you through this procedure.
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Electricity can be paid through a Turkish bank account by direct debit, at the post office or at the electricity office itself. Water and Council tax are payable at either the local council offices (Belediye) or post office. You cannot pay these by direct debit. There is no mains gas in Kalkan.
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Yes. Kalkan now has a selection of banks all offering current accounts, savings accounts and internet banking. You will need your passport and tax number to open an account.
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Yes, however it is strongly advised that you make a Turkish Will. It is a simple process which we can help you with.
The above information has been given in good faith, we cannot be held responsible for any changes in real estate law or otherwise, however we endeavour to update our website on a regular basis to provide current information.
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