BREAKING NEWS: The Ministry is closely monitoring the property owners: They increased the prices by 2 million TL!

The Ministry of Commerce has accelerated its steps to prevent excessive price increases in the real estate sector. In particular, during this process, arbitrary price increases by real estate businesses and property owners, and penal practices against price increases that do not comply with any economic justification, have been paved.

Deputy Minister of Trade Mahmut Gürcan made the following statement on social media regarding the issue: “With the Regulation amendment made by our Ministry at the end of May, price increases that are not compatible with general economic data and are not based on a justified reason in real estate advertisements given on the internet have been prohibited, and the way has been opened for imposing administrative fines on real estate owners for such increases.

4.2 MILLION TL FINE TO 21 PROPERTY OWNERS!

As a result of the notifications, examinations and analyses made on the real estate advertisements given electronically; It was determined that 21 real estate owners increased the advertised price in a way that was not compatible with the general economic data after the date of the Regulation amendment, and within this scope, it was decided to impose an administrative fine of 200 thousand TL for each of the relevant real estate owners, totaling 4.2 million TL.

All necessary measures to create a transparent and balanced market structure in the real estate sector and to protect the interests of our citizens will continue to be taken without delay.”

THEY INCREASED THE PRICE BY 560 THOUSAND TL IN 2.5 MONTHS

Deputy Minister Gürcan's post particularly drew attention to the fact that the price of a real estate that was sold for 7 million 750 thousand TL on March 30 increased to 8 million 310 thousand TL on June 14. In other words, it turned out that the owner of the property increased the price by 560 thousand TL in approximately 2.5 months.

In another advertisement, it was revealed that the price of a real estate that was sold for 20 million TL on May 29 was increased by 2 million TL to 22 million TL.

'OWNERS OF PROPERTY WHO MADE EXORBITANT INCREASES WERE ALSO INCLUDED'

So how are inspections carried out? Are the penalties applied sufficient? What will be the direction of housing prices with the Ministry's close monitoring of exorbitant prices? Real Estate Expert Mustafa Hakan Özelmacıklı, who evaluated all the curiosities on the subject to milliyet.com.tr, made the following statements: “An amendment was made to the Regulation on Real Estate Trade on May 30, 2025. With the amendment to the regulation that entered into force, real estate owners related to advertisements on the internet were also deemed responsible for price increases made for unfair reasons that were not compatible with general economic data.

When the regulation was announced, real estate businesses were previously prohibited from making price increases that were not compatible with general economic data and were not based on justified reasons. Now, a regulation has been made that will also make property owners responsible.

'IT IS AIMED TO CREATE A TRANSPARENT AND BALANCED PRICE POLICY'

The scope of the regulation is no longer limited to real estate businesses. The path to administrative sanctions has been opened to real estate owners who are subject to such advertisements and who place their own advertisements. Now, at this point, a more comprehensive fight against manipulative price increases is targeted. The aim is to create a more transparent and balanced pricing policy.

It is not very clear what the figures for price increases that are not consistent with general economic data or are not based on a legitimate reason will be, what will be taken as a basis. Here, will it be the CPI or different data on inflation, the increase in foreign exchange prices, or the change in gold? It is not clear what will be taken as a basis here. We can say that this part is a bit vague.

PENALTY FOR THOSE WHO MAKE A 10 PERCENT INCREASE OR A 40 PERCENT INCREASE!

As we see in the examples, there are penalties for those who make a 10 percent increase, and those who make a 30-40 percent increase also face penalties.

HOW DOES THE MINISTRY DETERMINE EXORBITANT PRICES?

The Ministry of Trade also pulls the advertisements published on the platforms that publish advertisements on the internet and the price changes in these advertisements on certain dates. Price changes are monitored through the examination of this data.

'THE PENALTIES GIVEN ARE DETERRENT'

When we look at the fines imposed on 21 real estate owners regarding the advertisements, a total of 4.2 million administrative fines were imposed for each advertisement, totaling 200 thousand TL. When we look at the numbers, the fines are deterrent. 'When real estate owners take this to court, what kind of regulation will be in the decision?' We do not know this. After an advertisement is published, there may be many different things that may affect the price of the real estate. There may be different dynamics that affect the value, such as renovations made to the real estate, elimination of various deficiencies related to the real estate, and a flat that has not received an occupancy permit receiving an occupancy permit. The Ministry is expected to explain the reason for the price change. This may not always be written in the advertisement descriptions.

'PENALTIES MUST BE FOLLOWED CAREFULLY'

These penalties, which are imposed before 1 month, should be followed carefully by property owners. Sometimes property owners can determine the price of their own real estate in return for various values. It can be determined in exchange for foreign currency or a certain amount of gold . At these points, real estate companies can also make price changes in line with the demands of the property owners.

'THERE IS STILL A REAL DECLINE IN PRICES'

When we look at the advertisement prices, the housing price index shows us that housing prices have been increasing below inflation for a long time. There is still a decline in real terms. We expect this decline to slow down a little more in the coming period. There may inevitably be an upward movement in prices. We can say that this process is a transition period and the part related to prices cannot be limited within the free market economy.'