Sell your property in Istanbul or Bodrum with us

Selling a flat in Istanbul or a villa in Bodrum is a sequence of practical decisions: what the home is realistically worth, which documents must be ready, how buyers will see it, what the sale costs you in fees and tax, and how the money reaches you, including abroad if you live outside Turkey. This page explains how Turkey Flat For Sale works with owners and what the rules said when we checked them on 30 September 2026.

Why owners sell with us

Turkey Flat For Sale is a brand of Servet Property, a property and consultancy company based in Istanbul. Our head office is in Levent, Şişli, and we are open Monday to Saturday from 09:00 to 19:00. Much of our work is with buyers and investors: our investment consultants speak with them by phone in the language they speak, present options at our office and show homes on site with our field consultants. When you sell with us, your home is presented to that audience.

• Five languages Our site is published in English, Turkish, Russian, Arabic and Persian, so one listing reaches buyers who read in any of these languages.
• Checked before publication Listings on our site are checked before they go live, and photos that owners send through the seller form are checked before they reach our team.
• Buyers we already speak with Our investment consultants work with buyers and investors looking for property in Istanbul and Bodrum, and we work with reputable developers in the sector.
• One channel you choose After you submit the form, your request receives a trackable reference number and we reply on WhatsApp, by phone or by e-mail, whichever you selected.
• Istanbul and Bodrum On 30 September 2026 our site carried 440 published listings in Istanbul and 73 on the Bodrum peninsula, so buyers comparing these markets already use our pages.

Buyers browse the Istanbul and Bodrum sections and our area guides before they call us. A well-prepared listing sits next to that material and answers the questions they would otherwise ask first.

How it works

1. Send the details Fill in the seller form: property type, location and the main facts. You can add photos. Please do not include personal documents in the photos.
2. Get a reference number Your request receives a trackable reference number, which you can quote in every later message.
3. We contact you Our team replies through the channel you chose in the form: WhatsApp, phone or e-mail. We ask for anything missing and discuss the price, timing and how viewings would work.
4. Terms in writing Before any engagement we confirm our services and fee in writing. The regulation described below requires a written authorisation contract for agency services.
5. Listing and viewings We prepare the listing text, check it before publication and arrange viewings with interested buyers, in person or by video.
6. Offer, agreement and transfer We pass every offer to you, the price and terms are agreed in writing, and the sale is completed at the land registry office.

Pricing and valuation

The asking price is the most important marketing decision you will make. A price that is too high keeps a home on the market while buyers compare it with better-value alternatives; a price that is too low gives away money. We plan the valuation with you using comparable homes on the market, the building’s age and condition, floor, view, outdoor space, parking, transport access and, for Bodrum, distance to the sea and to the marina towns. Turkey’s Real Estate Trade Regulation expressly lists researching the current market sale or rental value and the tax value of a property among the services a licensed agency may provide.

Three rules shape pricing in practice:

• Declared value Law No. 492 on Fees charges the title deed fee on the declared transfer value, and that value may not be lower than the property’s property-tax value. Declare the real price.
• Foreign buyers A circular of the land registry (TKGM) in force since 4 March 2019 required a valuation report from an authorised valuation firm for sales in which a foreign national is a party; reports were valid for three months. Check the current requirement with the land registry for your date.
• Online price changes Since an amendment published on 30 May 2025, the regulation prohibits price increases in online property listings that are out of line with general economic data and have no justified reason.

Documents a seller needs

A sale moves faster when the paperwork is gathered before the first viewing. Buyers and their lawyers ask for most of these items early, and the land registry asks for several of them on the day.

Energy identity certificate (EKB)

Article 25 of the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulation states that an energy identity certificate must have been issued for purchase, sale and rental of buildings or independent units, and that at the sale stage the owner gives the buyer a copy. The Real Estate Trade Regulation also requires agencies to show a property’s energy identity information in their listings where it exists. Obtain the EKB before the home is listed.

Occupancy permit (iskan)

The building-use permit shows that a building was completed in line with its approved project. The Real Estate Trade Regulation requires the zoning and building-use permit status to be written into the authorisation contract for a sale, alongside the registry details, size, age, actual use and any mortgages or attachments. If your building has no permit, or the actual use differs from the registered use, tell us at the start; it affects which buyers can proceed and how the home can be described.

Earthquake insurance: what changed in September 2026

Law No. 6305 on Disaster Insurance makes a valid compulsory earthquake insurance policy a condition of registry transactions for buildings in scope. Under an amendment to the policy’s general conditions announced by the insurance regulator (SEDDK) and reported in August 2026, since 5 September 2026 a seller’s policy ends automatically on the registration date of a sale, the registry looks for a new policy issued in the buyer’s name, and the policyholder or former owner may apply for a refund of the premium for the unused days. Keep your policy details at hand so the refund can be claimed after completion.

Debts and encumbrances

A buyer’s lawyer will review a recent official registry record. If the home carries a mortgage, a lien or an annotation, agree in writing how it will be released before or at completion. Unpaid building-management charges and utility accounts are not registry entries but are usually raised by buyers, so settle or document them early.

Sale steps at the land registry

1. Written agreement Price, currency, payment schedule, handover date, what stays in the home and who pays each cost are written down. The regulation requires the sales-intermediation contract to set out how the title deed fee and the land registry service charge are shared between buyer and seller.
2. Application and appointment The sale application is made to the land registry directorate where the property is located, and an appointment is set for signing.
3. Checks and fees The registry checks the property-tax value, any unpaid property tax and the earthquake insurance position; the parties pay the title deed fee and the registry’s service charge.
4. Payment The purchase price is paid in the agreed way. For purchases by people without Turkish citizenship, the Central Bank’s Capital Movements Circular requires the foreign currency to be sold to a bank before the registry transaction, and the payment is made to the seller in Turkish lira.
5. Signature and registration Buyer and seller, or their attorneys, sign at the registry. A certified interpreter attends if a party does not speak Turkish.
6. Handover and after Keys, meter readings and building-management records are handed over; the seller notifies utilities and claims any insurance refund.

Taxes and fees on selling

• 2% seller’s title deed fee on the declared value (Law No. 492, tariff as at 30 September 2026)
• 5 years holding period after which a gain on a home bought is outside capital-gains tax (Income Tax Law, repeated Article 80)
• 150,000 TL annual capital-gains exemption for 2026 (Revenue Administration guide, February 2026)
• 4% maximum agency fee for a sale, excluding VAT (Real Estate Trade Regulation, Article 20)

Title deed fee

Tariff No. 4 of the Law on Fees charges the fee on a transfer of real estate for consideration separately to the transferor and to the transferee, on the declared transfer value, which may not be lower than the property-tax value. The rate in force on 30 September 2026 was 20 per thousand (2%) for each side. The Law allows the President to change the rate, so confirm it for your completion date. The land registry also collects a service charge (döner sermaye) that varies by location. Who bears which amount economically is for the written agreement; the regulation expects the contract to say so.

Capital-gains tax (değer artış kazancı)

Under the Income Tax Law as explained in the Revenue Administration’s guide published in February 2026, a gain made by an individual on real estate acquired for consideration and sold within five years of acquisition is taxable. The five years are counted in calendar days. Key points:

• Acquisition date is normally the date of registration at the land registry. In some cases, for example a home delivered ready for use by a cooperative, the date the owner actually started using it can count instead if it is documented.
• Inherited or gifted property acquired without consideration is outside this tax when sold.
• Indexation The purchase cost is increased by the domestic producer price index (Yİ-ÜFE) from the month before acquisition to the month before sale, provided the increase is at least 10%.
• Deductions Expenses of the sale borne by the seller and taxes and fees paid, including the seller’s title deed fee, are deducted from the proceeds.
• Exemption The first 150,000 TL of such gains in calendar year 2026 is exempt; for 2025 the amount was 120,000 TL. The exemption for the year of sale applies.
• Declaration Residents declare the gain on the annual income tax return in March of the following year; for 2025 income the tax was payable in two instalments by 31 March and 31 July 2026, at progressive rates that ran from 15% to 40%. The 2026 tariff is set by General Communiqué No. 332.
• Frequent sellers If a person buys and sells property repeatedly, in an organised way and for profit, the income can be treated as commercial income instead.

The worked example in the same guide shows the scale: a home bought for 3,000,000 TL in September 2022 and sold for 15,000,000 TL in April 2025 had an indexed cost of about 6.77 million TL, leaving a taxable gain of about 8.1 million TL after the 2025 exemption. We found no change to the five-year rule or the 2026 exemption in force on 30 September 2026, but tax law changes, so confirm with a tax adviser.

Non-resident sellers

Individuals not resident in Turkey are taxed only on income earned in Turkey. The Revenue Administration’s guide states that non-residents who are not obliged to file an annual return must file a special return (münferit beyanname) for gains from disposing of real estate with the tax office where the property is located, within 15 days of the gain. Your country of residence may also tax the gain; ask an adviser in both countries.

Foreign owners and moving the proceeds abroad

Many owners of Istanbul and Bodrum homes live abroad. Selling from abroad is common, but it needs planning:

• Transfer abroad Article 13 of the Central Bank’s Capital Movements Circular states that banks may freely transfer abroad the net income and sale proceeds of real estate owned in Turkey by persons resident abroad, after taxes and similar obligations.
• Lira at completion When the buyer has no Turkish citizenship, the same article requires the buyer’s foreign currency to be sold to a bank before the registry transaction and the payment is made in Turkish lira. Plan your conversion and transfer with your bank.
• Power of attorney If you cannot travel, a representative can sign for you under a power of attorney. Ask a lawyer how it should be drawn up and legalised where you live.
• Citizenship-linked homes Homes bought for Turkish citizenship by investment carry a three-year no-sale annotation on the title deed, under the citizenship regulation as amended on 12 December 2023. Check whether yours does and when it ends.
• Interpreter A certified interpreter is required at the registry if a party does not speak Turkish.

Keep the documents that prove what you paid, including the purchase deed, bank records and any currency exchange receipts. They support the cost figure in a tax calculation and make the bank’s review of a transfer abroad easier.

Timeline

How long a sale takes depends mainly on the price, the property and how ready the documents are. Buyers need time to view, arrange funds and get their own advice. A useful way to plan is in stages:

Preparing the home for viewings and photos

Photos are the first viewing. Most buyers decide from the photos and the floor plan whether a home is worth a visit, and international buyers often shortlist from abroad before they plan an inspection trip.

• Light and order Photograph in daylight with curtains open and lights on. Clear worktops, remove personal items and put away anything with names, documents or number plates.
• Show the view honestly If the home has a sea or Bosphorus view, show it from the rooms where it can actually be seen. Buyers who arrive and find a different view lose trust quickly.
• Small repairs Fix dripping taps, loose handles, broken bulbs and marks on walls. Service the air conditioning and check the boiler before winter viewings.
• Access Agree how viewings will run if you live abroad or the home is let: who holds keys, notice for tenants and how the building security is informed.
• Facts on paper Keep a short sheet with net and gross area, year built, heating type, monthly management charge and parking. The regulation lists many of these points for the authorisation contract anyway.

Agency fees: the legal framework

Real estate brokerage in Turkey is governed by the Real Estate Trade Regulation (Taşınmaz Ticareti Hakkında Yönetmelik), first published on 5 June 2018 and substantially amended on 14 October 2020. As published on the official legislation portal on 30 September 2026, it provides that:

• services are provided on the basis of a written authorisation contract between the owner and the licensed agency, made in at least two copies, one for each party;
• the contract must state the agency’s authorisation certificate number, the services and fees, the parties’ rights and obligations, any withdrawal fee or penalty (which may not exceed the total service fee), the term of the contract and the property details;
• the fee for intermediating a sale may not exceed 4% of the sale price excluding VAT, and unless the contract says otherwise it is shared equally between the parties;
• only one fee may be charged on a sale, even if the agency also has a contract with the buyer;
• showing a property may not be charged for, and if a buyer shown the home bypasses the agency and buys directly from the owner within the contract term, the fee is still earned;
• every offer and counter-offer must be passed to the client in writing or electronically as soon as possible, and listings must end within three days of a sale or of the contract ending.

We do not publish a fixed fee on this page. Turkey Flat For Sale confirms its services and fee in writing before any engagement, so you know exactly what you are agreeing to. For how we work with buyers, see our services and fees.

• Do not sign an authorisation contract you have not read in full; the regulation requires the agency to give you time to read and to explain the terms.
• Do not agree to under-declare the price at the registry.
• Do not send passports or title deeds through open messaging groups; share documents only when they are needed and with the person handling them.

Frequently asked questions

Thinking of selling a home in Istanbul or Bodrum? Contact us or fill in the seller form, and we will plan the valuation and the sale with you.

Sources

• Real Estate Trade Regulation (Taşınmaz Ticareti Hakkında Yönetmelik), consolidated text — authorisation contract, 4% fee cap, fee sharing, listing rules, 30 May 2025 price-increase rule (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Alomaliye — text of the 29 April 2026 amendment (Official Gazette No. 33238): secure payment system, fee deducted from seller, loan-financed part excluded (secondary source) (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Ministry of Trade — secure payment system start moved to 1 October 2026 (accessed 30 September 2026)
• BD Turkey — Ministry of Trade announcement moving the start to 1 December 2026, 28 September 2026 (secondary source) (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Law No. 492 on Fees, Tariff No. 4 — title deed fee 20 per thousand for each party on declared value (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Revenue Administration (GİB) — Guide to taxation of other income, February 2026: five-year rule, indexation, 2025 and 2026 exemptions, non-resident special return (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Property Tax Law No. 1319, Article 30 — registry check of property-tax value and debt (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Energy Performance of Buildings Regulation, Article 25 — EKB required for sale and rental (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Alomaliye — SEDDK change to compulsory earthquake insurance on transfer, effective 5 September 2026 (secondary source) (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Central Bank of the Republic of Türkiye — Capital Movements Circular, Article 13: transfer of sale proceeds abroad; foreign currency for purchases by foreigners (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Invest in Türkiye — documents for land registry procedures, photos, interpreter, earthquake insurance (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Alomaliye — TKGM circular on valuation reports in sales involving foreigners, from 4 March 2019 (secondary source) (accessed 30 September 2026)
• Cottgroup — citizenship regulation amendment of 12 December 2023: USD 400,000 and three-year no-sale annotation (secondary source) (accessed 30 September 2026)