Buying a flat in Dragos as a foreign buyer
People of most nationalities can own an Istanbul home outright. Here is how a purchase in Dragos runs: who does what, which papers you need, what it costs beyond the price, and the checks that matter on this particular hill.
How a purchase runs, start to finish
Brief us and see the flats
Your budget, the room count and how much sea you want to see. We line up matching homes and show them on site or over video.
Get a tax number, open an account
A tax office issues your vergi numarası against your passport, often while you wait. A Turkish bank account receives the funds you send from abroad.
Order the appraisal
A licensed valuation company inspects the flat and files its report. The Land Registry will not transfer to a foreign buyer without it.
Transfer the tapu
Once DASK earthquake cover is in place, you and the seller sign at the Land Registry, with a sworn interpreter beside you if you need one.
Apply for residence, if you want it
The new deed can support a residence permit application. Citizenship needs a minimum of $400,000 in property, held three years.
Fees on top of the asking price
Budget for these before you make an offer, so the total does not surprise you at the registry.
| Item | Typical amount | Usually paid by |
|---|---|---|
| Tapu fee (tapu harcı) | 4% of the value declared on the deed | Commonly shared, 2% each side |
| Appraisal report | A flat charge from the licensed valuer | The buyer |
| DASK earthquake policy | Paid annually; depends on size and how the building is constructed | The buyer |
| Sworn interpreter, notary | Charged per appointment or document | The buyer |
| VAT on a new-build | Depends on the flat and the deal; ask for a VAT-inclusive figure | The buyer, within the price |
| Our fee | Set out in writing before any viewing | As agreed with you |
After completion you pay yearly property tax and DASK, the utility bills, and a monthly aidat to the site management. In the big Cevizli projects the aidat pays for pools, gyms and round-the-clock security, so compare it as carefully as the price.
The paperwork you bring
- Your passport plus a certified Turkish translation of its identity page.
- A Turkish tax number, issued by any tax office on sight of the passport.
- Two recent biometric photographs.
- The licensed appraiser’s valuation report for the flat.
- A DASK compulsory earthquake insurance certificate.
- Bank statements proving the funds were transferred in from abroad.
Checks that matter in Dragos
Some checks apply anywhere in Istanbul. Others come from the way Dragos grew, from summer houses on a hillside to large projects near the highway.
- Which district and mahalle the deed names. Maltepe and Kartal each have a Cevizli, so make sure the deed and the building agree.
- The deed shows the seller as owner and carries no mortgage, lien or other annotation.
- An occupancy permit (iskan) exists. On older houses on the hill, also check that later extensions appear on the approved plans.
- The construction year and the earthquake regulations the building was designed under.
- Whether the sea view can be built out: ask what may go up on the plots below the flat.
- Unpaid aidat, utility bills or property tax that would pass to the new owner.
Residence permits and citizenship
Owning a home in Istanbul lets you apply for a short-term residence permit on that basis. The decision belongs to the immigration authority, and the minimum values and eligible areas for property-based permits change over time.
The citizenship route is separate and much higher: property worth at least $400,000 according to a valuation report, and a note on the deed blocking its sale for three years. Two or more properties can be counted together. A single flat priced far below the line does not qualify, however good the view.
These rules are revised. We have a lawyer confirm the current position before you commit, and we never guarantee how a residence or citizenship application will be decided.
More questions
Can someone else sign at the Land Registry for me?
Yes. With a notarised power of attorney, arranged at a Turkish consulate where you live or at a notary while you are here, a lawyer can sign on your behalf. Plenty of buyers still fly in for the day, because standing in the flat once before the deed is signed is worth a lot.
Prices are in dollars. Is the sale too?
Sellers in Dragos often advertise in US dollars. The deed itself is registered in lira, and as a foreign buyer you need bank evidence that the funds came from outside Türkiye. We give you the exact list of papers the bank and the registry will want.
How quickly can it all be done?
With a finished flat whose deed already exists, a few weeks after you choose is typical; the appraisal and the registry appointment set the pace. A flat in a project still under construction follows the developer’s handover date instead.
Does owning the flat give me a residence permit?
Not by itself. Ownership is grounds to apply for a short-term permit; the immigration authority reviews each file, and the qualifying values and districts change every so often. We help you put the documents together and refer you to a specialist.
Planning a purchase from abroad?
Tell us which country you are in and the sort of flat you want. We will reply with matching homes and a dated plan for each step.
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