KİPTAŞ residences, where 300 flats were subject to bribery in the IMM investigation, are at a high price

The allegations against KİPTAŞ, which is mentioned in the corruption investigation against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested after being removed from his post as mayor, are continuing. While it has been alleged that 300 houses of KİPTAŞ, which allegedly made offers much higher than the market price to companies and citizens, were used as a bribe, real estate agents want the reason for the exorbitant prices offered by KİPTAŞ according to the market to be investigated.

Murat Erenler, who benefited from the effective repentance provisions in the corruption investigation launched against the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality and Ekrem İmamoğlu, who was arrested after being removed from his post as mayor, claimed in his statement that 300 apartments in the KİPTAŞ Yeşilpınar project were sold to 3 people. The operation of KİPTAŞ, which came to the fore once again with the investigation, and the prices of the apartments have become a matter of curiosity. Real estate sector employees claimed that in a place like Istanbul, where urban transformation is necessary, KİPTAŞ's offers to companies or building residents are much higher than the market. Real estate agent Mustafa Taylan Çiçek, who said that they have been working in the Alibeyköy region for 7 years, said, "In KİPTAŞ Yeşilpınar houses, 2+1s start at 7 million. 3+1s start at 8.5 million."

Osman Demircan, a retired İş Bankası Branch Manager who has been working in the real estate sector for 7 years, said, "When we look at KİPTAŞ in terms of claims, especially in a place like Istanbul where urban transformation is necessary, KİPTAŞ's offers to companies or residents are far above the market. There is a world of difference between the money a contractor asks for when they enter the same building with a demolition-construction in return for flats and the money KİPTAŞ asks for. In this region, there is a difference of approximately twice that. Of course, the houses built by KİPTAŞ are of high quality here, but construction costs are almost the same everywhere in Türkiye, ranging from 800 to a thousand dollars per square meter. Therefore, when we look at how the money KİPTAŞ asks for urban transformation is calculated, some things seem to emerge. Of course, these are all claims, there is nothing proven yet. As far as we see from the market, the residents of the building are asked for twice the amount they should be. We also have buildings for which we make offers through contractors. Of course, KİPTAŞ also comes with a price approximately one and a half times the price we give. First of all, The real estate market is very expensive, Istanbul is really the most valuable province in Türkiye. At this point, the reason for the high construction costs of KİPTAŞ should be investigated. There is no difference between any contractor and KİPTAŞ. Both use the same materials, the same craftsmen and even the same subcontractors when necessary. If a contractor sells a flat in a project with 1,000 flats for 5-5.5 million TL while KİPTAŞ sells it for 7.5-8 million TL, the reason for this is the cost. We need to go back to the sources of these costs and look at the expenses there one by one," he said.

IHA

Reporter: News Center