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is DHA a Ponzi Scheme ?,

(51706)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009 05:56 AM 

Today most people know about madeoff in USA. It was the biggest ponzi scheme in usa history of a fraud of around 50 billion dollars.
I wonder if some of the big real estate companies are playing the same game. And eventually this will also collapse.

Here is the theory of the game play with a supposed company lets say PakHA.
Start a scheme/project and sell plots to people on installments.
Collect installments, wipe/eat most of these funds and spend a little bit on development and give few plots to few people, so that more people keep coming.

When out of money, start another scheme and sell more plots.
Collect installments, wipe/eat most of these funds and spend a little bit on development and give few plots to few people again to keep more people coming.

keep on repeating this. What is happening; that new buyers are paying for old buyers. And in the middle PakHA is making tons of money.

Eventually this scheme will bust. Eventually there will be so many projects/schemes under development or not delivered and people will completely loose faith in PakHA and no one would want to buy any more of this. And thats when it will bust. How long it will take to bust it depends on how strong PHA is? It may keep on going for over 50-60 years or even more who knows.
After all madeoff scheme worked for over 30 years.

Here is the basis of this theory.
Good companies and honest businesses don't work like this. Don't keep on starting new projects without delivering previous ones. They know these are liabilities and with the passage of time everything is getting expensive. If they won't deliver on time it will cost them more money and business will loose money.

But not for PakHA. They have started so many projects/phases after phases after phases. Without delivering the previous ones. Because they know they don't have any liabilities. They can ask for extra charges if materials get expensive. And eventually they can and will throw towels and run away.
Interesting thing is that PakHA will never offer a project with a strict dead line and written guarantee that if project does not complete on time they will pay penalty to the buyers.
Buyers have to pay penalties if they are late on their payments. But PakHA don't have to deliver on time. No clause like that. No penalties for them. Rather buyers have to pay more money under different clauses because now materials have become expensive because of PakHA's laziness.

Some may not agree with this theory but at least now we know what a ponzi scheme is and how that works?

To me any of these big real estate companies are ponzi schemes if they don't deliver on time and on budget and keep starting new projects.

Ms.Ferzin replied on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 06:04 AM 

Is PHA is the same PakHA or two are different?
Can any body comment.

Ponzi replied on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 06:19 AM 

Its a typo. Just supposed names to explain the idea. Please make it whatever you like.

Ali3 replied on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 09:21 AM 

All housing schemes, private developers, etc. are illegal, immoral and unethical. Private individuals DO NOT have the right to start their own towns, cities and countries, unless ofcourse if they declare themselves as King and the country as their Kingdom. It's the apathy of our government that they have left such work to be fulfilled by the private developers because they do not have the time nor will to serve the people. Also, by deliberately making land shortage they use this to make quick money.

Same goes with other fields like education, health, sports. Citizens SHOULD NOT have to pay for membership fees of elites clubs, private schools and elite hospitals. This country is worse than a jungle.

SaeedAhmedIslamabad replied on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:03 AM 

Well dont think DHA is a ponzi scheme becasue they have delivered and they r delivering. However, i know at least one developer which appear to ME like ponzi is 'Multiprofessional societey' of Islamabad. They started F-17 in early 1992 (or even prior to that) and never delivered (infact never acquired complete land), they started B-17 no progress on it, and i think they have few more without any output.

Salman replied on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 10:35 AM 

Not sure abt DHA, but BAHRIA does follow a similar kind of strategy

JI replied on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 11:41 AM 

Nice article Ponzi.
I think DHA is lagged in consildating its announced schemes and mechinism of 'no-date' plans is totaly rediculous. A roadmap for each society announced should be given to the public and developer should stick to it.
Regards

Ponzi replied on Wednesday, February 25, 2009 03:51 PM 

I don't know about governing laws about real estate. Even if I knew that would be useless for a a state like Pakistan.
I just look at these scheme's on a pattren similar to ponzi and that was my point.
Thanks.
Mazhar

Hamid,Toronto replied on Thursday, February 26, 2009 02:34 AM 

I don’t think this article really fit in Pak environment. You CANNOT get the 100% honesty in Pakistan. We simply don’t have that. Here is 100 thousands dollars question, can you tell me any single real estate developers that is not follow the PONZI strategy.

Ponzi replied on Thursday, February 26, 2009 03:58 AM 

Hamid Bhai thats the whole point of writing about this.
I agree with 100%.
regards.
Mazhar
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