Through the e-Government portal, citizens can select their properties and authorize their real estate agents, allowing agents to post ads on property websites. These ads will be published as "verified listings." This new application will formalize the process of adding real estate listings to sites and aims to prevent consumer fraud and price manipulation from fake listings. Additionally, unlicensed real estate agents will be prevented from posting ads.

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When will the transition to the verified listings system occur, and who will oversee it?

Advertising platforms will complete the technical work for authorization verification, and the verification system will be operational. The application will be fully implemented as of January 1, 2025, and ads cannot be posted on real estate sites without authorization verification after this date. The Ministry of Commerce will oversee the process.

What are verified listings, and what is the purpose of implementing them?

The Ministry of Commerce announced the implementation of the second phase of the Electronic Ad Verification System (EİDS), by requiring verification obligations for real estate agents on ad platforms related to real estate trade.

This system, known as "verified listings," aims to protect consumers from fraud and prevent price manipulation through fake listings.

What is the primary goal of this application?

Following the digitization in the real estate sector for property sales/rentals and brokerage services, several issues emerged, including:

Fake listings were created and prices manipulated by individuals claiming to sell or rent properties they do not own.
Some fake projects (like multiparty ownership projects) were developed, collecting money as down payments or purchase fees, causing significant consumer harm.
Unauthorized individuals, without the necessary licenses according to real estate trade regulations, gained illegal profits by brokering property sales or rentals through these portals.

The EİDS system aims to eliminate these problems, protect consumers, and ensure that only licensed real estate agents have these rights.

What must real estate agents do to comply with the regulations?

Any real estate agent involved in the EİDS system must have a license granted by the trade authorities in their province according to real estate trade regulations.

What are the requirements for a real estate agent to obtain this license?

Be registered with a professional chamber and hold a business activity certificate.
Be a taxpayer for income or corporate taxes.
Be at least 18 years old.
Have at least an elementary school education.
Not have declared bankruptcy, or have restored their reputation if declared bankrupt according to law.
Not have been sentenced to five years or more for intentional crimes or committed any moral or state-related crimes, or received a commercial prohibition.
Complete 100 hours of training provided by the Ministry of National Education or authorized universities or institutions, and meet the other conditions outlined in regulations.
College or university graduates must have worked in this field for six months prior to applying for the license, while others must have worked for twelve months.

An important point is that working on behalf of a licensed agency is mandatory for real estate agents. However, merely having a license in the EİDS system is not enough; there also needs to be an Authorization Agreement between the property owner and the licensed real estate agent according to real estate trade regulations.

Simply entering the agent's license number into the system does not suffice if this agreement is not completed. The Authorization Agreement must be signed with all related licensed real estate agents.

How many real estate agents can be authorized for the same property?

Sector representatives mentioned that a system is set up to authorize up to five real estate agents. Specifying a certain number of agents, up to five licensed ones, is believed to help prevent other problems. The current system allows displaying connected data like prices for all related listings.

However, I think the ministry overlooked a point in attempting to prevent consumer harm. Citizens relying on five agents should know they might face the risk of paying multiple commissions or expenses related to services these agents provide.

To earn a legal commission, the service needs to be completed. However, the law states that real estate agents can collect fees for the efforts made in these areas. The ministry should inform citizens about this.

Will verifying rental ads be mandatory as well?

Individuals wishing to rent out their properties and post ads on digital platforms must also obtain authorization through the EİDS system, just as they would for sales ads. For both sales and rental ads, properties exempt from the system will include:

Housing projects without established independent ownership.
Ads for daily rentals.
Social housing projects and TOKİ.
Squatter houses and properties without title deeds.

For these properties, EİDS verification will not be performed, and promotion will continue through real estate portals in the traditional manner.

Can citizens post their ads directly without authorizing real estate agents?

Citizens are not obligated to work with a real estate agent to sell or rent their properties. They can use real estate portals to post ads for their properties themselves.

It should be noted that citizens can place these ads under their own name or that of their spouse or relatives up to the second degree (children, siblings, grandchildren, grandfather, grandmother).

Is it possible to revoke authorization after granting it?

A person can revoke the authorization granted through the EİDS system at any time; however, removal from the system is not immediate, and ads will remain in the system for the duration specified by the citizen.

In this context, the inability to revoke from the system might lead to requests for multiple service fees or high expense claims. If revocation is required after authorization, I recommend sending a written notice to the licensed real estate agent and reminding them of the responsibilities involved.

What is the duration of authority granted to the authorized real estate agent over the property?

The ministry informed the sector that the minimum duration for authorization in the current system will be at least three months. However, no specific details were provided about the maximum duration (there is no information on how periods exceeding three months will appear on screens).

What penalties await property owners or agents who do not comply with this application?

If the Authorization Agreement is not signed as per real estate trade regulations, or if there is no license, or if the property owner acts against the system, this action will be considered a violation of the Law on the Regulation of Electronic Commerce, subject to administrative fines ranging from 10,000 to 100,000 lira. Additionally, fines will be imposed under Article 18 of the Retail Law.

Can this application control prices for rentals or properties on sale?

It can be said that a significant step has been taken regarding price manipulation with the current system. Major progress will be achieved in transparency and tax audits concerning rental and sales transactions in cooperation with the Ministry of Treasury and Finance. This could help control existing market price manipulations.