Turkish property law gives owners considerable flexibility, but it also places day-to-day management responsibility squarely on the owner unless a formal delegation is put in place. For a US-based investor holding a rental apartment in Istanbul or a vacation unit on the Aegean coast, the distance between decision and execution is the single biggest operational risk in the portfolio.
Building Governance Under the Condominium Law
Multi-unit buildings in Türkiye are governed by Kat Mülkiyeti Kanunu, the Condominium Ownership Law. Every co-owner is a voting member of the building's general assembly (kat malikleri kurulu), which meets at least once a year to approve budgets, elect a building manager (yönetici), and set the monthly maintenance fee, known as aidat. A US owner who is not present, and who has not appointed a proxy, has effectively no voice in decisions that directly affect their asset's carrying cost and condition. Powers of attorney limited to building-assembly participation are inexpensive to execute and should be renewed alongside any broader property power of attorney.
Aidat : covers cleaning, security, elevator maintenance, and the building's capital reserve fund. Fees vary widely by building class, doorman staffing, and amenities, and unpaid aidat attaches as a lien-like claim against the unit, so timely payment tracking matters even when the owner is thousands of miles away.
Structuring Remote Oversight
Three models cover most US investor situations. A licensed local property management firm handles leasing, tenant relations, maintenance coordination, and aidat payment on a fee basis, typically a percentage of gross rent plus a leasing commission; this is the most scalable option for owners with two or more units or limited time. A trusted local representative, often a relative, business partner, or the original selling agent's referral network, can operate under a narrow power of attorney for specific tasks such as bill payment and tenant screening, at lower cost but with less institutional accountability. For a single self-use property, direct remote management via digital payment platforms and periodic site visits is workable but leaves the owner exposed during emergencies.
Fee benchmarks : full-service management commonly runs in a range that reflects rent collection risk, unit condition, and whether short-term or long-term leasing is involved; owners should request an itemized fee schedule rather than a single bundled percentage, since maintenance markups and vacancy handling terms vary considerably between firms.
Insurance and Compliance Obligations
Turkish law requires DASK, the mandatory earthquake insurance policy, for any residential unit, and lenders and building managements increasingly ask for proof of renewal before processing transactions or approving maintenance work. DASK alone does not cover contents, liability, or business interruption from a rental unit, so a supplementary policy is standard practice for investment properties. US owners should also confirm that any lease agreement complies with Türkiye's rent-increase caps and registration requirements, since informal leases create both tax exposure and eviction complications.
Tax and Repatriation Mechanics
Rental income earned in Türkiye by a non-resident is subject to Turkish income tax, generally withheld or declared depending on the lease structure, and separately reportable in the United States under standard foreign income rules; the US-Turkish tax treaty framework and available foreign tax credits should be reviewed with a cross-border tax advisor before the lease is signed, not after the first year's return is due. Repatriating rental proceeds is straightforward through standard bank transfer channels, but owners should maintain clean documentation of the property's tax ID (vergi numarası) and rental contract to avoid delays.
Building the Operating File
A well-run remote property in Türkiye is supported by a single operating file: the power of attorney, DASK and supplementary insurance policies, the management contract or representative agreement, the lease and tenant ledger, and a record of general assembly attendance or proxy voting. Investors who treat this file as a living document, updated at each renewal cycle, consistently report fewer disputes and faster resolution when something does go wrong. For US investors building a Turkish rental portfolio, the operational discipline applied at the outset determines whether the asset performs as a passive income stream or becomes a recurring source of friction.