Requirements for Opening a Real Estate Office: Documents, Premises and Workspace Options
Opening a real estate office in Turkey takes more than setting up a company or sole proprietorship: to trade in property you need an authorisation certificate, professional competence and suitable premises. This guide covers the general steps, the documents commonly requested and the workspace options for real estate agents.
It is general information, not legal or tax advice. For current requirements, rely on announcements from the Ministry of Trade, the chamber you will join and your accountant.
Short answer
Opening a real estate office generally takes a business registration (sole proprietorship or company), a property trading authorisation certificate from the Ministry of Trade, a professional competence certificate for the responsible people, chamber registration and suitable premises; a municipal licence may also be needed. Because the authorisation certificate sets conditions for the premises, confirm before applying whether a virtual office or an office in a business centre qualifies.
1. What does it take to open a real estate office?
Opening a real estate office generally requires a business registration, a property trading authorisation certificate from the Ministry of Trade, a professional competence certificate for the people in charge and premises suited to the activity. Tax registration, chamber registration and, where needed, a municipal business licence come on top. Check the requirements against current regulations before you apply.
- Business registration: Setting up a sole proprietorship or company; the start-of-business notice to the tax office and an inspection at the premises.
- Chamber registration: Registration with the relevant professional chamber for your activity.
- Professional competence: A professional competence certificate for the people who will be responsible at the office.
- Authorisation certificate: An application for the property trading authorisation certificate through the Ministry of Trade’s online system.
- Premises: The authorisation application sets conditions for the premises; check them against current rules before applying.
- Licence: Ask your municipality whether a business opening and operating licence is needed.
2. Which documents are needed to open a real estate office?
The documents depend on the authority you apply to: the tax office, the chamber, the municipality and the Ministry of Trade may each ask for different documents. Generally they include ID, a lease or use agreement for the premises, the tax certificate, the chamber registration certificate and the professional competence certificate. Lists change over time, so check each authority’s current list before you apply.
| Authority | Commonly requested documents (general) |
|---|---|
| Tax office | ID, premises agreement; formation documents for companies |
| Professional chamber | Registration application and the documents the chamber asks for |
| Ministry of Trade (authorisation certificate) | Professional competence certificate, information and documents on the premises, business registration |
| Municipality (if needed) | Licence application and the documents the municipality asks for |
3. Can a real estate office be opened at a virtual office?
This depends on whether a virtual office address can meet the premises conditions of the authorisation application, and the definite answer has to be checked against the regulations. Even if a virtual office address can be used for tax registration, the authorisation certificate may set separate conditions. If you are considering a virtual office address for a real estate office, consult a lawyer and your accountant before applying.
4. Which workspace suits real estate agents?
In real estate, clients are often met in the field while portfolio meetings happen at a desk. As your team and office visits grow, you need an office of your own; for contract and negotiation meetings a closed meeting room may be enough. If you are looking for a street-level shop with a window, a business centre meets a different need; choose according to how clients find you.
| Need | Suitable option | What is included at Archerson |
|---|---|---|
| A team, clients visiting the office | Ready office | Furnished private office; electricity, water, gas, internet, cleaning and standard tea, coffee and water included; no set-up fee; 8 meeting room hours a month; minimum term 6 months |
| Contract, negotiation, investor meetings | Meeting room | 10, 25, 50 and 100-hour packages (used within 365 days); bookings of at least one hour, open to non-members; free tea and coffee during the meeting |
| A desk for agents who work in the field | Coworking | Hot or fixed desk; hot desks at both branches with the Flexible Membership; daily use option |
If you are thinking of registering an Archerson ready office as your premises for the authorisation application, let us review the premises conditions with you and your adviser before you apply.
5. Real estate agents at Archerson Workspaces
Archerson Workspaces has two branches: Archerson Kadıköy, in historic mansions next to Fenerbahçe Stadium, and Archerson Acarkent, inside the Coliseum sports and living complex.
- Archerson Kadıköy: Building access is Monday–Saturday 08:00–23:00 and Sunday 09:00–18:00. Secretarial services are available Monday–Friday 09:00–19:00 and Saturday 09:00–18:00; there is no secretarial service on Sunday.
- Archerson Acarkent: Building access in Acarkent is continuous. Secretarial services are available Monday–Friday 08:30–18:00 and Saturday 08:30–17:00; there is no secretarial service on Sunday.
- Meeting rooms: Two rooms in Kadıköy (both with a whiteboard and a projector) and one 10-person room in Acarkent with a TV, a projector and a whiteboard.
- Tax offices: Archerson Kadıköy belongs to the Göztepe Tax Office and Archerson Acarkent to the Beykoz Tax Office.
- Getting there: In Kadıköy, Söğütlüçeşme station (Marmaray and Metrobüs) is about a 10-minute walk away and there is no car park; Acarkent has parking.
Let us plan a visit so you can see the office and meeting room options and talk through what you need.
Contact us →Frequently asked questions
Generally a business registration, a property trading authorisation certificate from the Ministry of Trade, a professional competence certificate for the responsible people, chamber registration and suitable premises. A municipal licence may also be needed. Confirm current requirements before you apply.
The tax office, the professional chamber, the municipality and the Ministry of Trade may each ask for different documents. Generally they include ID, a premises agreement, the tax certificate, the chamber registration certificate and the professional competence certificate. Check each authority’s current list before you apply.
This depends on whether a virtual office address can meet the premises conditions of the authorisation application. For a definite answer, consult a lawyer and your accountant before applying.
The property trading authorisation certificate is obtained by applying through the Ministry of Trade’s online system. The application requires conditions such as professional competence and suitable premises.
Yes. At Archerson meeting rooms are rented in 10, 25, 50 and 100-hour packages, used within 365 days; bookings are for at least one hour and non-members can book too. Tea and coffee are free during the meeting, and your guests are welcomed during secretariat hours.
For real estate agents in Kadıköy and Acarkent
At Archerson’s Kadıköy and Beykoz-Acarkent branches you will find ready offices for your team, meeting rooms for contract and negotiation meetings and desks for when you are back from the field. Tell us what you need and we will work out the right set-up with you.
Get in touch
To talk about ready office and meeting room options, write to us from our contact page.
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