Build it yourself!

If you can't find your ideal property or you simply like the idea of having input into the design of your home in Turkey, you could purchase a suitable piece of land and arrange to have your home built for you. Alternatively, you could buy 'off plan' from a developer who has already obtained planning permission for a specific piece of land – this can be very cost-effective for a buyer, as most developers will offer a significant discount if they are not having to speculate with their own money.

Providing the land is legally and topographically suitable for building, you should have few problems with formalities. Obtaining building permission is quite straightforward, as long as you stay within the rules laid down by the local development plan and use properly accredited professionals to make the application on your behalf. The local plan will normally stipulate the percentage of the land you can develop, within certain size perameters. It will also dictate whether or not you have to give up a proportion of your land to remain as 'green land', which is normal practice in Turkey.

We can put you in touch with reputable professionals, such as architects, surveyors, lawyers and engineers, and they will happily show you a selection of their previous projects before you make any decisions.

Having encountered a number of victims of 'scams' and heard numerous horror stories, we can't stress strongly enough that you should not take advice directly from any developer, land owner (or even an estate agent) with a vested interest in the property. They will happily tell you that ownership is no problem and, by the time that you find out that's not the case, you may already have invested significant time and money into your project.

Some overseas buyers have formed a Turkish company to own land or property that they wouldn't otherwise have been able to buy. The government has recently made noises about closing this particular loophole, and Turkey has a reputation for sometimes applying her new legislation retrospectively, where individuals have blatantly exploited the law. That apart, owning a business in Turkey is onerous in terms of taxation and bureaucracy, and even the most simple company structure will cost you a minimum of £1,000 per year for as long as you own the property.

Another popular theory is that you can place the property into the ownership of a Turkish citizen and have an agreement drawn up between you and notarised, effectively putting a 'charge' over the property. This is also true, but you should be aware that Turkish inheritance law is extremely strict and very different from that in the UK and much of Europe. Here in Turkey, individuals are not totally free to name their beneficiaries, with spouses and children having automatic inheritance rights in set proportions. It's possible that a problem may never arise, but you could end up finding out that your lovely home has been inherited by a group of individuals that you’ve never even met!

However, don't let any of this put you off buying land or existing property in Turkey. As long as you stay within the law, only buy property which can legally be owned by a foreigner, and obtain good advice from a reputable lawyer before you part with any money or sign any documents, there is no reason why you shouldn't end up with an excellent investment.