Lahore, July 11, 2025 A major shift may be underway in Pakistan’s real estate sector, as a local developer unveils what is being described as the country’s first shared ownership model for commercial property.

The company behind the move, The Vertical, has introduced the concept at its under-construction V3 Business Centre in Lahore — a high-rise development located along one of the city’s increasingly sought-after commercial corridors.

At the heart of the initiative is accessibility. For the first time, individuals can buy into commercial real estate with as little as 100 square feet, at an entry cost of Rs950,000 and monthly installments of Rs97,000 over a year and a half. The model offers full legal ownership, but at a fraction of the price traditionally associated with business property in urban Pakistan.

“We didn’t want property ownership to remain the privilege of a few,” said Muteeb Siddiqui, CEO of The Vertical. “This is our attempt to bring credibility and flexibility to the investment process, while still maintaining the kind of quality we’ve built our name on.”

The V3 Business Centre is not just a concept on paper. With three floors already constructed and development reportedly ahead of schedule, the company appears to be trying to distinguish its offering from the many speculative or stalled projects that have challenged investor confidence in Pakistan’s real estate sector.

Facilities planned for the site include modern office amenities, meeting rooms, a gym, valet parking, and round-the-clock security — features that suggest a push toward attracting startups, SMEs, and remote-working professionals seeking professional-grade infrastructure.

While shared ownership is not a new idea globally, it has remained rare in Pakistan particularly in commercial property.

The Vertical’s approach marks a calculated attempt to adapt international models to the Pakistani investment mindset, where the preference has often leaned toward physical property and visible construction progress.

Analysts say this type of offering may attract a younger, more financially diverse pool of investors, including overseas Pakistanis and first-time buyers who have traditionally been priced out of the market.

With limited inventory and high interest already being reported, the company’s move may also serve as a test case for whether the broader industry is ready to move past the all-or-nothing property models that have dominated the sector for decades.

In an economy where real estate remains one of the few tangible investment options for the middle class, this shared-ownership structure could mark the beginning of a more accessible, transparent, and segmented approach to property investment in Pakistan.