Appraiser I bei Spotsylvania County, VA

About the Department

Under close general supervision, performs responsible, professional technical work of routine difficulty appraising less complex residential, agricultural, and tax exempt real property. Work involves gathering property assessment data at owner premises, verifying data against previously recorded data, and recording discrepancies. Employee is responsible for contacting property owners; photographing and sketching layouts of structures; and determining the size, type of construction, grade of materials, quality of workmanship and other related appraisal data needed to arrive at the assessed value. Employee must exercise initiative and independent judgment in completing appraisals of properties. Employee must also exercise tact and courtesy in frequent contact with property owners, contractors and the general public.

Position Duties

•Appraises less complex real property; determines exterior and interior dimensions of buildings, including the foundation, exterior walls, type of roofing, number of rooms, basement area, interior finish, type of insulation, type of heating and air conditioning, and type of fireplace; determines functional and physical depreciation of the structure; and determines the grade of the structure according to a predetermined scale. Works new construction, splits, rezoning, etc.
•Interprets building plans, information pertaining to sales, and specifications to obtain data regarding size, type of construction and other factors that affect property value.
•Analyzes and gathers market data and sales ratios to measure and improve equalization.
•Confers with County departments and property owners to obtain information and/or explain property assessment methods, procedures, techniques, values, etc.
•Locates and identifies all real property within the County's jurisdiction.
•Studies local markets, building trends, and modern appraisal methods and techniques
•Reviews permits, sales and appraisals and makes recommendations to the Chief Real Estate Appraiser as to whether or not assessments should be adjusted during appeals process.
•Appears before the Board of Equalization and defends assessments challenged by taxpayers.
•Assists as witness in court on real estate appraisal issues.
•Inspects and analyzes land spills.
•Performs other related duties as required.

Minimum Qualifications

High School Diploma or equivalent, preferably graduation from an accredited two (2) year college, supplemented by college level course in real estate, with 1 year experience in the real estate appraisal environment; or equivalent combination of training and experience which provides the required skills, knowledge and abilities.

Must possess a valid driver's license issued by the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Must attend and successfully complete advanced IAAO Course 101 or an equivalent combination of training and experience; must attend a professional standards and ethics workshop; encouraged to obtain professional state real estate appraiser's license and professional designation (RES/CAE) in the assessment field.

May be required to complete additional training or course work in real estate appraisal or a related field.

Other Qualifications

• Knowledge of principles, practices and techniques used in real property assessment work. 
• Knowledge of current construction costs, including building materials and land values. 
• Knowledge of the geographical layout of the County. 
• Knowledge of the methods and procedures of the Commissioner of the Revenue's Reassessment Division. 
• Skill in assessment of residential and agricultural real property. 
• Ability to speak and/or signal people to convey or exchange information. Includes receiving instructions, assignments or directions from superiors.
• Ability to use computer-driven data processing and file maintenance programs. 
• Ability to read and understand building construction plans and specifications. 
• Ability to make accurate computations with or without a calculator. 
• Ability to exercise tact, courtesy and firmness in frequent contact with taxpayers. 
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and initiative in correctly evaluating a variety of residential properties. 
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships as necessitated by work assignments. 
• Ability to perform the physical labor necessitated by work assignments.
• Ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural or compositional characteristics (whether similar or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
• Ability to read manuals, maps, blue prints, appraisal cards, building permits, etc. 
• Ability to prepare productions sheets, appraisal cards, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. 
• Ability to apply principles of logical or scientific thinking to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions; to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagrammatic form; and to deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
• Ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical or professional languages including engineering, legal, and real estate assessment terminology.
• Ability to utilize mathematical formulas; to add and subtract; multiply and divide; utilize decimals and percentages; understand and apply the theories of algebra and geometry.
• Ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under stress and when confronted with persons acting under stress.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Must be physically able to operate a variety of office machinery and equipment including a calculator, computer, facsimile machine, camera, drafting tools, tape measurer, etc.  Must be physically able to operate a motor vehicle.   Must be able to exert up to 10 pounds of force occasionally, and/or up to 5 pounds of force frequently, and/or a negligible amount of force constantly to move objects.  Physical demand requirements are those Light Work. Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape. Requires the ability coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using office equipment. Requires the ability to handle a variety of items such as tape measures, scales, cameras, and office equipment. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination. Requires the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color. Requires the ability to talk and hear: (Talking: expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words. Hearing: perceiving nature of sounds by ear.)  Must be able to communicate via a telephone.