Jim Kahn began his career in real estate in 1983 after graduating from Arcadia University with a B.A. in English, and participating in several Theatre productions at Villanova University while giving Graduate School a try, Following jobs in building and grounds maintenance, reception and security, Jim joined Kahn & Co with his sales license, and spent his first few years specializing in the appraisal of commercial, industrial, institutional and residential real estate for banks, attorneys and individuals.
In the mid-1980’s, Jim stepped into a more active brokerage role with the firm, handling a variety of assignments covering the complete gamut of non-residential real estate. During that time, Jim sold or leased a wide variety of churches, gas stations, restaurants, convenience food stores, large industrial buildings, automobile sales/repair facilities, and office space throughout the five-county Metropolitan Philadelphia region and Southern New Jersey. By 1990, Jim began working in the redevelopment and conversion of former gas station properties into neighborhood strip shopping centers and free-standing retail facilities leased to national chains. The world of commercial real estate development gave him the invaluable opportunity to negotiate complex lease deals with dozens of national retail leasing representatives, oversee the underground tank removal and subsequent cleanup of multiple formerly contaminated sites, work directly with the neighborhood community groups, Zoning Boards and Planning Commissions of the City of Philadelphia and numerous suburban Townships, and interface with architects, surveyors, building and traffic engineers and general contractors in order to complete the various ground-up assignments that he was blessed with.
During the mid-1990’s, Jim took over property and financial management for the company and subsequently focused his efforts since that time on the expansion of brokerage, acquisition, commercial development, non-profit client expansions and Tenant representation. Since that time, the Company’s Tenant representation assignments have included three separate Sonic Drive-In restaurant franchise groups throughout 23 counties in PA and NJ, the regional expansion of the 10 store Swiss Farm Convenience Store chain, Safelite Auto Glass, Impact Thrift Stores, Liberty Ministries Thrift Stores, Lakeside Educational Services and a number of individual franchisees for Peace A Pizza, Manhattan Bagel, Checkers, Factory Donuts and Meineke Car Care, Over the past decade, Jim has handled the sale of six cathedrals for The Ukrainian Catholic Archeparchy of Philadelphia in addition to leasing their Northern Liberties headquarter space and brokering the purchase of a new cathedral in Delaware County.
Jim has brought Kahn & Co clients the rare combination of nearly 40 years of working all sides of the table including contract negotiation assistance, environmental remediation experience, niche non-profit consulting, extensive Tenant/Landlord/Buyer/Seller representation and taking a property through all levels of development from land acquisition through Grand Opening.
Jim committed his life to the Messiah, Jesus, in 1991 and views his business as an opportunity to share with others the mercy, love, patience, and blessings that he has received from the gracious hands of the Lord. Jim resides in Montgomery County with his wife and children and spends his free time actively engaged with an amazing family and relishing the outdoors. His most treasured time is studying the Bible, sharing scriptures with others and growing in the pursuit of God’s plan for his life. He enjoys creative writing, occasionally writing/playing music and plans to soon publish a collection of insights inspired by His time with the Lord. He continues to lead a small weekly Men’s Bible Study group of area business leaders actively seeking growth in their relationship with the Lord and serves as a volunteer in youth ministries at Next Community Church.