This is the most important part of your investment deal when it comes to buying property, not just in Turkey but anywhere in the world. Imagine that you are buying a car but the car license is on someone else’s name but you paid for the price. Even though you will drive the car but someone else will own it, how would you feel?
TAPU is a short form of TAPU SENEDİ and is Turkish translation for Title Deed. This is the ONLY record proving that you have taken full ownership of your property purchased in Turkey.
In this article we will cover the labels to translate for your ease and understanding which are used in a TAPU as to what do they mean and why they are there?
1.İLİ (Province)
This is the province where the property is located. For example, if you are in Istanbul you will write
Istanbul. There are 81 different provinces in Turkey.
2.İLÇESİ (Town)
You are in Istanbul and maybe buying a property in Kadikoy, so this is where you should write
Kadikoy.
3.MAHALLESİ (Neighborhood)
The neighborhood in which the property is located. While this is an important part of the TAPU, do
not worry if it is empty since it is no longer in use over time.
4.KÖYÜ (Village)
This describes in more detail the exact location of the property/land. It lists the name of the actual
village if appropriate to your property.
5.SOKAĞI (Street Name)
This represents the address of the property. This may be empty, depending on the location. This can
on some occasions be blank, it’s quite normal thing so don’t worry.
6.MEVKİİ (Location)
Additional information about location which may stay empty depending on the location where you
buy.
7.PAFTA No. (Map No.)
This is a crucial area on the TAPU. This is the code name for the city planning map. Showing where
your property is located on the planning map. Do not miss this.
8.ADA No. (Block No.)
The block number in which your property is located.
9.PARSEL No. (Plot No.)
The plot Number is the final detail about the exact location of the property on the city map. The
number on which the property is located.
10.NİTELİĞİ (Feature)
This represents nearest landmark or small description of what all these location details lead to, in
our case, a building block and the land on which the building has been built.
11.FOTOĞRAF (Picture)
Passport size picture of the owner(s) of the property.
12.YÜZÖLÇÜMÜ (Area)
This represents the details about the size of the land on which the property is located.
13.ha (Hectares) – 1 hectare = 10.000 m2 or approximately 2,471 acres
14.m2 (Square meters) – 1 m2 = 10,7 square foot
15.dm2 (Decimeter Square) – 1 dm2 = 0,01 m2
16.SINIRI (Boundaries)
The confirmation that the building (or the complex), in which the property is located, has been
properly built within the correct authorized boundaries.
17.KAT MULKİYETİ (Condominium)
If ticked, this means that the property developer has properly completed and finished construction.
All of the necessary approval from the local authorities have been granted and residency can be
started. Please note that TAPU of a fully constructed property should be delivered with this box
ticked.
18.KAT İRTİFAKKI (Construction Servitude)
If ticked, this means the developer has fully divided each unit within the complex and each has its
own individual TAPU. If ticked you are the full owner of that unit, but the complex has not yet
received full approval from the authorities allowing residency to begin in the building.
Very Important Tip:
Sometimes TAPUs issued has this box ticked instead of CONDOMİNİUM as described above. Is that
something you should worry about? The answer is a bit tricky and has YES and NO answer at the same
time;
If NO, you shouldn’t be worried in regards to your ownership of the property. You have received
full ownership of your property and legally confirmed.
If YES, you should be “a little” worried since it also means that the developer has not yet
received full authorization from local authorities. Some developers avoid to go all the way
through in order to escape from taxes and fees, and leave it up to each property owner to go and
take it and pay the fees instead.
19.DEVRE MÜLK (Time Share) – of Property
If ticked, it means you have a time share apartment. Time share is based on the principle of selling a
share of the property to many buyers which will use the property for a pre-agreed period of time.
20.SATIŞ BEDELİ (Selling Price)
The price paid for the property.
21.NİTELİĞİ (Feature)
Description of what the TAPU has been issued for (i.e. apartment, land etc..)
22.ARSA PAYI (Share in Land)
When you purchase a property in Turkey, you do not buy the apartment only, but also get a share in
the land the property that it has been built on. This shows how much of the land you have
purchased.
23.BLOK NO. (Bock No.)
This is the block number for the property you have bought if in a complex.
24.KAT No. (Floor No.)
States which floor your property is located on.
25.BAĞIMSIZ BLM No. (Door No.)
Your front door numbers.
26.BAĞIMSIZ BÖLÜM (Independent Section)
Lists any specific details about the property itself.
27.EDİNME SEBEBİ (Reason for Acquisition)
Your name will be written here alone with an explanation as to why the TAPU has been issued.
You will read a sentence resembling to;
While previously registered unto (NAME OF PREVİOUS OWNER) the aforementioned property has been
registered under (NAME OF NEW OWNER).
28.SAHİBİ (Owner)
Your name will be written here, meaning you are the legal owner of the property.
The signature of the Director of the local deed office will be below as shown in the picture, also details
about the ownership of your property.
