How to Check a Developer in Turkey Before You Buy

The question of how to check a developer in Turkey matters more than the question of price: a pretty flat by the sea becomes a problem if the building is not delivered on time, the permits were drawn up with violations or the company has no money to finish the project. The good news is that most checks can be done by yourself in a few days without being a lawyer. Below are the order of actions, the red flags and how we approach rating developers on the site.

Everything described is for information. Before you pay any money show the documents to a lawyer who works in Turkey.

Why checking the developer matters more than the price

If you buy a building that is still going up, you pay for a promise. Until delivery you have no finished flat, only a contract and trust in the company. That is why the developer’s reliability decides whether you get what you paid for, by the date you were given. The risk is lower with finished buildings, but there too you need to check documents, because a company may not have completed everything it is obliged to.

How to check a developer in Turkey: eight steps

1. Company data. The name, tax number, address and founders are recorded in the trade registry. Notices of registration and changes are published in the Trade Registry Gazette, which can be found through ticaretsicil.gov.tr. Compare the data with what is in the contract.
2. Experience. Ask for a list of completed buildings, their addresses and years of delivery. Visit at least one and talk to residents: how the management company works, whether there were delays and unfinished work.
3. The land. The plot must be registered to the developer or to an owner with whom the developer has a formal agreement. Ask for an extract from the land register and check for a mortgage, an attachment or other encumbrances.
4. Permits. A building under construction must have a building permit and an approved project. Ask for copies and check the address, parcel number and number of floors against what you are being sold.
5. Construction supervision. In Turkey a licensed building inspection company accompanies the project. Find out its name and ask how you can get information on the progress of work. Official information on the system is on the website of the Ministry of Environment, Urbanisation and Climate Change.
6. The contract. It must contain the price, the area (net and gross), the flat and floor number, the payment schedule, the delivery date, the penalty for delay and the list of finishing and appliances. Verbal promises count for nothing.
7. Payments. Money is sent only to the company’s corporate account named in the contract, with confirmation. A payment to a manager’s personal card is a reason to stop.
8. Progress of the build. Ask for dated photos and video, or better, come yourself. Compare the stage of work with the payment schedule: it is not worth paying in advance for stages that do not exist.

Red flags when choosing a developer

None of the signs below proves bad faith, but each needs further checking.

• The seller refuses to show documents or refers to “commercial secrecy”.
• The price is noticeably lower than in similar buildings nearby, for no clear reason.
• You are hurried into a deposit and promised “the last flat at this price”.
• You are not given a written contract or the terms change after the money is paid.
• They promise guaranteed returns and fast price growth, which nobody can guarantee.
• The building has no building permit or the plot is registered to someone else.
• You are asked to send payment to a personal account or in cash without a receipt.

What the title deed for a building under construction means

Until the building is delivered you receive not full ownership of the flat but a right to a future share of the building. After the work is finished and the occupancy permit received, it turns into an ordinary title deed for the flat. This is a normal scheme, but it means that while the building is going up your protection is provided by the contract, the land documents and the reputation of the company. Read more about the buying procedure in the article Buying property in Turkey as a foreigner.

Ten questions for the manager before reserving

Ask them in writing and keep the answers. A serious company answers calmly and without taking offence.

1. What is the name of the legal entity that sells the flat and who are its founders?
2. In whose name is the land registered and are there encumbrances on it?
3. Which building permit has been issued and when?
4. Which company carries out the construction supervision?
5. Which area is stated in the contract: net or gross?
6. What is included in the price: finishing, appliances, a kitchen, parking?
7. What is the payment schedule and is it tied to construction stages?
8. What is the delivery date and what penalty applies for delay?
9. What are the monthly charges for running the building?
10. Which buildings has the company already delivered and can they be visited?

What to do if the developer delays delivery

First check the contract: the date, any permitted extension and the amount of the penalty. Then ask for a written explanation of the reasons and a new date. Do not stop payments on your own without legal advice: breaking your own obligations may weaken your position. Keep correspondence, photos of the site and confirmations of payment, which will be needed if the matter reaches a claim. If delays repeat, turn to a lawyer who works with your contract and find out what rights you have under the consumer protection law.

If the building is already delivered: what to check

In a finished building ask for a current register extract, the occupancy permit and the DASK insurance documents. Inspect the common areas, lifts, roof, basement and parking, and ask the management company about the building’s debts and planned repairs. Pay attention to damp, cracks and the quality of the entrance finishing. If something displeases you, it is a reason to ask for a discount or to decline, not to hope that “it will all be fixed later”.

How to compare two developers’ offers

When you choose between two buildings, the price per metre is far from the only criterion. Draw up a simple table and fill it in for each developer: the delivery date in the contract, experience and delivered buildings, registration of the land and permits, what is included in the price, the size of monthly charges, the penalty for delay and the payment schedule. A row where one company has data and another has none is revealing in itself. If one developer readily sends documents and another answers with general phrases, that too is information for your decision. Do not compare only the final sums: a flat for less money without finishing and a kitchen may cost more in the end than a slightly dearer one with a ready renovation.

What an independent check by a lawyer gives you

A lawyer who takes no commission on the sale looks at a deal differently from a seller. They check the register, read the contract and verify the permits, point out clauses that shift risk onto the buyer and help change them. Such a check usually takes a few days and costs noticeably less than one mistake. Ask the lawyer for a written opinion that lists exactly what was checked and what remained unconfirmed. If a lawyer offers you to buy a flat from a specific company as well, that is a reason to look for another.

How we rate developers on the site

In our developer ranking points are given only for verifiable facts with sources stated: delivery dates, experience, legal cleanliness, quality, finances and transparency. Paid placement does not affect the points, and the ratings contain no accusations: if there is no data we say so and write that the rating is being formed. Company profiles are collected on the developers page, and the flats they offer are in the property catalogue. The ranking helps weed out obvious risks but does not replace your own check of the documents.

Conclusion

To work out how to check a developer in Turkey you do not need to be a lawyer: company data, land documents and permits, careful reading of the contract and payment only to a corporate account are enough. Do not hurry, ask for everything in writing and show the papers to a specialist. If you are choosing a flat in Mersin, start with the catalogue, and read about life in the city in the articles on living in Mersin and on the climate.

This material does not replace a lawyer’s advice. Check conditions and the procedure on the date of the deal.

Photos: U.S. Air Force (public domain), Wikimedia Commons; project visualisations are used with the site owner’s consent.