Next Door: From Fashion to Real Estate

They just got back from NYC and met Realtor Emily Kahn.

Emily Kahn has spent seven years working in the fast-paced fashion industry in New York City. She held sales positions for brands such as Ralph Lauren, Marc Jacobs, Helmut Lang and more, but didn’t expect to switch career paths to real estate.

Khan, 30, of Birmingham, studied apparel business at Indiana University. “I always knew I wanted to work in fashion,” she said.

When Emily was growing up, her mother, Cindy Khan, ran a children’s boutique in Birmingham called Kidliwinks, where she introduced her daughters to the world of fashion. “I grew up working in a shop,” says Khan.

Later, her mother switched to real estate, and Khan also began learning about the process of buying and selling a home. “Sales has always been in my blood,” she says.

Still, despite her mother’s desire for her children to join the real estate business, Khan remained steadfast in her desire to pursue a career in fashion.

Then Covid-19 hit.

Moving into real estate

Like many young New Yorkers in other states, Khan moved home with her family to fight the ongoing epidemic.

She worked remotely from her parents’ home for eight months for Marc Jacobs before realizing she was staying in Michigan and in the fast-paced fashion world of New York City.

“When I came back here, I knew my career had to change. “I knew my career in fashion was over, but with sales, it’s very transferable with any kind of product.

“If you can sell a shirt, you can sell a house,” she added. You have the ability to sell anything.

With her mother’s business booming, Khan decided the time was right to test the real estate waters. She took a six-week course to get her real estate license and never looked back.

“No one can prepare you for working with a parent, but it was very rewarding,” says Khan. “I learned a lot from this [my mother] And I am very fortunate to have her as a mentor in the business.

Kahn focuses primarily on homes in the Oakland County area, particularly in Birmingham, Bloomfield, Franklin and Royal Oak. She maintains her own client list while taking on joint projects with her mother.

From $250,000 to $6 million homes, Kahn works with a variety of properties that include both sales and leases. “We do it all,” she says. “We won’t say anything.”

Make a promise

In over two years of working in the real estate industry, buying and selling homes during some of the most stressful times, Kahn has learned valuable lessons about what it takes to be a successful Realtor in Metro Detroit.

“In 2020, there were a lot of people who went and got their license to become part-time real estate agents,” Kahn explains. “You have to do it full-time. It’s a seven-day-a-week job, and you have to set aside time to grow your career.”

It’s the most challenging, but most exciting part of the industry, she says.

“You have to be ready to jump at anything,” Khan explains. “It’s fun because every day is so unexpected.”

Still, Khan says the adjustment was natural after coming from the fast-paced world of New York City fashion. “It’s a lot of work,” she explained. “You have to be willing to put in the time and effort. It’s very demanding but very rewarding in the end.”

Outside of work in real estate, Kahn hosts events for NEXTGen Detroit, an arm of the Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit that strives to build a vibrant community for young Jewish adults. This year, she was the host of the largest annual fundraiser, EPIC.

She is involved with the Community House in Birmingham as part of the Home Tour Committee which is planning a Birmingham Home Tour on 14th September this year.

In addition to volunteering, Khan enjoys cooking, working out, taking dance lessons and traveling. But most of all, she loves spending time with her family.

“The best thing about being back here is being back with my family,” she says. “We haven’t lived in the same city for 11 years. It was great to be back together.”

This is part of a series of young adults who left the state and decided to come home and plant roots in metro Detroit. If you or someone you know would like to be featured in this series, email jheadapohl@thejewishnews.com.