Foreigners may buy property in Turkey in their own names. This is legal because Turkey has opened her doors to foreign investors and real estate developers.

Foreigners may buy property in Turkey in their own names, as long as the properties are located in towns, not in villages, or rural regions, or military zones. For instance, foreigners may buy land and property in Turkey's big cities. They can also Real Estate Izmir buy land in smaller towns.

They cannot buy properties in villages and other rural areas, however. Properties in villages and rural areas are owned by private individuals, not by the state.

Foreigners may buy property in Turkey only after being approved by the Turkish Land Administration.

The approval process involves three main steps: (a) submitting an application for approval; (b) getting a permit; and (c) receiving the final approval. The final step may take years if a local government doesn't like the land you are buying.

In other cases, a municipality may request a "progressive" zone study or a new master plan, which may delay the final approval process. Even if you get the final approval, you may need to wait years before you can actually close on the sale of the land you bought.

This system makes Turkey attractive to foreigners looking to invest in property.