Riad Gohar sells Dubai's most glamorous homes, so we've taken a look inside his villa in The Lakes

“My wife went to this exhibition while I was climbing Kilimanjaro — I wasn’t reachable on the phone,” says Riad Gohar, recalling the moment that sealed one of the boldest design choices in his home.

“She saw this incredible kitchen, made from a 300-year-old oak tree in Italy. They got special permission to cut it down and turn it into an industrial-style kitchen. Thank God I was climbing — because I always say no. But this time she won.”

Welcome to Million Dollar Listing star and real estate tycoon Gohar’s fully upgraded villa in The Lakes’ Deema cluster — a gorgeous and classy home his family bought for around Dh3.5 million nearly two decades ago, and which is now valued at approximately Dh14 million.

But beyond the property’s appreciation is a story of design, resilience, and deep emotional investment — with Riad repeatedly giving his wife full credit for the home’s transformation.

“Credit to her. She chose everything. I just said yes,” he says with a grin.

Kitchen tales is where it all began ...

The kitchen — crafted entirely from that ancient oak tree — is more than just a culinary hub. It’s a living symbol of the life Riad and his wife have built together.

“We spend a lot of time here,” he says. “It’s food for the soul.”

Designed for form and function, the kitchen features handle-less cabinetry, integrated appliances, and a natural, tactile palette that feels rooted and intentional.

“She even planned how the grains would run,” he says. “I would’ve gone to IKEA. She went to Europe.”

Even Riad, known for selling some of the most glamorous homes in Dubai, admits: “Every time I think I know better, she proves me wrong.”

The Gohars purchased the home over 17 years ago. “We broke every wall. It’s a completely new layout,” he says.

“Everything you see now — the colours, the plaster, the flow — that’s her. She’s got an eye.”

His wife didn’t hire an interior designer. Instead, she layered neutral materials, soft limewashed walls, and modern art — curating a space that feels minimalist, grounded, and textured without being sterile.

“We like simplicity, minimalist with colours. Furniture is all wood — greyish, industrial — and then she adds colour with art. It brings life.”

The outdoor vibe: White Lotus, but make it functional

Riad lights up when he talks about the garden.

“I love my outdoor space ... Even in summer, at night, I go outside.”

Their backyard is anything but an afterthought — it’s a fully activated extension of the home, created for entertainment, wellness, and unwinding.

There’s a sunken lounge for evening gatherings, a firepit set in actual beach sand, and — perhaps the crown jewel — a fully fitted outdoor kitchen and gym.

“I’ve got a full setup out there — a pizza oven, BBQ, fridge, sink, drawers, even a minibar. You name it, it’s there,” Riad says proudly. “We cook, we host, we just hang out. It’s a proper vibe.”

The outdoor gym: “This is my nightclub”

Tucked into a shaded corner of the garden is Riad’s personal training sanctuary.

“The outdoor gym is my nightclub,” he grins. “I’ve got monkey bars, a pull-up station, dumbbells, incline bench — everything I need.”

With ambient lighting and a music system wired outside, the space is both high energy and highly personal. “It’s not just about staying fit. It’s where I clear my head. I spend more time there than anywhere else when I’m home.”

Even in the thick of summer, Riad, a former actor before he plunged into pharma and then real estate with Starzplay Million Dollar Listings show, prefers to break a sweat outdoors. “It sounds crazy, but I love training outside in the heat. That’s how I reset.”

Real estate with roots

Known now for his role on Image Nation Abu Dhabii-backed Million Dollar Listing UAE on Starzplay and for closing billion-dirham deals, Riad’s beginnings were humble.

“I was in pharmaceuticals,” he says. “But my wife showed me how real estate and the joy of going independent works. We took risks, we made money, we lost money — and we remembered where we started.”

He calls real estate his “constant,” the foundation he always returned to — even when other ventures, like his food truck business, faltered during COVID. “It’s not just about making money,” he says. “It’s about legacy.”

“The real estate industry and this country have given me so much. I want to give back.”

The Grounded choice: Seven Hills, The Lakes

While he sells in Emirates Hills and the Palm, Riad is intentional about living in The Lakes. “This is home. It’s elegant but not loud,” he says.

The Seven Lakes villa (now known as The Lakes), where his villa sits, offers privacy and charm without the flash.

“I know most of my neighbours. I’ve sold many of them their homes,” he says. “It’s a mature community. People value the lifestyle here.”

He remembers when The Lakes was still a part of the Emirates Hills. “There used to be just one gate for both. Now look at the transformation.”

And while others chase bigger, flashier spaces, Riad sees value in staying grounded.

“I don’t need a lake view. I don’t need to scale up. I need calm. I need to build a future for my kids.”

Every inch of this home reflects Riad's personal growth — and his commitment to building something that lasts beyond just a real estate portfolio.

“When I lost everything, I didn’t sit and cry,” he says. “I moved on quickly. You fall down, you learn. Do it better next time.”

That mindset is what fuels his current drive: mentoring young real estate agents, promoting ethical business, and creating intergenerational wealth for his family.

“You buy property — you don’t sell. A tangible asset will always grow.”

It’s a philosophy passed down from his grandfather, and one he’s now teaching his children.

Most used spot?

When asked about the home’s most active spaces, Riyadh doesn’t hesitate. “The kitchen. That’s where life happens — where we eat, talk, live.”

The least used? “Upstairs,” he shrugs. “Everything we need is down here. That’s real living.”

And even after walking through Dh200 million palaces and penthouses, Riad returns to his Lakes villa with a full heart.

“I come back here and feel lucky,” he says. “Even after seeing everything out there, I wouldn’t change a thing.”

And as for the woman behind it all?

“She’s the star,” he says simply. “This home? It’s her masterpiece. I just live in it — happily.”