
Specifically, Turkey property title status is a key consideration when comparing kat irtifakı and kat mülkiyeti for an apartment or another independent unit in Turkey. The terms describe different registered relationships between the land, a building project and an independent section. They do not, by themselves, prove that a property is suitable for a particular buyer.
First, this guide explains the practical distinction and the evidence to request. It provides general information, not legal advice. Property records, construction status and procedures can change. Therefore, an independent Turkish lawyer should review the current position for the specific property.
Turkey Property Title Status: The Core Difference
English-language explanations commonly translate kat irtifakı as construction servitude. It connects planned independent sections to shares in the underlying land while the parties develop or record the building arrangement. The register should identify the land and the share associated with the intended independent section.
Kat mülkiyeti is condominium ownership for an independent section in a completed building. In practical buyer terms, the registered independent unit has its own condominium ownership status and a linked share in the common property.
When comparing kat irtifakı vs kat mülkiyeti, treat the label as a starting point. A buyer still needs to confirm the exact unit, current entries, approved records, use, physical layout and seller’s authority.
Turkey property title status: what Kat İrtifakı can signal
A kat irtifakı entry often appears when a building project allocates planned independent sections, but the register does not yet show condominium ownership for completed units. That does not automatically make a property unacceptable. It does mean the buyer should ask why that status remains and what evidence supports the present building and unit.
Ask an independent adviser to match the registered land share and intended independent section with the approved project information. The contract, plans, valuation and property on the ground should refer to the same unit. Any mismatch in block, floor, unit number, area, layout or use needs a clear explanation.
Turkey property title status: what Kat Mülkiyeti can signal
Kat mülkiyeti usually indicates that the register shows condominium ownership for a completed independent section. This gives the buyer a clearer registered unit status, but it is not a complete quality, planning or condition certificate.
A kat mülkiyeti record does not remove the need to check the registered owner, mortgages, restrictions, easements and declarations. It cannot confirm building condition, every alteration or suitability for finance. Those questions require separate evidence and professional advice.

Why Title Status Is Not the Whole Check
A title-status term cannot answer every question about a property. The current land register can include entries that affect ownership or use. Municipal records may address the approved project, building permission, occupancy or later alterations. A physical inspection deals with condition and visible discrepancies.
However, these sources perform different jobs. Therefore, avoid treating one document as a substitute for the others. Trust Point’s Tapu title deed checks guide explains the wider register review. The separate property due diligence guide for Turkey brings legal, planning, contract and technical workstreams together.
Buyer Checks for Either Title Status
The same evidence-led discipline applies to both forms of registration. A buyer comparing kat irtifakı vs kat mülkiyeti should act before making a non-refundable payment. Ask the buyer’s lawyer to obtain current information through an authorised route.
Compare the Independent Unit and Land Share
Match the province, district, neighbourhood, block, parcel, land share and independent-unit details. Compare them with the proposed contract, approved plans and the unit shown during the viewing. A sales description or old title copy may not show the current legal position.
The lawyer should also identify the registered owner and explain every relevant mortgage, lien, seizure, easement, declaration or restriction. If a representative signs, verify the authority separately.
Check Building and Occupancy Records Separately
Ask the municipality and qualified advisers which building and occupancy records apply. Do not infer structural safety, lawful alterations or approved use from the title-status label alone. A qualified inspector may need to compare the physical property with available plans and records.
If the property record still shows kat irtifakı, ask why and identify the steps or evidence that remain. If it has kat mülkiyeti, still check whether the present layout and use align with the current records.
Turkey property title status: official sources and professional verification
Turkey’s General Directorate of Land Registry and Cadastre, TKGM, administers land-registry and cadastre services. Its official condominium-ownership notice links to relevant official material. TKGM also publishes land-registry guidance for foreign buyers and information about Web Tapu services.
Online services can support a check, but access rights and document scope matter. A buyer should not assume that a public screen, seller-supplied image or informal translation reveals every current entry or legal effect.
Legal information and procedures change regularly. Always confirm your position with an independent Turkish lawyer before making a decision. Obtain tax, valuation, planning and technical advice from appropriately qualified professionals where needed.
Questions to Take to an Independent Adviser
- Which title status appears in the current official record?
- Does the record identify the exact independent section the buyer viewed?
- How does the land share relate to that independent section?
- Do the approved plans, use and physical layout align?
- Which mortgages, restrictions, declarations or other entries affect the property?
- Why does the current record show kat irtifakı rather than kat mülkiyeti?
- Which official evidence should exist before the buyer becomes committed?
- What must the contract say about unresolved checks or corrections?
Make the Decision on Current Evidence
However, the practical answer to kat irtifakı vs kat mülkiyeti is not that one phrase replaces due diligence. Kat irtifakı concerns an intended independent section linked to land shares. Kat mülkiyeti records condominium ownership for a completed independent section. In either case, the buyer needs current, property-specific evidence.
Next, use Trust Point’s Turkey buying-process guide for wider transaction context. Foreign buyers can also review the separate foreign-buyer restrictions checklist. For legal conclusions, appoint an independent Turkish lawyer who can examine the live record and the full document set.

