In Honduras, and Choloma in particular, finding a safe and affordable community to live in can be a challenge. As a result, Ciudad Morazán, a provider of one of the safest and most affordable housing options in Honduras, expected to fill up very quickly, despite the challenges of the current anti-ZEDE sentiment.

​Unfortunately, Ciudad Morazán appears to be better at building a city than selling it. As a result, one of the most significant sources of new tenants has always been commission-based referrals, such as a local Choloma real estate agent. She was the top external source of residents.

Until Massimo’s April visit, most residents were unaware that they, too, could earn a commission for referring friends—something that Ciudad Morazán would quickly learn was a huge oversight. This is because, within a month of learning about the referral fee, a single Morazán resident broke the record for most referrals with over half a dozen referrals, including a commercial tenant.

If his referrals stay the required one year, he will earn one month’s rent for each referral. As a result, his total will be more than 20,000 HNL in profit. That is about two months’ salary of the median Honduran wage earner or more than half a year of free rent in Morazán.

​Profit is a powerful motivator!