Buying property in Turkey is a lot easier than in many other European countries. Foreigners may purchase land and property in their own name provided that it is located in a town (i.e. it must be within the bounds of a municipality or borough and not in a village or rural area), and outside military zones.

First, a contract is drawn up between the seller and the buyer. The buyer's passport is submitted to a Notary and returned after translation and checking, with security clearance to buy a property in Turkey. The buyer's solicitor checks the property deeds to ensure that all the information corresponds with that on the contract.

All parties then sign the contract, witnessed by the solicitor, a legal translator and one other. To acquire the title to a property, an application must be made to the local Land Registry Office, who take 2-3 months to carry out all the necessary searches and checks. You will need to supply them with the title deed, your passport, and 2 recent passport sized photographs of yourself.

Once these are completed, the deed of property is transferred to the buyer. In Turkey it is compulsory for the seller and the buyer to be present.

Purchase tax of 3% is paid by the buyer once the transfer deed has been signed. In addition, there will be stamp duty and legal fees.

An annual property tax of up to 0.6% is collected by the municipality. Buyers of newlybuilt properties must complete an affidavit within 3 months of construction finishing and submit it to the municipality for assessment. Turkey also levies a wealth tax, and an environmental tax. There is, however, no double taxation. There may also be community fees, which will vary by property.

You must apply to the Turkish Consulate General for a residency permit. For EU country residents this can take as little as a week.