Property title deeds
There are a number of restrictions as to where foreigners can buy prop¬erty in Turkey, which at fi rst sight may seem onerous, but in practice are not that much of a problem. For example, properties in what are known as the ‘Military Forbidden Zones’ and ‘Safety Regions’ can’t be sold or rented to foreigners and, as a matter of course, the Land Registry contacts Army Headquarters for clearance. These restrictions apply to a fairly minute area, for the most part on Turkey’s borders where disputes are likely to fl are up.
Foreign nationals were limited to purchasing property within the boundaries of major municipalities prior to July 2003, when the law was amended to permit them to purchase property outside these areas. However, foreign nationals are not allowed to purchase property within village boundaries with more than 2,000 registered inhabitants or to buy land or farms larger than 74 acres without special permission from the Turkish Government. As of July 2005, the legislation, revised in July 2003, applicable to foreigners who wish to purchase land or property in Turkey has been ruled to be unconstitutional by the Turkish Constitutional Court. The amended law, which was presented before the court, has unfortunately been rejected. Therefore, until the law is ratifi ed and approved by the Parliament, any applications made by the foreigners to the Land Registry offi ce will not be processed.No timescale has been given for when the matter may be resolved! |