Sahibinden for Expats: The Ultimate Buying, Renting & Selling Guide
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If you are trying to build a life in Turkey, there is one yellow app with black text you simply cannot ignore: Sahibinden. Calling it the “Turkish Craigslist” or “eBay” doesn’t do it justice. It is the digital backbone of the Turkish consumer economy. Whether you are hunting for a Bosphorus view apartment, buying a used Fiat on the Aegean coast, or just trying to offload Ikea furniturethis is where it happens.
When I first moved to Turkey, this platform was my lifeline, but utilizing it came with a steep learning curve. Between hidden fees, the language barrier, and the art of aggressive negotiation, there are unwritten rules you won’t find in the FAQ. In this guide, I’m sharing my personal experiences and strategies so you don’t just find what you needyou avoid getting ripped off in the process.
What Actually Is Sahibinden?
The name says it all: “Sahibinden” literally translates to “From the Owner.” Founder Taner Aksoy’s concept was simple but revolutionary: cut out the middleman. However, today the platform is a massive hybridpart real estate portal, part auto trader, and part Amazon Marketplace.
With over 6 million active listings and roughly 45 million monthly users, its dominance is absolute. But here is the “hidden gem” for expats: The app now offers a nearly complete English menu interface, making the barrier to entry much lower than it was a few years ago.
The Field Test: My Life as an Expat User
Theory is fine, but street smarts are better. Here is how I have used the platform across different stages of my life in Turkey, and the specific friction points I encountered.
1. Apartment Hunting: Cutting the Wire
When I arrived as a student in 2017, my budget was tight and my Turkish was non existent. Real estate agent fees often a full month’s rent plus VATwere a nightmare scenario. I used the app to filter specifically for listings “from the owner” (Sahibinden). The result? I found a flat, contacted the landlord via the internal messaging system (which supports translation), and saved the commission entirely.
Pro Tip: Check the “Listing Date.” If a great apartment has been online for more than 30 days, there is a catch, or the price is unrealistic. This is where you have leverage to negotiate. Once you secure a place, you’ll likely need the contract for the legalization of foreign documents in Turkey, so ensure the landlord is willing to notarize it.
2. Investment: Buying Land
In 2019, my family looked for land for an agricultural project. This is where the platform’s transparency shines. We could compare price per-square meter across different provinces without leaving our living room. Although we eventually used a broker found on the site to handle the paperworkcrucial when considering starting a company in Turkey for investment purposeswe already knew the market rate. Sahibinden was our shield against the “foreigner price markup.”
3. Buying a Car (No Dealerships)
The Turkish used car market is incredibly dynamic, and vehicles here hold their value aggressively. We needed a pickup truck. Using the granular filters, we found a seller nearby. The advantage was direct communication: we spoke to the previous owner, got the service history, and skipped the dealer margin.
Critical Rule: Never hand over cash without visiting an independent “Ekspertiz” (Auto Expertise Center). If you are new to this process, check out our guide on buying a car in Turkey as a foreigner to understand the “Notary” system.
4. Selling with “Param Güvende”
My brother recently sold his old laptop on the platform. This brings us to “Param Güvende” (My Money is Safe). It acts as an escrow service: the buyer pays Sahibinden, the money is held in limbo, and only released to the seller once the buyer confirms receipt of the goods.
Heads Up for 2025: As of January 2025, private sellers now pay a commission for this service. Previously, this was often free or subsidized, but you must now factor this fee into your selling price.
The Costs: What Does an Ad Cost Today?
Many users assume Sahibinden is completely free. That is only partially true. For private individuals, there are strict limits. Once you cross them, the meter starts running. Here is the updated pricing landscape for 2025/2026:
| Category | Free Limit (Private) | Fee After Limit (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| Real Estate (Emlak) | 1 per year | 1,639 TL (Standard) 1,369 TL (1st paid ad) |
| Vehicles (Vasıta) | 1 per year | 2,099 TL – 3,279 TL (Depends on vehicle price) |
| Shopping (2nd Hand & New) | 100 per year | 6.50 TL per ad |
| Jobs (İş İlanları) | 10 per month | 505 TL |
Note: The free allowance for Real Estate and Vehicles only resets after a full 365 days have passed since your last free ad. It is not a “calendar year” reset on January 1st.
Safety & Trust: How to Avoid Scams
Sahibinden is generally safe, but scammers operate on every major platform. If you are buying online, follow these rules religiously:
- No Escrow, No Deal: Never send money via IBAN to a stranger without using the “Param Güvende” service.
- Public Meetups Only: For high value itemslike looking for iPhone 16 prices in Turkey and finding a deal that looks too good to be truealways meet in a busy mall or café with CCTV.
- The WhatsApp Trap: If a seller immediately tries to move the conversation off the Sahibinden app to WhatsApp, be extremely cautious. This is often a prelude to a phishing link.
Sahibinden vs. Hepsiemlak
For a long time, Hürriyet Emlak was the main rival. They have since rebranded to Hepsiemlak. So, how do they stack up?
Hepsiemlak is a specialist. It focuses purely on real estate and hosts over 300,000 listings. The photo quality and data accuracy there are often superior because the platform is heavily used by professional agents who care about presentation.
Sahibinden, on the other hand, is the “Everything Store” with over 6 million listings. If you want volume and the chance to find a hidden gem directly from a homeowner (cutting out the agent fee), Sahibinden wins. If you want a curated list of high-end properties and professional service, check Hepsiemlak.
My Verdict
Sahibinden has no real alternative in Turkey. The app might look cluttered at first glance, but it is the most powerful tool for anyone living here. Switch the language to English in the settings (“Bana Özel” > “Ayarlar” > “Dil Seçimi”), use the escrow service, and don’t be afraid to negotiate the price. In Turkey, the listed price is just the conversation starter.
