How We Select Developers

This page explains the criteria we use, the evidence we look for, and how developers can lose their place in our coverage.

The six dimensions we evaluate

We do not rank developers on price. We evaluate them across six dimensions, all of which must meet our standards before a developer appears in our editorial coverage.

01Licences and permits

Minimum requirement: A valid construction licence (yapı ruhsatı) and, where the project is delivered, an occupancy permit (iskân).

Strongly preferred:

• —A registered company with a clean trade-registry record
• —Membership in recognised developer or construction associations
• —Independent project financing or escrow arrangements
• —A completed-project portfolio open to inspection

At the developer level:

• —Verified company ownership and management history
• —Documented years building and delivering
• —No unresolved disputes or insolvency proceedings
• —Where claimed: verifiable delivery dates and handover records

We verify licence claims directly with the issuing bodies. Expired permits, suspended companies, or unverifiable credentials disqualify a developer.

02Title security and legal transparency

How a developer handles title and contracts before you buy predicts how they will handle delivery.

We look for:

• —Clean title (tapu) with no liens or mortgages that would follow the buyer
• —A clear, documented path to an individual title deed for each unit
• —Written contracts with delivery dates and penalties for delay
• —Response time to international inquiries (24–48 hours for substantive replies)
• —Multi-language support adequate to the buyer's needs
• —Willingness to let an independent lawyer review everything

Disqualifying signals:

• —Pressure to pay deposits before any contract or title check
• —Pressure tactics ("limited offer", "decide today")
• —Inability to show clean title or the path to your own deed
• —Refusal to put delivery dates and terms in writing

03Build quality and specification transparency

Buyers should know exactly what they are paying for.

For the building, we verify:

• —Construction system and earthquake-code compliance
• —Materials and finishes specification, in writing
• —Common areas, amenities, and what is actually included
• —Net versus gross square-metre figures, stated honestly

For the handover:

• —What is delivered furnished, fitted, or bare-shell (disclosed honestly)
• —Snagging and defect-liability terms
• —Management, maintenance, and service-charge arrangements

Developers who cannot or will not provide this information in writing before purchase are not featured.

04After-sales and delivery support

What happens after you sign matters as much as the day you sign.

Requirements:

• —A named contact responsible through to handover
• —Multilingual support during international hours
• —Documented processes for delays, defects, and disputes
• —Coordination with the buyer's lawyer and home-country bank
• —Realistic warranties on the building and workmanship, in writing

Strongly preferred:

• —Named UK, German, or Gulf partner contacts in buyer home countries
• —Rental-management and resale support after handover
• —Structured follow-up at handover, 3 months, 1 year

05Location and lifestyle quality

A property is not just the building. The location around it shapes both how you live and what it is worth later.

We assess:

• —Neighbourhood quality (quiet, accessible, the right setting — not just a sales label)
• —Distance to the coast, transport, schools, and amenities
• —Infrastructure and planned development around the site
• —Resale and rental demand in the immediate area

A developer's choice of location reveals their priorities. The flashiest tower is not always the best investment. Smaller, well-placed projects often serve better.

06Independent review patterns

Sources we consider:

• —Buyer communities (forums, expat groups, specialty channels)
• —Independent review platforms (with awareness of review-gating practices)
• —Local press coverage in Turkish and international media
• —Discussion among lawyers, agents, and surveyors

What we discount:

• —Reviews on the developer's own website
• —Influencer content marked or unmarked as sponsored
• —Renders presented as if they were finished buildings
• —Review patterns suggesting manipulation

The selection process

How we treat conflicts of interest

If we develop a commercial relationship with a featured developer — referral arrangements, marketing partnerships, lead fees — it is disclosed in our Editorial Principles, on the relevant developer or project pages, and within any AI-assisted responses that mention the developer.

Commercial relationships do not change our six-criteria selection process. A paying partner that loses standing on the six criteria loses editorial coverage, regardless of the commercial relationship.

How developers lose coverage

A featured developer can be removed at any time, based on:

• —Verified buyer complaints meeting specific thresholds
• —Loss or suspension of licences
• —Pattern of communication or delivery breakdowns
• —Substantive changes in ownership or standards
• —Failure to maintain six-criteria standards on quarterly review

Removal is not punitive — it is editorial. We do not publish public lists of removed developers, but we will confirm directly to inquirers whether a specific developer remains in our coverage.

Developer applications

We do not accept applications for editorial coverage. Developers we feature are identified through our research process and approached directly. This protects editorial independence.

Developers who believe their work matches our editorial focus may write to us with information. We will read it, but inclusion remains an editorial decision.

How to flag a concern

If you have a concern about a developer featured on TR Property Office: hello@trpropertyoffice.com

We investigate substantive concerns within ten business days. Where concerns are verified, we update coverage. Where concerns are unsupported, we explain our position.