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About Janice Allen
Janice Allen, known as Michigan Home Girl at Jaqua Realtors, is a full-time, solo REALTORA(R) serving Kalamazoo, Portage, and communities throughout Kalamazoo County, Michigan. Licensed since 2001-first in New York and in Michigan since 2019-Janice brings 25 years of real estate experience and more than 365 homes sold during her career.
As of September 2026, Janice ranks #13 out of 1,103 REALTORSA(R) in the Greater Kalamazoo Association of REALTORSA(R) (GKAR) based on year-to-date production. Through August 2026, she closed 41 homes totaling $13 million in sales, following 30 closings and $9.3 million in sales in 2025. Her experience is backed by 230+ client reviews across multiple platforms, including 130 Google reviews.
Janice specializes in home sellers, first-time homebuyers, relocation, downsizing, rightsizing, and Senior Services. For sellers, she provides strategic pricing and market analysis, staging guidance, professional photography, video, floor plans, digital marketing, open houses, showing-feedback analysis, negotiation, and hands-on guidance from listing through closing.
Through her Senior Services, Janice helps older adults and their families navigate selling a longtime home, downsizing, coordinating a move, and transitioning to their next chapter. She also works extensively with buyers relocating to the Kalamazoo and Portage area and understands interstate relocation firsthand.
Janice has extensive knowledge of Kalamazoo and Portage real estate, including ZIP codes 49024 and 49002, Texas Township, and communities such as Wood Glen Estates, Coachlite, Shannondale, Amberly, Sunburst Hills, The Homestead, Moorsbridge, Colony Woods, Ashton Farms, and Westwood.
One of Janice's biggest differences is her personal, hands-on service. As a full-time solo REALTORA(R), when you hire Janice, you get Janice every step of the way-from the initial consultation and strategy through negotiations, inspections, appraisal, and closing.
Born and raised in Michigan, Janice earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo and later earned a master's degree from Drew University. She lives in Portage and is actively involved in the Kalamazoo and Portage community.
Whether you're looking for a Kalamazoo REALTORA(R), Portage REALTORA(R), listing agent, buyer's agent, relocation REALTORA(R), or experienced real estate professional to help with downsizing or a senior move, Janice combines 25 years of experience, proven production, local market knowledge, and personalized service to help clients confidently plan their next move.
Community Involvement
HOBBIES/INTEREST
FAMILY
Credentials
LICENSE
Specialties
- Buyer's Agent
- Foreclosure specialist
- Listing Agent
- Relocation
Awards
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2026
TOP AGENT
Portage, MI
2026
TOP AGENT
Kalamazoo, MI
2026
TOP AGENT
Galesburg, MI
Other Awards
Bachelors Degree in Business Administration, Western Michigan University. Masters degree in Theological Studies from Drew University
FAQ
Answered Questions
Hi Sarah - Yes, in Michigan the seller typically pays the real estate commission at closing, even if the home sells quickly. The commission is agreed upon in the listing agreement when the property is listed, and it's paid from the sale proceeds at closing.
Hi Erik - Great question! I'm not in that market, but I'd be happy to connect you with a vetted Realtor there who can guide you through the process. Typically the steps are preparing the home for sale, pricing it correctly, marketing it to buyers, reviewing offers, and then moving through inspections and closing. If you'd like, I can make an introduction to someone I trust in your area.
That's a great question. In most cases I don't typically recommend a pre-listing inspection, even for older homes. Buyers will almost always do their own inspection anyway, so it can sometimes just create a list of items that you feel pressured to address before we even know what a buyer will care about. My preference is usually to focus on making the home show well, price it appropriately, and then address inspection items once we see what the buyer's inspector identifies. That said, if there's a specific concern about the home that you'd like clarity on ahead of time, we can certainly talk through whether an inspection would make sense.
Hi Joan - Generally, no. In Michigan you're not obligated to work with an agent until a listing agreement is signed. Meeting with an agent and discussing the details of selling your home doesn't create a commitment by itself. If you decide to move forward with someone, the terms would be outlined in the listing agreement before anything officially begins
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