The Home Buying Journey: Step-by-Step Real Estate Purchasing Guide

Purchasing real estate is both a significant personal milestone and a crucial financial investment that shapes your future. Managing the process properly—from the initial decision to the title deed transfer—protects you against unexpected costs and legal risks.

1. Budget and Financial Planning

Focusing solely on the listing price is a common mistake. Calculating total expenses in advance ensures solid financial management.

Additional Costs: Allocate an extra 6–8% of the purchase price for title deed fees (4%), revolving fund charges, real estate agent fees (2% + VAT), and compulsory property/earthquake insurance (DASK).

Mortgage Eligibility: If financing via a bank loan, secure pre-approval and review current interest rates before starting your property search.

2. Location and Needs Assessment

The right location determines both quality of life and long-term capital appreciation.

Transportation & Infrastructure: Evaluate proximity to main arterial roads, public transit hubs, commercial centers, and planned infrastructure projects.

Surrounding Amenities: Check accessibility to schools, hospitals, retail centers, and green spaces.

Rental Yield & Payback Period: For investment purchases, analyze the local amortization period (property price divided by annual rental yield).

3. Legal and Technical Due Diligence

Verifying official registry records and physical condition is the most critical step.

Mortgages and Other Title Records: Checks Before Buying Updated 30 October 2026

You have found a home, agreed on a price and reached the purchasing stage. One important next step is to review current title records. Rather than relying only on a photograph of the title deed, check both the identity of the property and the entries affecting it.

Starting this review before transfer day helps identify issues that need clarification. The purpose is to understand how each entry should be addressed in your purchase, as well as what it is called.

Make sure you are checking the right property

Ask the seller for current registry information. Compare the province, district, neighbourhood, block, parcel and, where applicable, independent unit number. Confirm that the documents relate to the apartment or share you intend to buy.

If you are considering several apartments in one building, keep their documents in separate files. Label each document with the relevant property and its date. Compare the listing, documents and physical unit together to avoid reviewing another apartment's records by mistake.

Questions to ask about a mortgage entry

If a mortgage appears, ask who the creditor is, which property or share it affects and what procedure is planned for the sale. Support the seller's statement that the loan will be repaid with information from the bank and follow-up of the discharge process.

TKGM's explanation of electronic mortgage discharge covers the relevant bank or institution's electronic procedure and its registration stages. Accordingly, do not rely solely on confirmation that a debt has been paid: also check that removal of the mortgage entry has been completed.

Work with the seller to obtain the current repayment amount, payment arrangements and discharge procedure from the creditor. Do not assume that an entry has disappeared before the process is complete.

Check the source and removal status of an attachment

According to TKGM's E-Haciz explanation, property attachments relating to public receivables can be registered and tracked digitally. The institution concerned, registration date and journal number are important details. TKGM also states that, if the debt has been paid, registration of the removal letter in the land register should be confirmed.

Do not conclude from the entry's heading alone that a sale can or cannot proceed. Ask the relevant land registry office to review its full text and basis; obtain case-specific legal advice where necessary.

Read other entries with the same care

Do not limit your review to the words mortgage and attachment. If an annotation, declaration or right is recorded, request its full explanation. Ask whose benefit it serves, which document supports it and what action is needed for your intended purchase.

Record unfamiliar expressions instead of dismissing them as unimportant. Compare the seller's explanation with information from the relevant institution. Include unresolved matters in your payment and transfer planning.

Plan document checks and payment together

The TKGM title information enquiry service on e-Devlet requires identity verification. Ask the owner to review the information through their own account or obtain current documents through an appropriate route.

When planning a deposit or purchase payment, put in writing which party will follow up each procedure concerning existing entries. Discuss the order of actions between the bank, land registry office and parties in advance.

Final checks before transfer

Seek clear answers to these questions: • Do the reviewed records relate to the correct property and share? • Are the documents current? • Have the full explanations of existing entries been obtained? • Have removal procedures said to be necessary actually been completed? • Does anything remain unclear?

Keeping documents organised and resolving uncertainties before payment helps make the purchasing process easier to manage.

Official sources https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/tapu-dairesi-baskanligi/duyurular/e-ipotek-terkini-islemleri-hakkinda https://www.tkgm.gov.tr/e-hizmetler/diger-hizmetler/e-haciz https://www.turkiye.gov.tr/tapu-bilgileri-sorgulama

Occupancy Permit (İskân): Confirm that the building has an occupancy permit and complies with condominium ownership standards.

Municipal Architectural Review: Verify that the physical unit matches the approved municipal architectural project in terms of floor, layout, and dimensions.

Structural Condition: Inspect the building's age, compliance with earthquake regulations, insulation, and utility installations.

4. Negotiation and Sales Agreement

Comparable Market Analysis: Base your offer on real sales data of comparable properties recently sold in the immediate area.

Written Preliminary Agreement: Before paying a deposit, sign a written agreement detailing delivery dates, included fixtures, and cancellation terms.

5. Title Deed Transfer and Final Handover

WebTapu Application: Initiate the deed transfer application online via the official WebTapu system and settle all fees.

Secure Payment: Use the Land Registry Secure Payment System or blocked cashier's checks instead of physical cash.

Utility Transfers & Tax Declarations: Transfer electricity, water, and gas utilities into your name, and submit the real estate property tax declaration to the local municipality.