Article 19: Selling Property in Turkey – How a Foreigner Sells, Tax and Process

19a. The selling process – step by step

Selling property in Turkey as a foreigner is no different from the process for a Turkish citizen. You can sell the property yourself or work with an estate agent – The process is exactly the same.

Steps:

• Get an independent valuation report – required for the title deed process and gives you the real market value
• Choose an estate agent (optional) – commission is 3.57%, paid by the buyer
• Find a buyer – listing sites, estate agent or personal network
• Pre-sale contract at notary (not mandatory but recommended)
• Book title deed appointment at webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr
• Title deed transfer – both parties present at land registry, sworn interpreter mandatory
• Tax declaration – if capital gains tax applies, declare in March of the following year

19b. Capital gains tax – The 5-year rule

This is the most important tax rule for property sales in Turkey:

Hold for more than 5 years: Zero tax. If you sell after 5 full years (60 months) from the purchase date, no income tax is payable regardless of how much the property has gained in value. Completely exempt.

Sell within 5 years: Tax applies. The difference between the purchase and sale price is subject to progressive income tax.

2026 exemption amount: Approximately 2,800 (150,000 TL) is deducted from net capital gains. If the gain is below this amount, no tax declaration is required.

Inflation protection – indexation: The purchase price is updated using the Yi-UFE inflation index up to the date of sale. This means only the real gain is taxed – not the nominal increase caused by inflation.

Inherited or gifted property: The 5-year rule does not apply – sales of properties acquired through inheritance or gift are not subject to capital gains tax.

19c. Transferring the sale proceeds abroad

You are free to transfer the sale proceeds to your home country. The only requirement is that tax has been paid. Once the tax obligation has been met, there are no restrictions whatsoever.

19d. Title deed value and real sale price

A new valuation is mandatory for every sale transaction. The previous purchase value recorded on the title deed is not used as the basis – The current market value is determined and the sale price is declared accordingly.

19e. The cost of a rushed sale

Those who are forced to sell quickly in Turkey typically find themselves in one of these situations: rumours of war or political instability causing panic, or an urgent need to return abroad. If a recently purchased property must be sold urgently, the realistic expectation is this: you may be forced to accept 10-20% below the market price. Even if a buyer is found, all negotiating power belongs to the buyer. This is why property investment in Turkey should always be approached with a long-term mindset, never short-term.

19f. Official sources

• Revenue Administration (GIB) – Capital Gains: gib.gov.tr
• GIB Ready Declaration System: hazirbeyan.gib.gov.tr
• Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM) – Webtapu: webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr
• Income Tax Law Article 80 (Mükerrer): Capital gains and the 5-year rule

19f. How long does it take to sell property in turkey?

The Turkish property resale market varies significantly by location, price point, and market conditions. In 2026, realistic timelines for foreign-owned property in Alanya:

• Well-priced, clean title deed, good location (Oba, centre, Cleopatra): 3-9 months
• Fairly priced, standard complex, secondary location: 9-18 months
• Overpriced, high aidat, or limited buyer demand: 18 months to several years

The Turkish resale market is less liquid than most European property markets. Building a realistic exit timeline into your investment plan from day one prevents forced sales at distressed prices.

19g. Selling to a foreign vs turkish buyer

Foreign buyers typically pay in euro or dollar and represent the best exit route for foreign sellers transaction currencies align and the price expectations are similar. Turkish buyers often want to pay in lira and may apply pressure to declare a lower tapu value. Selling to a Turkish buyer is not wrong, but it requires careful attention to declared values and transfer pricing. In all cases, the declared price on the tapu must reflect the real consideration paid see Article 17.

Questions buyers ask

Reddit r/expats: I need to sell my Turkish property quickly. Whats the fastest way?

The fastest legitimate route is pricing at or slightly below comparable market value and listing with multiple agents simultaneously not giving exclusivity to one agent. List on sahibinden.com (the dominant Turkish property portal), on international platforms (Rightmove Overseas, Idealista), and with expat Facebook groups in Alanya. A property priced 10-15% below comparable listings will generate offers within weeks rather than months. The cost of a quick sale is a lower price there is no mechanism in Turkey that guarantees both speed and full price.

Quora: Do I pay tax on profit from selling my Turkish property?

Only if you sell within 5 years of purchase. After 5 years, no capital gains tax applies. Within 5 years, income tax applies on the gain calculated on the difference between the declared purchase price and the declared sale price. This is why the declared price on both tapu documents matters: a low declared purchase price reduces your apparent cost basis and increases your taxable gain. Another reason never to agree to under-declare on purchase.

EXPERT ADVICE: Selling property in Turkey as a foreigner is manageable – but only if you have the right people around you from the start. Get a lawyer, understand the tax implications before you agree a price, and never accept a cash deal that understates the official sale value. Short-term convenience creates long-term problems.

Sources: T.C. Gelir Idaresi Baskanligi – https://www.gib.gov.tr | T.C. Tapu ve Kadastro Genel Mudurlugu – https://www.tkgm.gov.tr

P.S. If you are already thinking about selling before you have even bought, reconsider the purchase entirely. Property in Turkey is not a short-term trade. But if you must sell remember this principle: profit is made when you buy, not when you sell. Buy at the right price from the start, with full due diligence, at fair market value. Do that correctly and you will never be forced into a bad sale. Get it wrong at the buying stage and no amount of patience or clever marketing will fully fix it at the selling stage.