When buying a property in North Cyprus, buyers often ask us what is a title deed.
Let’s look at this issue in detail from the very beginning, how the title is formed:
On it, he is issued a title to the land (headed in Turkish), this is a document certifying that this land now belongs to the developer.
2. The developer receives all the necessary building permits from the state authorities, after which he is given one general title for the complex.
3. After the construction is completed, the state commission accepts the complex and issues a permit to the developer to divide the common title into separate titles for each house (apartment) for buyers.
This procedure can last about a year after the acceptance of the complex by the state commission.
4. When the general title is divided into all houses (apartments) in the complex, the buyer can issue a separate title to his house (apartment) in his name.
The title shows who owns the land on which the property is built.
From the moment of registration of the contract for the purchase of real estate in the Land Registry (within 21 days from the date of signing the contract), you are its legal owner, that is, you can use, rent, bequeath, sell (with the consent of the Developer).
In this case, the title to the land remains with the developer.
Until a separate title is transferred to the name of the owner, he cannot sell his property without the consent of the developer and cannot take out a bank loan against it.
Titles for real estate you receive 6-12 months after applying for the transfer of titles to the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the TRNC (for this you need to provide a certificate of no criminal record).
As a rule, this is done by a lawyer who conducts a real estate purchase transaction.
Until that time, the property titles are on the developer, but he cannot dispose of this property, since the contract is registered with the Land Committee in your name.
You can transfer the title to your name after full payment of the cost of the property.
Many buyers do not issue property titles at all in order not to pay extra taxes (those who buy property for resale, rental, investment, etc.)
Land titles of Northern Cyprus
Land titles in Northern Cyprus are divided into 4 types: pre-74 Turkish, Exchange, TMD and Leashhold.
Pre-74 Turkish title
The land or house with the pre-74 Turkish (“Turkish until 74”) title was owned by a Turk or a foreigner (except Greek Cypriot and Greek) until the division of the island in 1974. This type of title has no claims from Greek Cyprus and is recognized all over the world. There are very few lands in Northern Cyprus with this title and they are mostly located inside the island.
Exchange title
Exchange title (“Exchange”) means that the land belonged to a Greek Cypriot or Greek before 1974. After the division of the island in 1974, on the basis of land valuation in points, the former owner was offered to exchange his land in Northern Cyprus for similar land in Southern Cyprus (which was owned by a Turkish Cypriot). Thus, the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot moved to new lands on their part of the island, i.e. to the lands that were exchanged. And if you bought a house with an exchange title, then you don’t have to worry that anyone will demand the return of this land. After all, you can just as well make claims for exchangeable land in Southern Cyprus, which is twice as expensive as in Northern Cyprus.
Basically, houses are sold on this title.
TMD title
The owner of the land with TMD title until 1974 was a Greek Cypriot, Greek Cypriot government or Greek. In 1974, these lands were donated by the Turkish government to refugees and military personnel from Turkey. After the division of the island in 1974, titles to such land were prepared by the government of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) and are now under the guarantee of the Turkish and TRNC governments (there is little such land, mostly developers do not build anything on it).
Leashhold title
The land is currently owned by the government of Northern Cyprus and can be leased for 49 years. This type of title mainly applies to lands for tourism projects (Karmi village).
Safety of buying property in North Cyprus
In the course of recent events, it is safe to say that buying property in Northern Cyprus is completely safe. All the propaganda from Southern Cyprus against the legality of titles in Northern Cyprus is just words that have not yet been confirmed in practice. Over the past 48 years (since 1974) not a single person who has bought a property in Northern Cyprus has lost the right to own their property.
The Turkish government pays compensation to Greek Cypriots for lost land in 1974 (if the Cypriot has not already received compensation earlier). Thus, all disputes on land will be resolved.
We would like to draw your attention to the fact that it is the Turkish government, and not the owner of the land in Northern Cyprus (as our colleagues from Southern Cyprus claim), that pays this compensation.
International legal status of the lands of Northern Cyprus
The European Court of Human Rights has announced its decision to no longer consider Greek Cypriot land claims in relation to land in Northern Cyprus and has referred all these cases to the Real Estate Commission of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC)
This decision can be viewed on the website of the European Court of Human Rights:
The decision was made on March 5, 2010.
The TRNC Real Estate Commission (http://www.tamk.gov.ct.tr/) was created in the image and likeness of a similar commission in South Cyprus in accordance with the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights. The commission officially began its activities on March 17, 2006. The main task of the Commission is to satisfy the legitimate claims of the owners without prejudice to the owners of real estate in Northern Cyprus.
All transactions and operations with land in Northern Cyprus are legal, as required by international standards
Before real estate in Cyprus takes on the familiar outlines of cottages and apartments, this is preceded by a legalization process. First, the owner of the land is established, for which a request is made to the state land cadastre.
In the event that the land in question is owned by Greek Cypriots who have left Northern Cyprus and live in the southern part of the island, they receive compensation – either in the form of a plot of land or in the form of an equivalent amount of money.
All disputable situations are resolved by the Property Commission of Northern Cyprus, authorized by the European Court of Human Rights. No construction company will be able to build an object on land that has not been previously registered as a property. After the developer receives state permission for this, the former owner of the land loses rights to it.
It is important to understand that no one will occupy and develop “doubtful” lands with a disputable status, since the good name of the company and, most importantly, its money, are as important to developers as to the buyer himself. Therefore, all processes of purchase, development and subsequent sale take place on absolutely legal grounds, and there is no risk of losing the acquired property.
The main thing is to buy real estate from reliable developers and use the services of real estate companies that have been working in the local market for a long time, are officially registered and have a good reputation.
All our real estate offers refer to the first two titles – Turkish and Exchange. And there is no reason to worry about the legal status of the purchased property.
