Is Turkish Citizenship by Real Estate Worth It? The Valuation vs. Price Trap

حميد اكشي-13/11/2025-الجنسية التركية, العقارات-6 دقيقة-

Is it worth to buy real estate in Turkey?

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Is Turkish Citizenship by Real Estate Worth It? The Valuation vs. Price Trap

TL;DR: Key Investor Takeaways

Valuation is King: For citizenship, the official government appraisal (valuation) value is what matters, not the sales price.
The Overpricing Trap: Many new projects are sold for 10-20% above their valuation. This is a major risk you must know about.
The Resale Problem: If you buy an overvalued property, you will likely sell at a loss. Future local buyers’ banks will only finance the lower valuation amount, shrinking your buyer pool.
Find the “Great Deal”: The smartest investment is a project priced at or below its official valuation. This provides safety, instant equity, and an easy exit strategy.
We Find These Deals: At Simply TR, we specialize in finding these rare, “below-valuation” projects for our clients. Just ask us for the “Great Deal” list.

What is Turkish Citizenship by Real Estate Secret

This article reveals the critical investment details that are often left unsaid. We are sharing essential information—facts you are likely hearing for the first time—that is vital for protecting your investment in Turkey.

When investing in Turkish real estate for citizenship, the most common point of confusion is the difference between a property’s real value and its sales price. In the excitement of the citizenship process, many investors overlook this crucial gap—a gap that others may not point out.

However, choosing the right project isn’t just about today; it’s critical for your exit strategy when you decide to sell tomorrow. This guide clarifies the most important questions foreign investors have, explained in simple, transparent terms.

1) What is “Government Valuation,” and Why Does It Matter?

For every property purchased for the Turkish Citizenship by Investment (CBI) program, a government-approved appraisal report (Ekspertiz) is mandatory.

This official report details:

The property’s true market value.
Official title deed (Tapu) information.
Any existing risks or legal notes on the property.
The current construction status.

This report is prepared through the official land registry portal (ويب تابو) by a state-licensed appraisal company (such as GEDAŞ). Because GEDAŞ is authorized directly by the government, the standard and accuracy of these reports are very high.

The Golden Rule: Your citizenship eligibility is based on the value in this report, not the price you agree to pay.

2) Why Are Many Projects Priced 10-20% Above Their Valuation?

It’s common to see sales prices, especially in large-scale new developments, listed significantly higher than their actual appraised value.

The reasons for this gap include:

The project’s brand premium.
The perceived value of the location.
Attractive installment or payment plan options.
High demand from foreign buyers.

This is the most critical risk for an investor. An unguided investor might pay $450,000 for a property that is only valued at $400,000. Not knowing this difference can put you in a very difficult position when you try to sell.

3) Beware of Hidden Costs

Many investors only budget for the sticker price of the property. However, several additional expenses can appear later in the process:

Bank transfer and commission fees.
Currency Exchange Certificate (DAB) processing fees.
Sworn translation and notary public fees.
Title deed transfer taxes (Tapu fees).
Potential VAT (KDV) differences if the exemption is not applied correctly.
Other project-specific or administrative fees.

These costs add up and must be calculated accurately قبل the purchase to understand your true total investment.

4) The “$400,000+ Suitable for Citizenship” Trap

In some cases, if a property is clearly worth more than the $400,000 minimum, the appraisal report will simply state it is “Suitable for Citizenship” without writing the exact value (e.g., “$410,000”).

This creates ambiguity for you, the investor. A seller might ask $500,000, and while the property is “suitable,” you have no way of knowing its real market value is only $410,000.

The correct approach: Never rely on the “suitable” stamp alone. Always demand the report that shows the specific, official appraised amount to make your decision.

5) The Resale Problem: Selling an Overvalued Property

This is the most common mistake we see. Let’s use an example:

Official Appraisal Value: $450,000
Project Sales Price: $550,000

The investor buys at $550,000, receives their citizenship, and everything seems fine. The problem starts 3 years later when they decide to sell.

Your new buyer (likely a local citizen) will want a bank loan.
The bank will conduct its own appraisal.
The bank will only approve a loan based on the property’s true market value (in this case, $450,000 or slightly higher).

The Result: The investor cannot find a buyer at the $550,000 they paid. They are forced to offer a massive discount, often selling at a significant loss.

6) How Local Credit Limits Affect Your Resale

The Turkish government often applies strict limits on the amount local buyers can borrow for a mortgage. These limits make it harder to sell high-priced homes.

This means:

If you overpaid for your property,
And its appraisal value is much lower than your asking price,
Local buyers cannot get a loan to buy it from you.

This drastically shrinks your pool of potential buyers, making your exit strategy slow and difficult.

7) The Real Advantage: Finding Projects Below التقييم

This is the most critical part of a smart investment. These are the “Great Deals.”

In some rare cases:

Official Appraisal Value: $420,000
Project Sales Price: $390,000

What does this mean for you?

Profit from Day One: You have $30,000 in instant equity.
Safety: You securely meet the citizenship threshold.
Wider Market: Your property is attractive to all future buyers (local and foreign).
Faster, Low-Risk Exit: You can sell the property quickly at its true market value (or higher) and still make a profit.

In short, every stage of your investment is healthier and more secure. These projects are rare and are not typically advertised to the public.

At Simply TR, our specialty is filtering the market to find these projects priced at or below their official valuation for our clients.