Guide to Purchasing Property in North Cyprus
Guıde to Taxes for Property Transactıons

Land and Property Purchase Deeds

With regard to the purchase of land or buildings, we will first look at the different types of property, and the title deeds which one is likely to be offered.

Foreigners are limited to one donum (1338 m2) per person (husband and wife count as one person unless they have different surnames).

a) Clean freehold title - British or other foreign ownership pre-1974, with title deed (kocan), clearly stating that this is the case.

b) Clean freehold title - Turkish Cypriot owned pre-1974. These deeds are 100% safe, but before the property can be registered in your name, an application must be made to the Council of Ministers for approval. The procedure to obtain approval will take about six months or so.

c) TRNC –Esdeger or commonly known as Exchanged land kesin tasarruf - absolute possession document - title deed. This is property or land that was in Greek Cypriot ownership pre-1974. When the Turkish Cypriot refugees came to the safety of the north after July 1974, they left all their possessions behind in the south. Accordingly, the Government then assessed on a points basis, the value of the refugee's forsaken assets in the south. With these points, the Turkish Cypriot refugee could take a relinquished Greek Cypriot house or land in compensation for his lost properties. He would then sign over his properties in the south to the TRNC government, who would then hold them pending a negotiated settlement between the north and south Governments. The refugee would then be issued with a title deed for his newly recompensed property. Until he received this title, he would not be in a position to sell.
Our feeling is that as the island is heading, albeit slowly, for some sort of solution, whether it will be a negotiated settlement or annexation to the Motherland, then the TRNC title deed properties can be considered safe to purchase.

d) Land or property - Greek Cypriot pre '74 - no title deeds - yet unissued. Some people offer for sale, for relatively nominal sums, these properties without deeds. They are sold for "air money" or "goodwill" usually, these need the purchase of additional points before the title deeds will be issued. It is our opinion that agreements should not be entered into for property that does not have a title deed issued by the relevant authority.