Almost every foreign buyer who starts looking at homes in North Cyprus soon meets a new word: koçan. Listings mention “Turkish title”, “exchange title” and similar phrases, and the natural question follows: “What does this mean — and does it matter for me?”
It matters. The title deed question is the part of a North Cyprus purchase that deserves the most careful legal scrutiny. In this article — as a Kyrenia-based developer — we explain the topic with the clarity a buyer needs, and the caution it deserves. Let’s say it upfront: what you read here is a general framework; the definitive assessment of any specific property belongs to an independent lawyer.
What is a koçan?
The koçan is a property’s official ownership document — the North Cyprus equivalent of a title deed. It is tied to the Land Registry records and shows the property’s identity, its owner and any encumbrances (mortgage, lien, annotation). When you assess a property, you ask two separate questions: what type is the deed and is there anything registered against it? Both matter equally.
The general framework of deed types
In North Cyprus, deeds are referred to in different categories depending on a property’s pre- and post-1974 history. The distinction you will hear most often in the market:
- Deeds based on pre-1974 ownership — where the property’s registered ownership from that era carries through to today.
- Exchange (eşdeğer) title — a category covering properties granted after 1974, on an equivalence basis, to those who left property in the south.
- Allocation (tahsis) title — a category covering properties granted by way of state allocation.
The legal character of these categories — and the level of assurance they offer a buyer in practice — is not identical, and must be assessed property by property. You will find sharp generalisations online (“this type is good, that type is risky”); we do not make them, because the true answer sits in the property’s own record and in current legislation. A category’s name alone does not tell you whether a property is right for you — a lawyer’s examination does.
The checklist to give your lawyer
Before signing any contract, ask your independent lawyer to verify:
- Deed type and history: Which category is the property registered under, and is its history clean?
- Owner check: Is the seller the owner shown on the deed — and if not, is their authority to sell (power of attorney, inheritance transfer, etc.) documented?
- Encumbrance scan: Any mortgage, lien, annotation or tax debt?
- For off-plan purchases: Are the developer’s rights over the land and the project permits valid?
- Current legislation: What do the acquisition rules for foreign buyers say for your specific situation?
This five-point check takes a few days and buys you years of peace of mind. We covered the full flow in our step-by-step buying guide; the deed check belongs to the pre-contract stage.
The deed check and contract registration work together
The deed check answers “is this property safe to buy?”; registering the contract at the Land Registry answers “is this property safe for me throughout the process?” Once registered, the property cannot be sold to a third party or mortgaged. A buyer who does both uses the full set of protections the North Cyprus system offers. We covered the bigger picture in our article on legality and safety for foreign buyers.
Title transparency in Atason projects
At Atason Construction & Property, in our Monte Carlo Homes and Monte Carlo Villas projects we hand deed and permit documentation to our buyers’ lawyers at the start of the process, without waiting to be asked. When there is nothing to hide, the process speeds up for everyone — that is how we work.
Is something about the deed question on your mind? Write to us; we will listen and point you to the right steps — starting with a lawyer, where needed.