How do you start a sale while living abroad?
Start with a property file, an access plan and a clear decision process. Decide who can open the property for photographs and viewings, how updates will reach you and which decisions require your written approval. If the property is occupied, coordinate access with the tenant before promising appointments.
Record the property’s present condition and identify any repairs for which you want quotations before marketing. Do not describe planned work as completed. Keep this practical coordination separate from the legal authority needed to sign a sale.
Build one property file before the listing goes live
Put current information in one organised folder instead of sending different versions through separate messages. The working file helps the people arranging photographs, answering enquiries and preparing the sale use the same information. It does not replace the official documents described later in this guide.
Keep identity records and financial documents out of the public listing. Use a controlled channel for sharing necessary documents with the professionals involved; a buyer enquiry does not need unrestricted access to the complete file.
- Property facts: address, room layout, area figures and their source, floor, lift, parking and the features that can actually be confirmed.
- Condition: dated photographs, known defects, completed work and outstanding repair quotations. Keep optional improvements separate from essential repairs.
- Occupancy: whether the home is vacant or tenanted, who holds the keys and the agreed arrangements for access.
- Documents: an index of records already available and a list of missing items, each with the person responsible for obtaining it.
- Owner instructions: contact hours, the person receiving offers, the approval process for price changes and a record of approved marketing wording.
Make viewing feedback useful for decisions
Agree viewing windows and a contact person before advertising availability. After each viewing, ask for a short factual record: when it took place, what the prospective buyer asked, what information is still missing and whether a follow-up was requested.
Keep comments separate from conclusions. One viewer’s preference does not establish the property’s market value. Look for repeated questions about condition, access or missing information, and decide whether the listing or preparation should change. Record the owner’s approval before changing the asking price.
- Confirm the appointment and access arrangements.
- Log questions and promised follow-up documents.
- Record feedback without presenting it as a firm offer.
- Assign the next action and tell the owner when an update is expected.
Compare offers on the same terms
The highest headline figure is only one part of an offer. Request the terms in writing and compare what each buyer is actually proposing. Financing plans, requested repairs and timing can make two similar prices very different propositions.
Treat an expression of interest, a written offer and a completed sale as different stages. Do not promise a completion date simply because an offer has arrived. Have the professionals responsible for the transaction assess any legal or tax consequences before accepting conditions.
| Comparison point | What to record |
|---|---|
| Price | Offered amount, currency and any proposed adjustments. |
| Payment and finance | The proposed payment sequence and whether finance remains to be arranged. Do not label financing as confirmed without supporting information. |
| Conditions | Requested repairs, included furniture, documents still required and any other stated conditions. |
| Timing | The buyer’s requested dates and the tasks that must happen first. Treat them as proposed dates until confirmed. |
| Owner decision | Questions to resolve, the owner’s response and the date/version of the offer being considered. |
A comparison table supports an informed decision; it is not a sale contract or a guarantee that a buyer will complete.
Check the transaction requirements before committing to a date
Use this checklist to organise questions for the professionals handling your sale. It is not an exhaustive legal document list, a tax calculation or a substitute for reviewing your own transaction.
| Workstream | What to verify | What to record |
|---|---|---|
| Property records | Ask the professional handling the sale to review ownership, registered entries and the documents required for this property. | Current records, unresolved questions and the person responsible for each follow-up. |
| Signing from abroad | Confirm the suitable authorisation route and wording before booking a consular or notarial appointment. Ask about photographs, translation and certification for your particular case. | The approved document checklist, appointment arrangements and where originals will be delivered. |
| Fees and tax | Ask the relevant adviser to assess the acquisition history, residence position and proposed sale, and identify applicable charges, returns and deadlines. | A written breakdown separating service fees, public charges and possible tax; who will deal with each item. |
| Payment and transfer | Agree the payment arrangements and ask the bank about required records, currency conversion, charges and transfer timing. | Confirmed account instructions and written bank requirements, with estimates clearly labelled. |
| Occupied property | Have the existing tenancy, deposit records and access arrangements reviewed before making promises to a buyer about vacant possession. | What has been verified, what remains unresolved and who will coordinate tenant communication. |
| Completion and handover | Confirm the official transaction arrangements and the agreed practical handover tasks. | Keys, meter readings, document delivery and any follow-up notifications assigned to a named person. |
Do not describe a document as complete simply because it has been requested. Maintain separate “received”, “being checked” and “missing” entries, and revisit the proposed timetable when an essential item is unresolved.
Your final coordination check
- Confirm the version of the offer the owner is considering and list any unanswered conditions.
- Confirm who will handle each document and whether it has actually been reviewed.
- Check the agreed responsibilities for fees, property expenses and tax work without assuming they are included in a management package.
- Confirm access and handover arrangements without promising vacant possession that has not been verified.
- Keep the proposed timetable conditional on outstanding transaction requirements.
- Keep the owner’s decisions and the final documents in the same organised file.
For the service covering pricing, listings, viewings and sale coordination while you are abroad: Istanbul property sale service