“I’m not an actor. I’m a broker,” he says. “But I knew the power of visibility. I wanted to show the real Dubai to the world.” On-screen or off, his deals are verified with the Dubai Land Department, every sale logged and legit. “There’s no drama you can fake when the paperwork is public,” he laughs.
Behind the cameras, Ben is an investor first. He personally owns 17 properties, most of them smart one- and two-bedroom units with high rental yields.
“I like liquidity. I don’t get emotional,” he says. “If the numbers make sense, I buy. If they don’t, I walk.”
He’s currently renting a family villa in Barsha — a decision that raises eyebrows until he explains it in true Bhandari logic. “Buying to live doesn’t make sense right now. I can build the same villa for half the cost and sell it for double. So why lock up capital?”
His real estate philosophy is stripped of fluff and rich in clarity.
“If you’re buying for appreciation, go off-plan with a good payment plan,” he advises.
“If you’re an end user who can finance, buy. Don’t rent — that’s throwing money in the garbage.”
His market map is equally precise: Dubai South for future gains, Meydan for convenience, JVC for entry-level plays.
“But don’t ignore Abu Dhabi — it’s the next Dubai. The Disneyland project will change everything,” he says. “
And keep an eye on Ras Al Khaimah. The casino alone will turn that place into a goldmine.”
Ben’s sea-view obsession, though, is personal.
“Golf views are nice, but the sea? That’s Dubai’s soul,” he says. “I’ve always preferred blue over green.”
His first million-dirham profit came from flipping a Springs townhouse in six months back in 2006.
“That gave me confidence,” he says. “I used the money to buy a JBR apartment and an early Palm property. I still own that Palm one.”
But it’s the smaller stories that reveal his hustle. Like the time a lady called from a newspaper ad, couldn’t afford what she wanted, but introduced her cousin instead.
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