Resale Property and Turkish Citizenship Eligibility in Antalya

A foreign owner is selling a resale apartment in Antalya, and the owner’s no-sale annotation has been lifted. If you are the next buyer, does that make it a purchase that qualifies for citizenship? Not automatically.

According to the TKGM guide dated 1 February 2024, a property bought for a citizenship application must not be registered in the name of foreign persons (TKGM). TKGM is Turkey’s land registry authority. The title deed is the official record of who owns a property and what is noted against it. In our reading, removing the annotation does not change this point on its own. Confirm it with the land registry before you commit.

This article explains why these homes are returning to the market and how the annotation works. It also covers what to check before you buy and what owners should know before selling. It reflects data and rules up to the 17 September 2026 release (Ağustos ayında 127 bin 410 konut satıldı). It is general information, not legal advice.

In this article

• Why are citizenship-linked homes coming back to the market?
• What is the no-sale annotation, and what changes when it ends?
• Why can’t the next buyer assume the home qualifies?
• What is a resale apartment still good for in Antalya?
• How do you buy a resale apartment in Antalya from a foreign owner?
• What do the costs, limits and tax questions look like before you sign?
• Thinking of selling? What owners should know
• Conclusion

Why are citizenship-linked homes coming back to the market?

One report says foreigners bought 21,860 homes in Antalya in 2022 and 12,702 in 2023. The same report says about 1 in every 6 homes sold there across 2021–2025 went to a foreign buyer.

Later figures show a decline. The same report puts foreign purchases in Antalya at 8,223 homes in 2024 and 4,380 in January–September 2025. This supports treating the earlier years as the peak of foreign buying.

It helps to be clear about what these numbers do not show. Our verified data contains no official count of citizenship-purpose purchases, so this article gives none and estimates none.

The timing below is our own observation, not an official statement. A no-sale term that began at the peak would, on simple counting, be running out around now. Each deed runs on its own annotation date, so we cannot say how many homes are being released. Check the individual title deed.

What is the no-sale annotation, and what changes when it ends?

Citizenship through real estate requires buying a property worth at least USD 400,000, or the equivalent in another currency (Türk Vatandaşlığı Kanununun Uygulanmasına İlişkin Yönetmelik md. 20). The regulation also requires a 3-year no-sale annotation on the title deed. An annotation is a note recorded against the property that limits what the owner can do with it.

According to the TKGM guide dated 1 February 2024, the undertaking is removed at the owner’s request once the three years are complete. Removal needs a request, so it does not happen on its own. Once it is removed, that restriction no longer stands in the way of a sale. It does not settle the next buyer’s own eligibility, which the next section covers.

As regulatory background only, an older report says Article 20(2)(b) of the citizenship regulation was amended by the Official Gazette issue 32397 of 12 December 2023. The report says the amendment refers to condominium units or land with a building on it. This report is dated and comes from one outlet, so confirm the current wording with the land registry or a lawyer.

Why can’t the next buyer assume the home qualifies?

According to the TKGM guide dated 1 February 2024, a property used for a citizenship application must not be registered to foreign persons or to people who gained citizenship by the exceptional route. The same guide says it must not have been transferred by either of them to a Turkish citizen or company within the last 3 years. Acquisitions made under a contract for construction work are treated as an exception.

In our reading, if the seller is a foreigner, this is the first point to verify, however clean the annotations section looks. One vendor guide, which is a secondary source and not an official one, says a property already used for citizenship typically cannot be reused by a later buyer as the qualifying investment. We treat that as a rough indication only.

Important note: this information reflects the rules and guides in force at the time of writing, and these can change. Before you commit, confirm the current position with the title deed office, which is the local land registry office, and with a qualified lawyer.

What is a resale apartment still good for in Antalya?

Buy a resale apartment for what it is: Mediterranean lifestyle, a second home, retirement or rental fundamentals. Do not buy it on a citizenship assumption. This article makes no claim about residence permits, which are the permits that let a foreigner live in Turkey, so check that question separately.

If you plan to let the home, note the rule on short lets. Letting a home to users for up to 100 days counts as tourism letting and needs permission from the Ministry of Culture and Tourism (7464 sayılı Kanun Resmî Gazete 2/11/2023, sayı 32357). Lets of more than 100 days at one time fall outside that law. We give no yield percentages or price levels here, because the verified data does not cover them.

For the market picture, 1,938 homes were sold to foreigners nationwide in August 2026. according to one report, Antalya recorded 599 of those sales, second behind Istanbul’s 763. Nationwide foreign sales for January–August 2026 totalled 13,141.

On nationality, the same report says Antalya’s foreign buyers in August 2026 included Russia 226, Ukraine 114 and Germany 56. Nationwide, according to one report, Russian (343), Ukrainian (147) and Iranian (140) citizens led that month. Treat this as a market picture only. It says nothing about citizenship demand.

How do you buy a resale apartment in Antalya from a foreign owner?

Work through these checks in order:

• Start with the annotations section of the title deed and confirm the no-sale annotation has been removed.
• Then confirm who the registered owner is and review the transfer history, including the dates of any earlier transfers. Compare these against the points in the TKGM guide dated 1 February 2024.
• Next, understand the process. A sale and transfer are made by official deed at the title deed office (2644 sayılı Tapu Kanunu md. 26 — mevzuat.gov.tr). They are not made at a notary, which can only draw up a sale promise contract.
• Finally, ask a qualified professional to review the deed and history before any money moves or any document is signed.

Contracts that aim to transfer ownership of real estate are not valid unless they are made in the official form. This is why we suggest the deed review comes before you sign anything.

What do the costs, limits and tax questions look like before you sign?

Budget for the title deed fee. It is charged at 2% to the seller and 2% to the buyer, calculated separately (492 sayılı Harçlar Kanunu, 4 sayılı tarife — mevzuat.gov.tr). It applies to the declared price, which must not be below the property’s tax value. Compare the sale price with that value early.

Check the limits on foreign purchases. A foreign individual’s total holdings cannot exceed 10% of a district’s privately owned area, or 30 hectares per person nationwide. A presidential decision can raise the per-person cap to 60 hectares.

Check the military-zone rule too. Foreigners cannot acquire property in second-degree military prohibited zones (2565 sayılı Askeri Yasak Bölgeler ve Güvenlik Bölgeleri Kanunu).

Then ask the seller one more question: was the home bought under the VAT exemption for the first delivery of new homes? That exemption can apply to deliveries to foreign individuals not settled in Turkey, where the price is brought in as foreign currency (3065 sayılı Katma Değer Vergisi Kanunu md. 13/i konsolide metin). If the home was bought this way and is disposed of within 3 years, the unpaid VAT with deferral interest is paid before the deed transfer.

Keep this separate from the citizenship annotation. It applies only where the seller used the exemption. For anything beyond this, confirm with the relevant official body.

Thinking of selling? What owners should know

Start with the annotation. Once the three years are complete, the owner applies for it to be removed. Get the updated title deed record before you list the home.

The sale itself is completed by official deed at the title deed office. If you bought under the new-home VAT exemption, check the separate 3-year disposal rule before you agree a sale date. We make no tax-calculation claims here, so take advice on your own position.

Set the buyer’s expectations early. A buyer should not assume the home qualifies for their own citizenship application. Whichever side of the sale you are on, have the deed reviewed by a qualified professional before committing.

Conclusion

In short, the annotation is removed at the owner’s request once the term is complete. The home can then be sold. It is still not automatically a citizenship-qualifying purchase for the next buyer.

The safe approach to buying stays the same. Check the title deed, the owner’s status and the transfer history first. Buy for lifestyle and rental fundamentals rather than assumptions.

Before committing to a resale apartment from a foreign owner, have the title deed, the annotations section and the transfer history reviewed by a qualified professional. You are welcome to talk to the WinWin Real Estate Club team about a professional consultation, so you can walk through this checklist for your own situation.

If you want the entry route instead, see our guide to citizenship and residence through property. Our article on the citizenship valuation report covers how the purchase amount is confirmed.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does buying a resale apartment from a foreign owner automatically qualify for Turkish citizenship?

No, because the TKGM guide dated 1 February 2024 says the property must not be registered to foreign persons or to people who gained citizenship by the exceptional route. It also rules out a property that either group transferred to a Turkish citizen or company within the last 3 years, with acquisitions under construction-work contracts excluded. A review of the title deed record, covering the registered owner and the dates of earlier transfers, is recommended before any commitment.

How long does the no-sale annotation last, and can it be lifted?

Under the regulation as of the article’s publication date, the annotation runs for 3 years. A current title deed record showing the annotation section is recommended before a sale is discussed.

Who pays the title deed fee when a resale apartment is sold?

Both parties pay, as the fee is charged separately to the seller and the buyer at 2% each. Under the legislation as of the article’s publication date, it is calculated on the declared price, which cannot be lower than the property’s tax value. Comparing the agreed price with the tax value early in the process is recommended.

Is there a limit on how much property a foreigner can own in Turkey?

Yes, a foreign individual’s total holdings cannot exceed 10% of a district’s privately owned area or 30 hectares per person nationwide, and a presidential decision can raise the per-person cap to 60 hectares. Separately, foreign individuals and companies cannot acquire property in second-degree military prohibited zones. Confirming the location of a specific apartment with the title deed office is recommended.

What should I check before buying a resale apartment from a foreign owner?

Start with the title deed record, covering the annotations section, the registered owner and the history of earlier transfers. A review of the deed by a qualified professional before any payment or signature is recommended. Confirm the current position with the relevant official body or a qualified professional.