Real Estate and Divorce in Turkey (2026)
Property is often the single largest asset in a divorce, so how it is treated matters enormously. Many foreign owners assume the name on the title deed settles the question. Under Turkish law, it does not. What counts is when and how the property came into your hands.
When the Home Is Shared
If the property was acquired during the marriage through the couple's efforts, its value falls into the pool under the default regime and is shared, regardless of whose name appears on the deed. This surprises many owners, but it follows directly from how Turkish property division works.
When It Stays Separate
A property you owned before the marriage, or one received as a gift or inheritance, is generally your separate asset. Even so, questions can arise if shared money paid the mortgage or funded improvements, which is why good records are so valuable.
Valuation and the Options
Once it is clear the value is to be shared, the property is valued, usually by an expert, at its current market price. From there, couples typically choose one of three routes:
- Sell and split. Sell the property and divide the proceeds by the shares.
- Buyout. One spouse keeps the home and pays the other the value of their share.
- Continue to co-own. Less common, but possible by agreement, for example until children finish school.
Key Points
- Property bought during the marriage is usually shared in value.
- The title deed alone does not decide ownership.
- An expert valuation sets the figure to be shared.
- Buyouts are a common alternative to selling.
Planning Ahead
Couples who want certainty about a home can address it in advance through a prenuptial agreement or a chosen property regime. For foreign owners, coordinating with the rules of the country where any additional property sits is wise.
Property at stake in your divorce?
Bayraktar Attorneys advises foreign owners on real estate in Turkish divorces, in English.
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