Property due diligence in Türkiye: a sequenced evidence checklist
Property due diligence is not one document and it is not a final yes/no stamp. It is a sequence of checks designed to establish what is being bought, who can sell it, what restrictions affect it, whether the physical property corresponds to the legal file, what obligations remain and whether the price and payment structure are defensible. The most efficient order is to resolve identity and authority first, then title restrictions, planning/building records, physical condition, management and operating costs, and finally payment and closing. This prevents a buyer spending time negotiating furniture or finishes before confirming that the seller can transfer the exact asset.
Step 1: establish property identity
Record province, district, neighbourhood, block and parcel and, for condominium property, building/block, floor and independent-unit number. Compare these identifiers across the current title record, approved architectural project, valuation where available and the physical unit shown. Marketing names, internal project codes and door numbers can differ from legal identifiers. If the buyer cannot trace the apartment viewed to the registered independent unit, the check remains open. For land, use cadastral information to identify the parcel but obtain appropriate technical assistance if exact boundaries or encroachments matter.
Step 2: verify owner and representation
Confirm the registered owner and the identity of the person negotiating the sale. If a representative acts, inspect the power of attorney for the specific authority required. If a company owns or sells the property, verify the company and current representation authority. A broker may be authorised to advertise without being authorised to sign a title transfer or receive the purchase price. The Ministry of Trade EİDS can support verification of marketing authority in its scope, but seller authority must still be proven through the proper ownership and representation documents.
Step 3: review the current registry and restrictions
Obtain a current review of mortgages, attachments, annotations, easements, usufruct and other material entries. Identify the holder, legal basis and effect of each relevant entry. If the seller promises that a mortgage or attachment will be removed, define the release mechanism and evidence before making a dependent payment. Do not rely only on an old title image because restrictions can change during the transaction. For a foreign buyer, also check the acquisition restrictions that apply to the buyer and parcel.
Step 4: check planning, building and condominium documents
For land, identify the current zoning and permitted use through the competent planning authority; a cadastral map does not prove development rights. For a building, distinguish the building permit from the occupancy/use permit. Compare the approved project with the actual unit, particularly where balconies have been enclosed, units combined or commercial/residential use changed. Review kat irtifakı or kat mülkiyeti status, management plan, aidat ledger and approved major works. Each document answers a different question; one should not be used as a substitute for another.
Step 5: inspect physical and technical condition
View the exact unit and inspect wet areas, windows, doors, floors, walls, heating/cooling, visible electrical and plumbing systems and common access. Record defects with dated photographs. Building age alone does not establish safety, and a recent building is not automatically defect-free. DASK proves a defined compulsory insurance relationship within its scope; it does not certify earthquake resistance. AFAD's earthquake hazard information describes hazard and has stated limitations, including local ground effects that are not represented in the general map. Structural concerns require qualified engineering evidence.
Step 6: reconcile operating liabilities
Check aidat arrears, management budget, special assessments, utilities, insurance and tenant occupation. If the property is rented, review the lease, deposit, payment history and possession position. For an investment, calculate realistic rent and net operating costs rather than accepting a gross-yield claim. A low monthly aidat can be misleading when major façade, roof, lift or mechanical works have already been approved. Ask management for a dated unit balance and relevant owners' meeting decisions.
Step 7: validate price, costs and payment instructions
Build a closing statement separating the purchase price, public taxes and fees, professional services, financing and post-closing costs. Compare the price with genuinely similar properties and use official market indices only as context. Confirm the seller's bank account and independently verify any last-minute change. For foreign natural persons, apply DAB and other foreign-buyer banking requirements where current rules require them. Citizenship transactions need additional valuation, banking and annotation evidence and should not be assumed to follow an ordinary purchase file.
Step 8: turn unresolved findings into conditions
Due diligence does not require every property to be perfect; it requires every material issue to be understood and allocated. A mortgage release, missing permit, tenant vacancy, repair, document correction or furniture obligation should become a clear contractual condition with responsible party, deadline and evidence of completion. If a finding is serious enough that no reasonable cure or price adjustment protects the buyer, the correct outcome may be not to proceed.
Step 9: recheck on closing day and archive the file
Revalidate changeable facts immediately before transfer: current title restrictions, seller or representative authority, document validity, payment details and the exact independent unit. After registration, keep the final title evidence, bank records, DAB where applicable, valuation, permits, management documents, inspection records and handover evidence. A good due-diligence file is reproducible: another professional should be able to see which source answered each question, what exception was found and what document ultimately closed it.