Uzbekistan-based investors and developers exploring real estate or construction opportunities in Türkiye increasingly ask the same question after their initial site visits: what actually needs to be checked before capital moves. Türkiye's market is transparent by regional standards, but due diligence still requires a structured process, particularly for buyers coming from Tashkent, Samarkand, or Bukhara who are unfamiliar with the country's title system, zoning practice, and construction permitting layers.
Title and Encumbrance Verification
The starting point of any due diligence process is the land registry (Tapu ve Kadastro) record. This confirms legal ownership, identifies any mortgages, liens, or usage restrictions (irtifak hakki), and flags whether the parcel is subject to expropriation plans or municipal reservation. For Uzbek investors used to a different registry structure, it is worth noting that Türkiye's registry is centralized and digitized, which allows a title search to be completed quickly, but the results still need to be read against zoning plans, since a clean title does not guarantee unrestricted development rights.
Zoning and Development Rights
A parcel's imar durumu, its zoning status, determines building height, floor area ratio, setback requirements, and permitted use. This document should be requested directly from the relevant municipality, not taken from the seller's summary. Zoning plans in Türkiye are periodically revised, and a parcel that was residential two years ago may now carry mixed-use or commercial designations, which changes both valuation and construction timelines. Buyers should also verify whether the site falls within an urban transformation (kentsel donusum) zone, as this can trigger additional approval steps or, alternatively, incentives depending on the municipality.
Seismic and Structural Compliance
Türkiye's building code was significantly tightened after 2018, and enforcement has intensified further since 2023. For any existing structure, a structural risk report prepared by a licensed engineer should be part of the due diligence package, independent of whatever documentation the seller provides. For new construction, confirming that the project architect and contractor are working to the current code, not a legacy standard carried over from an older permit, is essential. This is one area where local technical oversight adds real value, since code interpretation varies by region and municipality.
Permitting and Approvals
A construction permit (yapi ruhsati) and, upon completion, an occupancy permit (yapi kullanma izin belgesi, commonly referred to as iskan) are the two documents that confirm a project is legally habitable and saleable. Projects that are marketed for sale before these are finalized are not unusual in Türkiye, but they carry timeline and completion risk that should be priced into any offer or reflected in payment milestones tied to permit issuance rather than construction stage alone.
Contractor and Developer Track Record
Beyond the asset itself, due diligence should extend to the counterparty. This includes reviewing the developer's completed project history, verifying that previous projects received occupancy permits without prolonged delay, and checking for any active litigation tied to the entity or its principals. For off-plan purchases, this step matters more than the marketing materials suggest, since delivery risk in Türkiye's construction sector is concentrated among a relatively small number of repeat offenders that are avoidable with basic screening.
Financial and Tax Considerations
A due diligence checklist should also confirm outstanding property tax (emlak vergisi) status, any unpaid dues to a building management association (aidat), and whether the property carries VAT exemptions applicable to certain foreign buyer categories. These figures are modest individually but affect net yield calculations meaningfully over a holding period.
A Note on Citizenship Pathways
Some Uzbek buyers approach Turkish real estate with citizenship-by-investment eligibility as a secondary consideration alongside the underlying asset economics. Where relevant, this should be confirmed against current thresholds through official channels, but it should not substitute for the technical and legal due diligence outlined above, since eligibility rules and asset quality are separate questions entirely.
A disciplined due diligence process, run before funds are committed rather than after, remains the single most effective safeguard for Uzbek investors entering Türkiye's real estate and construction market. Engaging local technical and legal advisors early in the process, rather than after a preliminary agreement is signed, consistently produces better outcomes and fewer surprises during construction or transfer.