How Foreigners Buy Property in Alanya: Step by Step

Buying an apartment or villa in Alanya is more straightforward than most first-time foreign buyers expect, but it is not a single transaction. It is a sequence of small, official steps that have to happen in the right order, each producing a document the next step depends on. Skip one, and the Land Registry simply will not let the sale through. This guide maps that journey from start to finish. It is deliberately a process guide, not a price list: it tells you what happens, in what order, how long each phase realistically takes, and who is responsible for it. Where money comes up, we point you to our dedicated breakdowns rather than repeating figures here. Two facts up front that calm most nerves. First, you do not need a residence permit or a special visa to buy; a standard tourist entry is enough, because property ownership is governed by Land Registry rules, not immigration status. Second, nationals of well over 180 countries may buy freely. The decisive question is never "am I allowed?" but "are my documents in order?" The Journey at a Glance Here is the full ordered sequence. The sections below expand each step. Find the property and reserve it Sign the reservation (preliminary) agreement and pay the deposit Get your Turkish tax number Open a Turkish bank account and transfer your funds Convert your currency and obtain the DAB certificate Commission the SPK valuation (appraisal) report Military-zone clearance (handled automatically by the Land Registry) Buy DASK earthquake insurance Transfer the Tapu (title deed) at the Land Registry Connect the utilities Step 1 — Find and Reserve The journey begins with viewings and a decision. Once you have chosen a property, you reserve it so it comes off the market while the paperwork runs. This is also the moment to begin due diligence: a title search to confirm the seller genuinely owns the property and that there are no mortgages, liens, or other encumbrances registered against it. A good agent or lawyer starts this before any money changes hands. Time: viewings to decision is entirely up to you; the title search itself takes roughly 3–7 days. Step 2 — Reservation Agreement and Deposit With the property chosen, you sign a preliminary sale agreement (ön sözleşme) and pay a reservation deposit. The agreement fixes the agreed price, the payment schedule, and the penalties if either side walks away. It is sensible to have it drafted or reviewed by a lawyer and to list conditions such as a clean title and a clear military-zone check, so your deposit is protected if a problem surfaces. One thing to understand clearly: this contract is a binding promise to buy and sell, but it does not transfer ownership. Under Turkish law only registration at the Land Registry does that. Treat the reservation agreement as protection, not as the finish line. Time: 1–3 days to draft and sign. Step 3 — Turkish Tax Number Nothing official can proceed without a Turkish tax number (vergi kimlik numarası). It is the key that unlocks the bank account, the contracts, and the title transfer. You can get it free of charge, the same day, either in person at any local tax office with your passport, or online in a few minutes through the Revenue Administration's portal at dijital.gib.gov.tr. Time: same day. Step 4 — Bank Account and Fund Transfer With the tax number in hand, you open a Turkish bank account. This is mandatory, because all purchase funds, taxes, and fees must flow through traceable Turkish banking channels. Major banks serving foreign buyers in the Alanya and Antalya region include Ziraat Bankası, Garanti BBVA, Akbank, and İşbankası. Opening an account typically requires your passport, tax number, and proof of address. You then transfer your purchase funds into the account. Time: account opening 1–3 days; the international transfer itself depends on your home bank. Step 5 — Currency Conversion and the DAB This step trips up the unprepared, so plan for it. Since 2022, any foreign buyer paying in foreign currency must convert those funds into Turkish lira through a licensed Turkish bank and obtain a DAB — Döviz Alım Belgesi, the Foreign Exchange Purchase Certificate. The exchange must happen at a bank, never at a currency-exchange bureau, and the bank issues the DAB as proof. The DAB goes into your title-transfer dossier. Without a valid one, the Land Registry will not complete the Tapu. The certificate records your name and passport number, the foreign-currency amount, the lira equivalent at the official rate, and the purpose of the exchange. Time: 1–3 business days after the funds arrive and are exchanged. Step 6 — SPK Valuation Report Every foreign purchase requires an independent appraisal — the ekspertiz raporu — from a firm licensed by the Capital Markets Board (SPK). This is not a formality you can skip; the Land Registry expects it as part of the dossier. The report runs to roughly 20–35 pages and covers the legal status of the title, zoning, encumbrances, comparable market prices, photographs, and a risk assessment. Two practical points. The report is valid for 90 days, so it should be timed close to your transfer date. And if you are buying with a view to Turkish citizenship later, it is the SPK-assessed value, not the price on your contract, that counts toward the eligibility threshold. Time: 3–7 business days (faster via the WebTapu fast-track). Step 7 — Military-Zone Clearance Turkish law checks every foreign purchase against military restricted zones. The reassuring part is that you do not apply for this separately — the Land Registry (TKGM) initiates the check automatically when the title transfer is submitted. For ordinary apartments and villas in Alanya's and Antalya's urban areas, this is almost never an issue. Coastal plots, rural land, and border-adjacent parcels are where delays can occur, which is exactly why your lawyer should confirm the parcel's status during the earlier due-diligence step. Time: usually instant for urban property; 1–4 weeks if a parcel-specific review is triggered. Step 8 — DASK Earthquake Insurance Before the title can change hands, the property needs a valid DASK policy — Turkey's compulsory earthquake insurance. It is required to complete the Tapu transfer and, crucially, to connect electricity, water, and gas afterwards. DASK covers structural earthquake damage and directly triggered events such as fire, landslide, or tsunami; it does not cover contents or personal belongings. Premiums are modest by design, since it is a state-administered pool, and the policy is renewed annually. You buy it through any licensed Turkish insurer or bank. Time: same day. Step 9 — Tapu Transfer at the Land Registry This is the step that actually makes you the owner. Appointments are booked through the WebTapu system (webtapu.tkgm.gov.tr), where documents are uploaded in advance and a date is set at the local Land Registry Office (Tapu Müdürlüğü). On the day, both buyer and seller — or their authorised representatives holding a power of attorney — attend in person. If you do not speak Turkish, a sworn translator must be present; this is a legal requirement, not an optional extra. The officer verifies the documents, runs a final encumbrance check, the transfer taxes are paid, and the deed is signed and registered. Many transactions now settle through TapuTakas, the official escrow system that releases your money to the seller only at the instant the deed is registered — so neither side is exposed: you get the deed and the seller gets the funds simultaneously. The appointment itself usually takes one to three hours. Once signatures are in, the new owner's name appears in the system within minutes, and the digital deed (e-Tapu) becomes available immediately through the TKGM portal. For the transaction taxes and registry fees involved here, see our guide to Tapu transfer costs. Time: 1–3 hours on the day; allow 1–2 weeks beforehand to secure an appointment in busy seasons. Step 10 — Connect the Utilities With the Tapu in hand, the final step is making the home liveable: transferring or newly subscribing to electricity, water, and — where available — natural gas. In the Antalya and Alanya region, electricity is handled through the local distributor and water through ASAT, the regional water authority. Each utility needs a copy of your Tapu, your passport, your tax number, and your active DASK certificate. Water is usually connected within a day or two; electricity and gas may take a little longer. Aim to complete all of this within about two weeks of receiving the deed. Realistic Timeline For a standard resale purchase in Alanya, the whole journey from accepted offer to title in hand typically runs 4–8 weeks. A rough phase-by-phase picture: Tax number: same day Bank account: 1–3 days Due diligence / title search: 3–7 days Reservation agreement: 1–3 days SPK valuation: 3–7 days DAB currency exchange: 1–3 days DASK insurance: same day WebTapu appointment wait: 1–2 weeks in busy periods Land Registry transfer day: 1–3 hours The single biggest variable is military-zone clearance: instant for ordinary urban homes, but capable of adding 1–4 weeks for a rural or coastal parcel. New-build purchases can also run on a different rhythm tied to the developer's payment schedule. Documents Checklist Keep these ready as the buyer: Valid passport (with a certified Turkish translation for the transfer) Turkish tax number Two biometric photos (4×6 cm) SPK valuation report DAB foreign-exchange certificate DASK earthquake insurance policy Power of attorney, if you will not attend in person Proof of the source of your funds (banks must document this for higher-value transfers) The seller, for their part, brings the original Tapu, identity document, biometric photos, and proof that no property taxes are outstanding. Documents issued abroad — such as a power of attorney prepared in your home country — may need to be apostilled and officially translated. Who Does What It helps to know which professional owns which part of the journey. The estate agent finds the property, negotiates, coordinates the reservation, and keeps the parties and paperwork moving. A good local agent in Alanya is your project manager for the whole process. The lawyer runs the title search and due diligence, drafts or reviews the reservation agreement, prepares the power of attorney, confirms the parcel is clear of military restrictions, and advises on tax. A lawyer is not legally compulsory, but for a foreign buyer it is strongly advisable. The bank opens your account, exchanges your currency, and issues the DAB. The SPK-licensed appraiser produces the valuation report. The notary authenticates signatures and prepares the power of attorney — but note carefully, a notary does not transfer ownership. The Land Registry (TKGM) is the only body that legally transfers title, runs the military-zone check, and registers you as the new owner. That division of labour is why the order matters: each party hands the next a document, and the Land Registry assembles them all on the final day. A last word on cost. This guide intentionally avoids quoting figures, because budgets shift and depend heavily on whether you are buying resale or new-build. To plan your numbers, read our breakdown of property taxes and legal costs, and if you are weighing up life after the purchase, our overview of the cost of living in Alanya will help you see the bigger picture. Follow the steps in order, keep your documents in a single folder, and the Alanya property journey becomes exactly what it should be: orderly and predictable.