Hello again,
This is Gökhan Özbek, a licensed real estate agent in Turkey and the founder of Turkcitizen and SelectTurkey.
Last year, I made a video about property scams in Turkey. If you haven’t watched it yet, please do so and subscribe to my channel for upcoming episodes.
Today’s topic comes from a subscriber who dealt with a local realtor in Antalya. He is concerned that he may have been scammed and wants to know what he can do if the situation turns out to be fraudulent.
Let’s first read about his situation and then go over the questions I asked him to assess his case:
“The realtor promised to give me the Title Deed (Tapu) today, but they are saying there is an ‘error’ in the tapu system. The deal has been postponed for over a month, and I no longer feel comfortable. I believe I may have been scammed. The realtor’s first excuse was that the owner of the property had coronavirus and we should wait until January 18. Then they asked me to wait until Wednesday, then Friday, and now Tuesday for the tapu. I’ve lost confidence in this deal as it sounds like a scam.”
Question 1: Do you have an agreement?
- Answer: Yes
- True: You need a contract between the seller and the owner.
Question 2: Who signed the contract? Realtor or owner?
- Answer: Me and the agency
- Wrong: The owner must sign the contract.
- True: Legally, the first party is the owner, the second party is the buyer, and the agent acts as a third party.
Question 3: Who received the payment?
- Answer: The realtor
- Wrong: The payment should be made to the property owner.
- True: Only the owner of the Title Deed should receive the funds.
Question 4: Do you have a Valuation Report?
- Answer: Sorry, what’s that?
- Wrong: A Valuation Report (Appraisal Report) is necessary for foreign investors.
- True: This document, issued by government-approved organizations (SPK and BDDK), verifies the value of the property. It is a crucial step in ensuring the legitimacy of your investment.
For more details on valuation reports, read this guide: Turkey Real Estate Valuation Report.
Question 5: Did you get a Title Deed (Tapu) sample?
- Answer: No
- Wrong: You must review the Title Deed in advance.
- True: Always request and verify a sample before proceeding.
Steps to resolve a suspected scam:
- Try to contact the property owner directly and discuss the situation.
- If the owner has no knowledge of the sale, file a report at the nearest police station.
- Hire an English-speaking lawyer (e.g., Att. Önder Baran Tunç).
- Gather information about the agent. Verify their government-issued license.
- Collect evidence, including voice recordings and payment proofs. These will help your lawyer present a strong case in court.
Outcome:
In this particular case, the subscriber eventually received the Title Deed.
“Hello, good news… we got the title deed. Just wanted to thank you for your help!”
While this story has a happy ending, not every case turns out this way. Please take the necessary precautions and make informed decisions when purchasing property.