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Methodology

How we verify developers and projects

Catalogues usually show what the developer says. We show what we checked, when, and how long the check stays valid.

Show projects with checked documents

Four levels

  1. Level 0Declared

    Data from public sources or the developer. Havkey has not verified it yet.

    Validity: No expiry

  2. Level 1Confirmed by developer

    The developer is a registered company (TRNC Registrar of Companies) and has a contract with Havkey. Data is provided by the developer.

    Validity: No expiry

  3. Level 2Documents checked

    We have checked copies of the title deed (koçan) and its type, the building permit, mortgages and cautions on the land, and the company’s registration documents.

    Validity: 180 days

  4. Level 3Verified on site

    Our inspector visited the site, took dated, geotagged photos and compared progress with the schedule.

    Validity: 90 days

What we check

  • Company registration

    The certificate of incorporation, directors and shareholders from the TRNC Registrar of Companies. There is no public online search, so we check copies the developer provides.

  • Title deed and its type

    The koçan of the project’s land and its type: pre-1974 Turkish, exchange (eşdeğer) or allocation (TMD). The type changes the legal risk.

  • Building permit

    The permit of the municipality, or of the district office outside municipal limits, with the stamped drawings and the floor easement (kat irtifakı).

  • Mortgages and cautions

    Whether the land carries a bank mortgage (ipotek) or a caution (şerh), and whether the bank has agreed to release each flat before transfer.

  • Contract registration

    Whether sale contracts are registered at the Land Registry and stamped by the Tax Office: this protects the buyer against a double sale.

  • Completion approval

    For finished buildings: the completion approval (tasvip, often called the occupancy permit) and separate titles for the flats (kat mülkiyeti).

  • Site visit

    Geotagged photos from a fixed point, compared with the schedule.

  • Price check

    We compare prices with the developer’s price list and record the date.

Rules we follow

  1. Every level except “Declared” shows the date of the check.

  2. “Documents checked” is valid for 180 days, “Verified on site” for 90 days. After that the level drops automatically.

  3. A level cannot be bought. Paid promotion is shown separately with the label “Advertisement”.

  4. If we learn about delays, disputes or permit challenges, we show a warning on the project page.

  5. Developers can appeal a decision; every change is logged.

Who does the checks

Documents for levels 1 and 2 are reviewed by the Havkey editorial team. North Cyprus has no free public online registers for companies, title deeds or permits, so we check copies of the documents the developer provides and record what each copy shows and when. Level 3 site visits are made in person by a member of the Havkey team, never by the developer or its agent. Every level change is logged with its date and the person who made it.

Real estate agencies and agents are checked separately, by their company documents and working contacts. Only verified agencies and agents get a place in the city rankings.

How we rank agencies and agents

Check it yourself

In North Cyprus the registers are not public online: ask the developer for copies and have an independent lawyer search the Land Registry. These guides show what to ask for.