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Melissa M. Downing, MAI, is a Partner at Joseph J. Blake & Associates, Inc., operating from the firm’s San Francisco office. Since beginning her professional appraisal career in 2005 with the company, Melissa has established herself as a trusted advisor specializing in complex commercial real estate valuations across diverse property types and challenging assignment scenarios.

Holding the MAI designation from the Appraisal Institute, Melissa is a State Certified General Real Estate Appraiser in California, Washington, and Colorado, bringing nearly two decades of specialized expertise to her clients’ most demanding valuation needs.

Melissa’s extensive appraisal experience encompasses a comprehensive range of property types, including minority interest valuations, hotels, proposed developments, land trust and open space appraisals, office, industrial, retail, and multi-family apartment complexes with particular expertise in Low Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) properties.

Her geographical expertise spans the San Francisco Bay Area, Sacramento Region, and extends throughout California, Oregon, Washington, Utah, Hawaii, Alaska, and Colorado, providing clients with deep market knowledge across the western United States.

Melissa has demonstrated exceptional leadership within the appraisal profession, serving in numerous capacities with the Appraisal Institute’s Northern California Chapter, including Board of Directors member, Regional Representative for Region 1, and committee chair roles for Fall Conference, Technology, and Finance committees. She is a recipient of the Northern California Chapter’s prestigious Claudia B. Carleton Leadership Award and the Appraisal Institute’s Anglyn Award. Currently serving on the National Appraisal Institute’s University Relations Committee and having previously served as Vice Chair of the Admissions, Designations, and Qualifications Committee and a Leadership and Development Advisory Council Discussion Leader, Melissa continues to shape industry standards and practices at the national level. Melissa’s commitment to professional excellence extends to her active membership in Sacramento Estate Planning Council, South Placer Estate Planning Council, and CREW Sacramento, reflecting her dedication to serving clients across multiple real estate disciplines with the highest level of expertise and integrity.

A graduate of Saint Mary’s College of California, Melissa holds both a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and a Master of Business Administration with Honors, with a concentration in Finance.