In Pakistan, the fastest way to double your money or lose it all is the File Market.
While Plots offer security, Files offer speed. But for new investors, distinguishing between an Affidavit File and a Balloted Plot is where the confusion begins. For seasoned dealers, managing the inventory mix of Open Files and Balloted Plot without errors is a daily operational challenge.
This comprehensive guide breaks down the technical, legal, and financial differences between a File and a Plot to help you make informed decisions.
To understand the difference, we must first look at the lifecycle of a housing society.
A File is essentially a promise of a future plot. It is a document issued by a housing society (like DHA, Bahria Town, or City Housing) acknowledging that you have paid for a certain land size (e.g., 10 Marla), but that land has not yet been allocated to a specific location on the map.
A Plot is a specific piece of land with a physical existence. It has gone through the Balloting process and has been assigned a unique identity (e.g., Plot #45, Street #12, Sector A).
Understanding the journey of a File helps explain why they are traded so frequently.
A developer acquires raw land (acres). At this stage, there are no plots, only land.
The developer sells Files to investors to raise capital for development. This is often called the Pre-Launch phase. Investors buy files at a lower rate in hopes of a price jump.
Once development reaches a certain stage, the society holds a Ballot. This is a lottery system where file owners are randomly assigned specific plot numbers.
After Balloting, your File officially converts into a Plot. Its value usually jumps significantly because the location is now confirmed.
The final stage where the society grants you permission to build your house.
The file price usually covers the land cost only. You will likely pay Development Charges (for roads, electricity, sewerage) separately after balloting.
Your decision depends entirely on your goal: Trading or Building.
Files are the currency of speculators. Because they are cheaper than plots, they offer a lower barrier to entry.
If you plan to build a house, you must buy a plot. Buying a file is risky for a homebuilder because you might get a bad location (e.g., facing a graveyard or near a nullah) during the ballot.
In premium societies like DHA, you will hear two specific terms regarding files:
This is an Open Letter issued to a landowner who gave their land to DHA. It does not have a specific buyer's name on it yet.
Benefit: It is like a bearer check. It can be transferred very quickly without heavy taxes or transfer fees.
Dealer Note: Dealers love Affidavit File for fast trading. However, they carry a high risk of theft if lost. Aiksol360's Inventory Module allows you to track Affidavit File by Serial Number to prevent theft in your office.
This is a file that has been formally transferred to a specific person's name.
Benefit: It is secure. It cannot be stolen or sold without the owner's biometric verification.
Drawback: Transferring it requires a formal process and fees.
The biggest risk in the File Market is Overselling.
This happens when a private developer owns 100 acres of land (which can fit 500 plots) but sells 2,000 files.
If you run a Real Estate Agency, handling Files vs. Plots requires different workflows.
Files: You need to track Booking Dates and 'Balloting Schedules'. You often trade these in bulk (e.g., '5 Files of City Housing').
Plots: You need to track specific attributes like Corner, Park Facing, and Main Boulevard, as these affect the price.
Files: Often have a flat commission or a Dealer Quota margin.
Plots: Usually earn a percentage (1% or 2%) of the total deal value.
Aiksol360 Solution: Our CRM handles both. You can set up a File Inventory for your trading desk and a Plot Inventory for your sales team, with different commission templates for each.
For Investors: Always ask your dealer if they are tracking your file's balloting status manually or digitally. The safety of your investment depends on their organization.
For Dealers: Managing a mix of 50 Open Files and 20 Plots on Excel is a recipe for disaster. Aiksol360 automates the File-to-Plot conversion instantly, securing your client's history and your commission.
Can I build a house on a file?
Do files have plot numbers?
Are files subject to Zakat?
Which appreciates faster?