Real estate glossary

A şerh is an annotation written into a property's land registry record to make a personal right or a legal restriction visible to everyone. Common examples are a registered lease, a promise-of-sale contract (satış vaadi şerhi), a right of first refusal, a court injunction preventing transfer, a family home annotation requiring the spouse's consent, a public-law restriction, or the three-year no-sale commitment undertaken by citizenship-by-investment buyers. Once annotated, the right binds later buyers, who cannot claim they did not know. Some annotations block a sale outright; others merely survive it. Annotations are removed when the underlying right expires or the beneficiary agrees.

Değerleme means appraisal: estimating what a property would sell for on the open market at a given date. In Turkey, formal appraisals are carried out by individuals and companies licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK), following national valuation standards. The appraiser visits the property, checks the registry and municipal records, measures or verifies the area, and compares recent sales and rental data. The outcome is the valuation report (ekspertiz raporu). Appraisals are used for mortgages, foreign purchases, citizenship applications, insurance, inheritance and court cases. An appraisal is an opinion, not a guarantee of resale price, and two appraisers may differ; still, it is the most objective price reference available to a buyer.

Every condominium building in Turkey is run by a yönetim (management), either an owner elected as manager (yönetici) or a professional management company appointed by the owners' assembly. Larger complexes have a management board and an auditor. The management collects aidat, hires staff, maintains common areas and keeps the accounts, which owners may inspect. The kapıcı is a traditional feature of Turkish apartment blocks: a caretaker, often living in a basement flat, who cleans, handles rubbish, deliveries and small repairs. The kapıcı is an employee of the owners collectively, and his wages and severance are part of the aidat. Modern complexes replace the kapıcı with security, cleaning and technical teams.

Under the regulation implementing the Turkish Citizenship Law, a foreigner may apply for citizenship after making a qualifying investment. The real estate route requires buying property worth at least USD 400,000 or the equivalent in foreign currency and having a commitment not to sell it for three years annotated in the land registry (invest.gov.tr, 2026). The value is established by an approved valuation report, the price must be paid through Turkish banks with foreign currency conversion documented, and the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change issues a certificate of eligibility. Citizenship is then granted by Presidential decision; the spouse and minor children can be included. The property can be one or several units bought together. Conditions have changed several times, so verify the current rules officially.

DASK stands for Doğal Afet Sigortaları Kurumu, the Natural Disaster Insurance Institution, and the term is used for the zorunlu deprem sigortası (compulsory earthquake insurance) it provides. The policy covers direct physical damage to the structure of a dwelling from earthquakes and related fire, explosion, landslide and tsunami, up to a maximum sum insured set by the institution each year. It does not cover contents, loss of rent or temporary accommodation; private insurance can be added for those. A valid DASK policy is checked at the land registry when a residential property is transferred and by utility companies when subscriptions are opened. Policies are annual and are bought through any insurance company or bank in Turkey.

Kat mülkiyeti is the ownership regime for individual units in a finished building under Turkey's Condominium Law. Each flat, shop or office is registered as an independent section (bağımsız bölüm) with its own title record, plus a fixed share of the land and common parts such as stairs, roof, garden and lifts. Kat mülkiyeti can be established only after the building has received its occupancy permit (iskan), which is why its presence is a sign the building was completed in line with its approved plans. Owners are bound by the building's management plan and pay their share of common expenses. The alternative, construction servitude (kat irtifakı), is the earlier stage used for buildings that are planned or under construction.

Kat irtifakı is a right registered on a land parcel that allocates future independent sections to their owners before the building is complete. It is created on the basis of the approved architectural project and gives each owner a defined share of the land tied to a specific unit. Once construction finishes and the municipality issues the occupancy permit, the kat irtifakı is normally converted into kat mülkiyeti. Flats sold off-plan or in buildings that never obtained an occupancy permit are often held this way. Kat irtifakı is a genuine registered right and can be bought, sold and mortgaged, but it does not by itself prove that the building was built as approved or is legally fit for occupation.

In off-plan and new-build sales the teslim tarihi is the handover date written into the sales contract. It should be a fixed calendar date, not a vague season or year. Contracts normally define what counts as delivery, for example completion with occupancy permit and utilities connected, or merely physical handover of keys. Delays are common in Turkish construction, and buyers have remedies only if the contract sets a grace period and a penalty or rent compensation for each month of delay, and a right to withdraw and recover payments after a longer delay. Check whether delivery is tied to issuance of the iskan, since a building handed over without it may remain on kat irtifakı for a long time.

Kapora is a reservation deposit paid by the buyer when the price is agreed, so the seller takes the property off the market while documents are prepared. It is usually a small fraction of the price and is deducted from the final payment. Turkish contract law treats a deposit as a payment on account unless the parties agree otherwise, but in practice the agreement often provides that the buyer loses it if they withdraw and the seller returns it, sometimes doubled, if they pull out. Those terms are only enforceable if written down. A simple reservation agreement, in a language the buyer understands and stating the property, the price, the deadline and the refund conditions, is the minimum; paying cash with no receipt is a common mistake.

Müstakil describes a detached, independent property, typically a house or villa that stands on its own parcel and shares no structure with neighbours. The owner holds the whole land parcel, not a share of it, and there is no condominium regime, management plan or aidat unless the house is within a gated complex. Maintenance of the roof, garden, water and sewage connections is entirely the owner's responsibility. Müstakil houses are common in Bodrum and other coastal areas, on the Asian side of Istanbul and in older neighbourhoods. The term is also used for müstakil tapu, meaning a title that covers the land outright rather than a share in a jointly owned parcel.

In Turkish real estate, dubleks describes a single dwelling laid out over two floors linked by an internal staircase. Common forms are the çatı dubleksi (top-floor flat with a converted attic or roof terrace level), the bahçe dubleksi (ground floor plus basement or garden level), and two-storey villas. A tripleks has three levels. Because the extra level is sometimes a converted roof or basement, check that both floors appear in the approved project and the registry: an attic added later without permission may not be legally part of the flat even if it is physically connected. Duplexes offer more space and privacy but higher heating costs and more stairs.

Takyidat is the collective term for every registered charge on a property: mortgages (ipotek), annotations (şerh), easements and rights of way, usufructs, liens from tax offices or courts, and public-law restrictions such as heritage or coastal status. The land registry can issue a takyidatlı tapu kaydı, an extract listing them all, which an owner can also view online. Before paying for a property, a buyer or their lawyer checks this record to make sure the seller can transfer clean title and that no third party has a right that would survive the sale. Some entries, like a utility easement, are harmless; others, like an injunction, block the transfer entirely. Have the record checked again on the day of transfer.

The döviz alım belgesi (DAB) is a document issued by a Turkish bank confirming that a stated amount of foreign currency was sold to the bank and converted into Turkish lira. Under rules introduced by the Ministry of Treasury and Finance and applied by TKGM, foreign individuals buying real estate must have the purchase price converted through a bank and present the DAB at the land registry before the transfer is registered. The conversion is done in the buyer's name, or in some cases the seller's, and the document must reference the property transaction. The requirement does not stop the buyer and seller agreeing a price in euros or dollars; it governs how the money flows. Ask your bank in advance about the procedure and timing.

Turkey allows foreign natural persons to acquire real estate without a reciprocity requirement, but only nationals of countries designated by the President may buy, and some nationalities face conditions or exclusions. The land registry checks eligibility when the application is made. Two quantitative limits apply: a foreign individual may hold up to 30 hectares in total across Turkey, and foreign individuals together may not own more than ten percent of the privately ownable land area of any district (both limits per invest.gov.tr, 2026). Purchases in military or security zones are refused. Buyers of unbuilt land must submit a project within two years (invest.gov.tr, 2026). Foreign companies and foreign-controlled Turkish companies follow separate rules.

Foreign nationals who do not hold a Turkish ID number must obtain a vergi kimlik numarası (tax identification number) from the Revenue Administration before dealing with Turkish banks, the land registry, notaries and utility companies. It is issued free of charge at any tax office on presentation of a passport, or online through the Revenue Administration's interactive tax office for foreigners. Once a foreigner receives a residence permit, the foreigner ID number (yabancı kimlik numarası) takes over the role of the tax number. The number is used to pay title deed fees, property tax and DASK, to open the bank account through which purchase funds must pass, and to register as the owner.

In Turkish real estate, site (pronounced see-teh) describes a residential complex of multiple blocks or villas on one or more parcels, run under a common management plan with shared facilities such as security gates, gardens, pools, car parks, playgrounds and sports areas. The Condominium Law treats such complexes as toplu yapı, with a joint owners' assembly and board in addition to any per-block management. Sites range from a few blocks to small towns with shops and schools. Service charges are higher than in single buildings, and rules on rentals, pets and alterations are set centrally. Sites are popular with foreign buyers for security and amenities, and are the norm in new developments in Istanbul and in holiday areas such as Bodrum.

Turkish property adverts usually quote two areas. Net m² is the usable area inside the unit, measured within the walls, including rooms, bathrooms, kitchen and hallway, normally excluding balconies. Brüt m² adds the thickness of the walls, balconies and, in most listings, the unit's share of common areas such as stairwells, lifts, lobbies and technical rooms. Some developers also quote a genel brüt that spreads large shared facilities over the units. The gap between the two figures can be substantial in modern complexes with wide corridors and amenities. Prices are often quoted per gross square metre, so compare like with like and ask for the architectural plan with measurements.

The Condominium Law divides a building into bağımsız bölümler, independent sections, each capable of separate ownership: flats, offices, shops, storage rooms and, sometimes, garages. Each has a number shown on the title, a defined share of the land (arsa payı) and a registered use (nitelik) such as residence (mesken), office or shop. Attached areas like a cellar, roof terrace or parking space may be registered as an appurtenance (eklenti) of a section, or may be common property. Use of the unit must match its registered type; a shop cannot be rented as a flat without changing the registration. Check that what you see on site matches the section number, use and appurtenances in the registry.

Turkish law and practice distinguish arsa, a plot inside a municipal zoning plan with defined building rights, from arazi or tarla, land outside the plan used for agriculture or left undeveloped. The registry records the type, and the zoning status (imar durumu) sets what may be built. For foreign buyers, land purchases carry extra rules: a foreign individual who buys an unbuilt parcel must submit a development project to the relevant authority within two years (per invest.gov.tr, 2026), and agricultural land needs prior approval under agricultural regulations. Total holdings by foreign individuals are also capped nationally and per district. Land has no DASK, aidat or management plan, but may carry road or utility obligations.

In addition to the title deed transfer fee (tapu harcı), the land registry collects a döner sermaye ücreti, a service charge paid into TKGM's revolving fund. It is a fixed amount per transaction, updated each year by the administration and varying by region and transaction type, rather than a percentage of the price. Transactions involving foreign buyers carry an additional service component to cover the extra checks. The fee is paid before the transfer appointment, together with the tapu harcı, using the payment reference generated when the application is filed. It is a minor cost compared with the transfer fee, but it is one of several items, along with valuation, interpreter, notary and insurance, that make up the real closing costs.

Under Turkey's Condominium Law every building or complex with independent sections has a yönetim planı, a management plan filed at the land registry when condominium ownership is set up. It sets out how the building is governed: how owners' meetings are called and decisions taken, how common expenses are shared, what the manager may do, rules on pets, short-term rentals, renovations, use of balconies and common areas, and how disputes are handled. The plan binds all owners and their successors automatically, so a buyer accepts it by buying. Changing it requires a qualified majority of owners. You can obtain a copy from the site management or from the land registry file.

Köşk originally meant a pavilion or summer residence and today describes a large, often wooden, detached house from the late Ottoman or early Republican period, standing in its own garden rather than on the shore. Istanbul's Bosphorus hillsides, the Princes' Islands, Kadıköy and Erenköy, and towns such as Bursa and Safranbolu have many examples. Numerous köşks are registered as cultural heritage, meaning that restoration, extension and even paint colours require approval from the regional conservation board, and some may only be restored, not rebuilt. Restoration can be lengthy and costly but may qualify for certain tax reliefs. The term is also used loosely for any grand villa.

Turkish law designates askeri yasak bölgeler (military forbidden zones) and güvenlik bölgeleri (security zones) around military facilities and strategic sites. Foreign individuals and companies cannot acquire real estate within these zones. In certain özel güvenlik bölgeleri (special security zones), acquisition is possible only with permission from the provincial governor. In the past the land registry had to ask the military for a clearance letter for each foreign purchase, which took weeks; today the zone boundaries are held in TKGM's system and are checked automatically during the application, so most urban properties clear immediately. If a parcel falls in a restricted zone the registry will refuse the transfer, so this should be checked before paying a deposit.

An ipotek is a mortgage: a registered right that lets a creditor, usually a bank, force the sale of a property if the secured debt is not paid. It is created at the land registry and appears in the property's record, together with the amount, rank and creditor. The mortgage follows the property, not the seller, so a buyer who takes over a mortgaged property without clearing the debt risks losing it. In a normal sale the seller repays the loan and the bank issues a release letter so the registry can delete the entry before or at the transfer. Foreign buyers can obtain mortgages from Turkish banks subject to the bank's own criteria; the bank registers its own ipotek on the purchased property.

The belediye rayiç bedeli, or emlak vergi değeri, is the official value of a property calculated by the municipality from published unit land values per street and standard building costs, adjusted for age and construction class. Unit values are reset periodically by valuation commissions and indexed in between. It is normally well below the market price. It matters in two ways: the annual property tax is calculated on it, and the price declared at the land registry for the transfer fee may not be lower than it. A buyer or seller can obtain the current figure from the municipality's property tax department. It is not a valuation of what the property is worth on the market.

A Turkish noter is a state-licensed official who authenticates documents and signatures. In property transactions, notaries certify translations of passports and other foreign documents, draw up powers of attorney (vekaletname) so a lawyer or agent can act for a buyer, and prepare promise-of-sale contracts (satış vaadi sözleşmesi) that can be annotated at the land registry. Unlike in many countries, the notary does not conduct the actual sale: ownership is transferred only at the land registry office. A foreigner signing before a notary without Turkish needs a sworn translator present. Notary fees are set by an official tariff and depend on the document type and, for contracts, the stated value.

The yapı kullanma izin belgesi, commonly called iskan, is issued by the municipality (or the relevant authority) once a completed building has been inspected and found to match its building permit and approved project. It is the legal basis for connecting permanent utilities in the owner's name and for converting construction servitude into condominium ownership. A building without iskan may have unlicensed changes, missing inspections or unpaid fees, and in some cases could face demolition orders or fines. The permit is issued for the building; individual flats are covered by it. Buyers can ask the seller or the municipality's zoning department for a copy and compare it with the actual layout of the unit.

Topraktan satış, literally selling from the ground, is the Turkish term for off-plan sales. The developer sells units based on the approved project before the building exists, typically with a discount against the finished price and a payment plan tied to construction stages. The buyer's security varies: the strongest position is an immediate transfer of the unit's kat irtifakı title; the next is a notarised promise-of-sale contract annotated in the registry; the weakest is a plain sales contract with the developer. Consumer law gives some protections for housing sold in advance, and the developer should hold a valid building permit before taking money. Check the developer's record, the permit, the land title and the delivery terms.

A vekaletname is a power of attorney drawn up by a Turkish notary, or by a Turkish consulate abroad, or by a foreign notary and then apostilled and translated. For a property purchase it must specifically list the powers granted: buying a named or any property, signing at the land registry, paying fees, opening bank accounts, applying for utilities, insurance or a residence permit. A general power is often rejected by the registry if it does not mention the property transaction clearly. The document carries the attorney's identity and a photograph of the grantor in Turkish practice. Powers can be limited in time and scope, and can be revoked at any notary. Many foreign buyers complete their purchase entirely through a lawyer holding a vekaletname.

A satış vaadi sözleşmesi is a preliminary contract, valid in Turkey only when drawn up by a notary, in which the owner undertakes to transfer a property to the buyer at a later date on agreed terms. It is used when the title cannot be transferred immediately, for example in off-plan sales, where payment is in instalments, or where a permit or registration is pending. The buyer can have the contract annotated (şerh) in the land registry so that it binds anyone who later acquires the property, for a limited period. If the owner refuses to complete, the buyer can sue for a court-ordered transfer. The contract does not itself transfer ownership and should be drafted or reviewed by a lawyer.

Emlak vergisi is an annual tax levied by the municipality where a property is located, on buildings, land plots and agricultural land. It is calculated on the official tax value (emlak vergi değeri), which is derived from the municipality's unit values per square metre and the building's age and construction class, not from the purchase price. Rates differ for housing, other buildings, plots and land, and are higher inside metropolitan municipalities such as Istanbul. The tax is normally paid in two instalments each year. A new owner must file a declaration (emlak beyanı) at the municipality after buying. Unpaid property tax attaches to the property and is checked at resale, so ask for proof the seller is up to date.

Since the Regulation on Real Estate Trading came into force, anyone brokering property sales or rentals in Turkey must hold a taşınmaz ticareti yetki belgesi, an authorisation certificate issued through the provincial trade directorates of the Ministry of Trade. Obtaining it requires a registered business, a vocational qualification certificate, a physical office and a clean record. Licensed agents are listed in the Ministry's public information system, where buyers can verify a company or individual. The regulation also sets rules on written brokerage agreements, information forms about the property, and the agent's duties toward both parties. Dealing with an unlicensed intermediary leaves you with fewer remedies if something goes wrong.

An ikamet izni is the permit that allows a foreigner to stay in Turkey beyond the period allowed by a visa or visa exemption. The Presidency of Migration Management issues several types; the one most relevant to buyers is the short-term residence permit, for which ownership of immovable property in Turkey is one of the listed grounds. The property should be a dwelling used by the applicant and family, and the authority may apply conditions on its value and location. Permits are granted for limited periods and renewed on application, and holders can later qualify for long-term residence. Applications are made online and completed at a migration office with documents including the title deed, health insurance, address registration and proof of income. Rules change; check the official site before applying.

Rezidans is the Turkish term for a managed apartment building, usually a tower, offering concierge, security, housekeeping, gym, pool and sometimes restaurants. Many are built on land zoned for commercial or tourism use rather than housing, so the units may be registered as offices or hotel apartments. That can mean different rules on long-term residence, higher utility tariffs, VAT at commercial rates and restrictions in the management plan. Service charges are high because of staffing and amenities, and rental use is often permitted, which attracts investors. Residences are concentrated in Istanbul's business districts and new development corridors. Check the registered use of the unit before buying as a home.

Turkish property listings describe a home by the number of rooms plus the number of living rooms (salon). 3+1 therefore means three bedrooms and one living room; 1+1 is a one-bedroom flat; 1+0 or stüdyo is a studio with no separate bedroom. Kitchens, bathrooms, balconies, hallways and storage are not counted. Variants such as 2+1+1 may indicate an extra small room or a maid's room, and 3.5+1 an additional half-sized room. In many Turkish layouts the kitchen is a separate closed room rather than open plan, which the notation does not reveal. Treat the notation as a rough guide and look at the floor plan for actual room sizes and the kitchen arrangement.

Turkish listings use several phrases for views, and the differences matter for price. Deniz manzaralı (with sea view) should mean the sea is a main part of the outlook from the living areas. Deniz görür (sees the sea) is weaker: the sea can be seen from the flat, perhaps from one window, a balcony corner or between buildings. Kısmi deniz manzarası means partial view; panoramik or tam deniz manzarası means wide, unobstructed. Boğaz manzarası refers specifically to the Bosphorus in Istanbul. None of these terms is regulated, and photographs may be taken with wide lenses from the best spot. Views can also be lost to future construction, which the zoning plan of neighbouring plots may reveal.

Aidat is the regular contribution each owner in a building or gated complex pays for common expenses: caretaker and security salaries, cleaning, lighting of common areas, lift maintenance, garden and pool upkeep, generator fuel and a reserve for repairs. The amount is set at the annual owners' meeting and apportioned according to the management plan, usually by unit size or equal shares. Resorts with pools, gyms and 24-hour security have much higher aidat than plain apartment blocks. Owners are liable for aidat whether or not they use the property, and arrears attach to the unit, so unpaid charges from a previous owner can become the buyer's problem. Ask for the last year's statements and the current budget before buying.

A hisseli tapu shows that the holder owns a fraction, expressed as a share such as 1/4 or 250/1000, of a parcel that is co-owned with others. The share is legal, not physical: the registry does not say which corner of the land or which floor belongs to whom. Informal agreements among co-owners about who uses what are not binding on buyers or courts. Co-owners may have rights of first refusal when a share is sold, and dividing the land into separate parcels later requires zoning compliance and agreement or a court order. Shared titles are common with inherited land and with villas built on a single parcel without condominium ownership. They are a frequent source of disputes.

A yeminli tercüman is a translator who has sworn an oath before a notary and is registered to translate and interpret official documents. Turkish law requires that a person who does not know Turkish be assisted by a sworn interpreter when signing before a notary or at the land registry, so that the signatory understands what they are signing. For title transfers, the land registry keeps its own list of approved interpreters and the interpreter signs the transfer record alongside the parties. Sworn translators also produce certified translations of passports, powers of attorney, marriage and birth certificates, and bank documents. Fees are modest and are set per page or per session. The interpreter is not a legal adviser and does not check the deal for you.

When a foreign buyer purchases property to qualify for Turkish citizenship by investment, the land registry enters an annotation (şerh) on the title stating that the owner undertakes not to sell the property for three years from the acquisition (invest.gov.tr, 2026). The annotation is a condition of the citizenship application and is visible to anyone who checks the registry. During the period the owner may live in, rent out or mortgage the property, but a sale would breach the undertaking and can jeopardise the citizenship process. After three years the owner can apply to the registry to have the annotation removed and may then sell freely. A property already carrying such an annotation from a previous owner cannot be used again by a new buyer for the same purpose in the usual case.

In Turkey, ownership of land and buildings is recorded in the land registry (tapu sicili), kept by the General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre (TKGM). The word tapu is used both for this registry record and, loosely, for the paper certificate that summarises it. A sale is complete only when the transfer is signed at the land registry office and the new owner is entered in the register; a private contract or payment alone does not transfer ownership. The record shows the owner, the parcel, the type of right (full ownership, condominium ownership, construction servitude) and any annotations or mortgages. Foreign buyers go through the same registry, with extra checks on eligibility and a valuation report.

The tapu senedi is the document the land registry hands to the new owner after a transfer. It states the province, district and neighbourhood, the block and parcel numbers, the independent section number for flats, the type of ownership, the share held, and the owner's identity details. It also shows the declared sale value and the date of acquisition. The certificate is a snapshot: later mortgages, annotations or court orders appear in the live registry, not on the paper. For this reason a current registry extract, which the owner or an authorised person can obtain through TKGM's online service, is more reliable than an old certificate. Keep the original safe, but do not rely on it alone when checking a property.

The tapu harcı is a fee under Turkey's Fees Law collected by the land registry at every transfer for value. It is calculated as a percentage of the sale price declared to the registry, which may not be lower than the property's official tax value, and the law makes both buyer and seller liable for their own share, although in practice the parties often agree that the buyer pays all of it. The rate is set in the Fees Law's tariff and has been changed by government decree in the past, including temporary reductions, so check the current rate with the land registry or your lawyer at the time of purchase. Declaring a price below the real one to reduce the fee is unlawful and can trigger penalties and back-taxes.

Kentsel dönüşüm (urban transformation) is the legal framework under which buildings and areas at risk from earthquakes are demolished and rebuilt. Any owner can apply to a licensed institution to have a building assessed; if it is declared a riskli yapı (risky building), the decision is noted in the land registry and owners are given deadlines to vacate and demolish, with the rebuild decided by a qualified majority of owners. Owners may receive rent support or loan subsidies and certain fee exemptions during rebuilding. For buyers, a riskli yapı annotation signals that a building may soon be demolished; it can be an opportunity for a new flat or a long, uncertain process depending on the neighbours and the developer.

An ekspertiz raporu (also called değerleme raporu) is a written valuation of a property prepared by an appraiser or appraisal company licensed by Turkey's Capital Markets Board (SPK). It records the property's legal status, physical condition, location, comparable sales and an estimated market value. The land registry requires a valuation report for every sale in which the buyer is a foreign national, and the report must be registered in TKGM's system before the transfer. The report has a limited validity period set by TKGM. It is also what banks use when granting mortgages. The valuation is independent of the price the parties agree, but it is used as a reference for the declared value and for citizenship-by-investment applications.

Turkey's VAT Law contains an exemption (KDV istisnası) for the first delivery of a newly built residence or workplace by its developer to a buyer who is a foreign national not resident in Turkey, a Turkish citizen living abroad under a work or residence permit, or a foreign-based company with no presence in Turkey. The price must be brought into Turkey in foreign currency and paid before the transfer. The buyer must keep the property for a minimum period set by law; if it is sold earlier, the exempted VAT becomes payable with interest. The exemption applies only to new builds sold by the developer, not to resales between individuals, and it is recorded in the land registry. The exact conditions and the holding period should be confirmed with your lawyer or tax adviser.

A yalı is a house built directly on the shoreline, with its own quay or garden running to the water. The word is most strongly associated with the wooden Ottoman-era mansions along both sides of the Bosphorus in Istanbul, in districts such as Bebek, Arnavutköy, Kandilli and Beylerbeyi. Many are registered historic monuments, which restricts alterations and requires approval from the conservation boards for restoration. Yalıs trade rarely and at very high prices; some are divided into flats. Newer waterside houses elsewhere are sometimes marketed as yalı, so the term is not a legal category. Buyers should check heritage status, coastal-law limits on the shore strip and whether the quay and boathouse are legally registered.

The imar durumu is a document issued by the municipality's zoning department describing the development rules that apply to a parcel under the current zoning plan (imar planı). It states the permitted use (residential, commercial, tourism, agricultural), the maximum building density and height, setbacks, and whether any part of the plot is reserved for roads, green space or public buildings. For land buyers it determines what can be built; for flat buyers it helps confirm that the existing building is compatible with the plan. Zoning plans change, and a plot that is described as buildable today may be revised later. Coastal, forest, archaeological and military areas carry extra restrictions set by other laws.