What Is Zoning Status (İmar Durumu)? Its Effect on Property Value

The certificate generally contains the parcel's block (ada) and parcel information, the type of use in the plan (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural and so on), the building conditions, the setback distances and any special restrictions.

The certificate may also show which plan the parcel falls under (master zoning plan, implementation zoning plan) and the date the plan was approved. For some parcels, restrictions such as a protected area, a heritage site, the coastal setback line or a road-widening strip (terk) are stated separately in the certificate. Restrictions of this kind can reduce the usable area of the parcel.

The floor area ratio (FAR, "emsal") is the total construction area that can be built relative to the parcel area. The building coverage ratio (BCR, "taks") is the ratio of the building's footprint to the parcel. The number of storeys is how many storeys can be built. As these values rise, the total area that can be built on the parcel rises, and with it the value of the property.

A hypothetical example: if the FAR on a 1,000 m² parcel is 1.0, the total construction area can be 1,000 m². If the FAR rises to 1.5, 1,500 m² can be built. Because the buildable area increases, the parcel's development potential also increases. The figures are only to illustrate the concept. In real practice, setbacks, BCR and storey limits may restrict the total area. Which areas are included in the FAR calculation can vary according to the plan notes and the regulation.

In addition to these concepts, building height, setbacks and plan notes also determine building rights. Even if two parcels appear to have the same FAR, the structure that can actually be built may differ because of differences in setbacks and BCR, so looking only at the FAR figure can be misleading.

Plan changes can alter a parcel's type of use or its building conditions. An increase in building rights raises the value, while restricting the conditions can lower it. Determining the value before and after a change also forms the basis of value increase share (plan-change contribution) work.

Before a plan change is finalised, it goes through public display and objection procedures. A draft on public display has not been finalised, so it is not fully reflected in the value. Under current legislation, the value increase resulting from a plan change may in some cases give rise to a contribution payable to the relevant authorities. The details vary according to legislation and practice, so expert advice should be sought.

For those buying land as an investment, the difference between the expectation of a plan change and a finalised plan is very important. Prices based on expectation can fall quickly, so written and approved plans should be the basis for your decision.

Obtain the current zoning status certificate from the relevant municipality, look into planned changes in the area, and check the encumbrances on the property in the title deed record. Consulting a valuation expert on points you are unsure about prevents problems from arising later.

You should also look into the parcel's road frontage, infrastructure, ground conditions and planned investments in the surroundings. It is safer to rely on written, up-to-date documents than to decide on the basis of verbal promises or forward-looking claims made in advertisements.

Zoning status is the plan information showing what can be built on the parcel. A building permit (yapı ruhsatı) is the permission given, based on a project, to construct a specific building. The occupancy permit (iskân, the building use permit) shows that the building has been completed and found suitable for use. The fact that a parcel is zoned does not mean that an existing building on it has a building permit and an occupancy permit. During a valuation these three documents are checked separately. If an existing building does not comply with its permit, the value may be affected accordingly.

A zoning status certificate can be requested from the relevant municipality's zoning directorate, and some municipalities may also accept the application electronically. The application generally requires block and parcel information, title deed information and an application petition. Details may vary by municipality. Because the information in the certificate reflects a specific date, you should obtain a certificate dated close to the date of the transaction.

In areas outside village and municipal boundaries, land-use decisions and the opinions of the relevant institutions come into play in place of zoning status. In such places, which institution to ask for information may vary according to the location and the nature of the land. If you are unsure, you should consult both the municipality and the relevant public authority.

The most common mistake is to trust the verbal statement of the seller or the estate agent and not to obtain the document yourself. Another is relying on an old zoning certificate, since the plan may have changed. It is also misleading to assume that the zoning rights of a neighbouring parcel apply to your own: parcels on the same street can have different FAR and storey numbers. Reading the title deed and zoning documents together before the transaction is the safest way.

The type of use in the certificate (residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural) shows what can be done on the plot. The FAR, BCR and number of storeys values determine the amount of building. Setbacks and special restrictions can reduce the parcel's actually usable area. If there is a statement in the certificate that you do not understand, ask the relevant municipality or an expert.

Reading these numbers alone is not enough. Also note which plan the parcel falls under (master plan, implementation zoning plan and so on) and the approval date of the plan. The plan date helps you understand how up to date the certificate is and whether there has been a change recently.

The most common mistakes are relying on an old zoning status certificate, not researching plan changes in the immediate surroundings, and confusing zoning status with the designation recorded in the title deed. The designation in the title deed and the type of use in the zoning plan can be different, and the zoning plan is what counts for building.

Another mistake is to take the FAR value as the number of flats that can be built. FAR shows the total construction area. How much of this area will become sellable residential space varies with common areas, the design of the project and setbacks.

A hypothetical example: if the FAR on a 1,000-square-metre parcel is 1.5, a total of 1,500 square metres of construction area can be built on the parcel. If the BCR is 0.30, the maximum footprint of the building is 300 square metres. When these two values are considered together, the approximate number of storeys also emerges. The figures are only to show the logic; the values for a real parcel should be read from its certificate.

For this reason, the values of two parcels of the same size can be very different because of differences in FAR and number of storeys. A parcel with higher building rights allows more construction area, so its land value is also generally higher. In a valuation, the expert reflects these rights in the value through comparable sales and, where needed, the development value approach.

Plan notes matter too. Special conditions in the certificate, for example additional building restrictions, the effect of a protected area or the possibility of a road-widening strip (terk), can change the usable area. Do not skip the explanations and notes at the bottom of the certificate; you can ask the municipality's zoning directorate about the meaning of these notes.

In short, zoning status is the document that expresses a parcel's potential in numbers. Reading these numbers correctly lets you tell a high price from a missed opportunity when buying land.