Honoring Jan Bellas, Our Greatest Advocate
Jan Bellas passed away on July 7, 2026, and those of us in the appraisal profession who knew her are grieving someone who was far more than a colleague. Jan wasn’t an appraiser, yet she carried the weight of our struggles as if they were her own. She understood the pressures, the unfair treatment, the isolation, the frustration, and the constant fight to be heard, and she absorbed all of it. She had a way of making appraisers feel lighter the moment they called her. You could pick up the phone in the middle of a crisis, whether it was an AMC pushing too hard or a lender making unreasonable demands, and before you even finished explaining the situation she had already steadied you. She listened with patience, responded with clarity, and fought with conviction. She made appraisers feel protected, and that is something very few people have ever done for us.
Her work at the American Guild of Appraisers (AGA) was never just administrative. She was the backbone of the organization, the strategist behind the scenes, the person who took on battles most appraisers didn’t even know were unfolding. When an AMC stonewalled, Jan pushed back. When appraisers were mistreated, she documented every detail and made sure the right people heard about it. When someone felt alone, she reminded them that they weren’t. She had an extraordinary ability to take a complicated, stressful situation and turn it into something manageable. Appraisers trusted her because she earned that trust every single day.
What made her so remarkable was the sincerity behind everything she did. She didn’t fight for appraisers because it was her job. She fought for appraisers because she genuinely loved this profession and the people in it. She admired the integrity of the work, respected the expertise required, and understood how essential appraisers are to the housing market. She saw the value in us even when others didn’t, and she made it her mission to ensure that appraisers were treated fairly. Her advocacy wasn’t loud for the sake of being loud. It was precise, informed, and grounded in a deep understanding of the issues appraisers face.
Her funeral service will be held on Thursday, July 16, 2026 at 11 AM at Gary L Kaufman Funeral Home, 7250 Washington Blvd, Elkridge, MD 21075. Details are available at the link below:
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/elkridge-md/janice-bellas-12960596
As we face this loss, we also face the reality that AGA has lost its heart. Jan was the one who kept everything moving, the one who answered the calls, the one who wrote the letters, the one who stood up when others hesitated. Without her, the future of AGA is uncertain. But her legacy is too important to let fade. If there are appraisers who feel compelled to continue the work she devoted her life to, whether by volunteering, advocating, or supporting appraisers the way she did, your involvement would honor her in the most meaningful way possible. Anyone interested can reach out to Mike Ford at 714-366-9404 or email him at mike@mmford.com.
As we mourn her passing, I hope every appraiser takes a moment to pay their respects. Whether by attending her funeral, sending flowers, offering prayers, or simply reflecting on the impact she had on your career or your sense of belonging in this profession, it matters. Jan gave everything she had to us. She deserves to be honored by the very people she spent her life defending.
This loss is heavy. Jan was the best friend an appraiser could have, and her absence will be felt in every challenge we face going forward. But the strength she showed, the compassion she offered, and the courage she carried will stay with us. She reminded us that our profession is worth fighting for, and that appraisers are worth fighting for. She made us feel seen. She made us feel supported. She made us feel like we mattered.
Her legacy is now in our hands, and we will carry it.
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My heart breaks for her family. Jan was such a great person. She was funny, brash, super smart, sincere, warm and an amazing friend that I never met but spoke to often. Mike Ford, your heart must be heavy.
Beautiful tribute. 🦋 Jan was a very special lady. Always remembered
So sorry for the loss of someone so special. 🙏
Thank you Jan, you will be missed.
Very sad to read this!
Jan was one of a kind and so passionate about helping appraisers. She will be greatly missed!
An angel
A strong, levelheaded friend and mentor
God rest your soul Jan
I never met Jan, and till I saw this post I had not had contact with her for years. I dealt with her years ago over an issue which was resolved, but she was extremely kind and helpful, listened to every thing we said, and ultimately agreed with our position. She was an absolutely pleasure to deal with, gave the time and the opportunity to present our side and handled it with complete professionalism. She was a true asset to the Guild.
Oh no! So sorry to hear this – I could not have described her better. I wish I lived closer to attend. Rest easy, Jan.
I didn’t even know a person like Jan existed. Shame on me. I wish I knew her. Rest in peace.
So sorry to hear this. Your tribute was very nice and spoke the truth about her. She was always easy to talk to and really did want to help. She will be missed.
My friend is gone.
Jan was also the best friend other appraisers had. Even those who were not AGA members.
Im unable to rearrange my commitments to be there this Thursday. I wanted so much to say goodbye in person. I also wanted to try to convey to her family, just how important Jan was to us.
I’ll reach out to Elena shortly after the final services and farewell is concluded.
Its my fervent hope that ALL DC, MD & VA appraisers will go to the funeral home, or final services.
You dont have to be a member if AGA, or to have known Jan personally. Just know that the most faithful advocate appraisers ever had, is now gone.
Let her family know that Jan’s decades of service are truely remembered.
Jan deserves a monument. We can’t do that, but through the funeral homes linked partners we can donate living memorials to Jan that will hopefully outlive all of us.
“Good bye, my dearest friend. I am Blessed for having known you.”
Des, thank you for such a great remembrance. Among her many friends, you were especially loved by AGA in general, and Jan & I in particular.
My heart aches for you, Mike. She sang your praises often.
Jan was one of one. I met her for the first time while in Dc for my Coester lawsuit. She came to Alexandria Va for lunch and that was it. We hit it off and a bond was formed.
If there was anyone that believed in the power of the AGA it was Jan. We had numerous phone calls and times of laughter and times of pure madness. She would always be the first one to say “ Mark… just send them my way and I’ll make sure they get taken care of and paid”. She sure did.
Jan not only stood for independent appraisers she stood firm on what they needed and how they should be treated. While she wasn’t an appraiser… she sure acted like one.
During my coester lawsuit Jan was there by my side. Always offering up words of encouragement or offering to meet me in DC for drinks and talk. She was the best.
Jan Bellas was not just the face of the AGA. She is and will always will be the face of change for the appraiser. When I went through my time of drunkenness and trying to get sober… Jan was there by my side. Always checking in on me and my wife to see how things were going.
Jan Bellas was, is and still what the residential appraiser is and stands for. She never took no for an answer, she managed to get many appraisers off DNU lists, including a certain major Amc chief appraiser, and she never ever ever asked for anything in return.
Jan Bellas was my AGA partner , She was my second mom and most of she was my friend. I’m better today for knowing Jan and working with her.
Mike
We all have a huge hole in our hearts and souls! She was so sweet but also so committed to our lives.
God bless you and your family Jan.
We shall all miss you,
Pat
Thank you, Pat. Jan also felt highly about you and the Virginia Coalition of Appraisal Professionals.
You, Mike Smalls and so many others have always been voices appraisers could count on.
Keep it up as I’m sure Jan will be monitoring all of us!
Your friend,
Jan was very kind, caring, and compassionate. She will be sorely missed. My heartfelt condolences to family and friends. Godspeed. 🙏
Jan was the one who helped onboard me to the AGA. Even during what I know were difficult times in her own life, she always made time to help others. She was never too busy to answer a question, offer advice, or simply spend a few minutes talking and laughing. From time to time I’d reach out just to catch up, and those conversations always left me in a better place.
The appraisal profession lost a true advocate, but many of us also lost a friend. Thank you, Jan, for your kindness, generosity, and the countless ways you supported appraisers. You will be greatly missed.
As I was going through the emails Jan & I exchanged over the years, I came across the one where I told her the check had arrived. Seeing that message again immediately brought back the whole story. I had mentioned to her that a client had not paid me for an appraisal that was more than 90 days old. I was not asking for help. I was simply sharing what was happening in the industry. Jan told me to send her the invoice & the client information. The next day she called to say my check was being sent by FedEx, & sure enough, it arrived right away.
I asked her what she said, but she just laughed & told me it was classified. I still don’t know what she said or how she handled it, but knowing Jan, she probably killed them with kindness. Only she could turn an overdue invoice into a FedEx delivery overnight with nothing more than her voice, her charm, & that quiet determination she carried so naturally. She had a gift for getting results while making people feel like they were lucky she called.
She was truly one of the kindest, most selfless people I’ve had the privilege of knowing. She devoted so much of her time and energy to helping us, always willing to share her knowledge, encouragement, and support without expecting anything in return. She will be greatly missed, My heartfelt prayers are with her family, friends, and everyone whose life she touched. Rest in peace.
WOW…I would always call her just to see how she was doing, I did so about 3 weeks ago and did not hear back..
Jan was a fighter and the best advocate this industry could and will ever have. Her love of fellow appraiser was always on her mind and she will be missed by those who had the privilege of knowing her. To her family, she always spoke lovingly and was so proud of you!
I will miss those call! RIP Jan
she worked hard to help myself and many others I know. She will be missed…
Wow… reading all of these beautiful comments and the incredible note about my mother Jan Bellas just brought me to tears. Knowing how many of you saw her true light is amazing. It’s been a rough couple of years but I just want you all to know how much she truly cared about all of you and how often she would talk about you- it’s like I know some of you through her stories already 🙂
Thank you thank you thank you
Elaina, like yourself, our hearts are broken with the loss of Jan.
Talk to you soon.