Gold Ace Estates — The Founder
Tony Habib King
Founder & Director — Gold Ace Real Estates
From a homeless hostel in Manchester to a £1 million estate agency with offices in Dubai — this is the story of how a Chorlton kid built something extraordinary.
As featured in Manchester Evening News, April 2023
“The King became the ace.”
— Tony Habib King
His story
A rebellious teenager from Chorlton, Tony Habib King left school at 16 and enrolled at college — only to be kicked out a year later for poor attendance. Education, he quickly decided, wasn't for him. “I wanted to learn from others,” he says. “People were experience.”
At 18, he fell in love and got married. Just seven months later, his wife was pregnant with their first child. The young couple moved into Tony's family home in Chorlton, but the new dynamic wasn't working out. With a baby on the way and nowhere to go, Manchester City Council stepped in — placing them in a homeless hostel for two months.
“The hostel wasn't too bad. As long as we were together, we were alright. We were so loved up at the time — we were constantly as one.”
After two months, their families pooled money together and found the young couple a flat in Cheetham Hill. After a year on benefits, Tony knew he had to act. He approached his dad: “We need to do something — we're on the dole, not doing anything.”
His dad got him a job in real estate. It was the turning point everything had been building towards. Starting at 22 in property management — taking in sales, lettings, and debt management — Tony threw himself into learning. He spent the next decade mastering every corner of the industry.
After ten years, he crossed paths with his friend Zak Jennings, who ran his own letting agency in Manchester city centre. Tony took a manager's role — but his ambitions didn't stop there. In April 2022, the two friends co-founded Gold Ace Real Estates together, launching offices simultaneously in Manchester and Dubai.
“I know how successful I'm going to be and no one is really going to get in my way.”
In the first month of trading, the business turned a profit. Today, Gold Ace Real Estates operates across sales, lettings, management, investments, and off-market cash buying — with a team of six in Manchester and twelve in Dubai. The business is valued at approximately £1 million.
Tony Habib King — Founder, Gold Ace Real Estates
The journey
From Chorlton to Dubai
Left school, enrolled at college
Kicked out of college — started learning from people instead
Fell in love, got married, baby on the way
Placed in a homeless hostel by Manchester City Council for two months
Secured a flat in Cheetham Hill with family support
Dad got him his first job in real estate — the journey truly began
A decade in property: sales, lettings, debt management, investments
Founded Gold Ace Real Estates alongside business partner Zak Jennings
£1m business — offices in Manchester city centre and Dubai
Family
The reason behind everything
Tony is the proud father of four children — Jamal Aslam (16), Eesa Aslam (12), Danyaal Aslam (10), and Layla Aslam (6). Every decision he's made, every risk he's taken, has been built around giving his family the life he never had growing up.
The boy who once had nowhere to live now owns a blacked-out Mercedes and runs a million-pound business. But ask Tony what he's most proud of — and it won't be the cars or the offices in Dubai.
“I deserve where I am now. I was destined for it.”
The business
Gold Ace Real Estates
Founded in April 2022 alongside business partner Zak Jennings, Gold Ace Real Estates launched with offices in both Manchester city centre and Dubai — simultaneously. In month one, the business turned a profit.
The agency operates across sales, lettings, management, investments, and exclusive off-market deals — with 18 team members across two continents and a portfolio valued at approximately £1 million.
