About This Career

Appraises real estate, exclusively, and estimates its fair value. May assess taxes in accordance with prescribed schedules.

This career is part of the Government and Public Administration cluster Revenue and Taxation pathway.

A person in this career:

• Computes final estimation of property values, taking into account such factors as depreciation, replacement costs, value comparisons of similar properties, and income potential.
• Prepares written reports that estimate property values, outlines methods by which the estimations were made, and meets appraisal standards.
• Inspects new construction and major improvements to existing structures to determine values.
• Collects and analyzes relevant data to identify real estate market trends.
• Prepares and maintains current data on each parcel assessed, including maps of boundaries, inventories of land and structures, property characteristics, and any applicable exemptions.
• Explains assessed values to property owners and defends appealed assessments at public hearings.
• Identifies the ownership of each piece of taxable property.
• Inspects properties, considering factors such as market value, location, and building or replacement costs to determine appraisal value.
• Completes and maintains assessment rolls that show the assessed values and status of all property in a municipality.
• Reviews information about transfers of property to ensure its accuracy, checking basic information on buyers, sellers, and sales prices and making corrections as necessary.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

• You would often handle loads up to 10 lbs., sometimes up to 20 lbs. You might do a lot of walking or standing, or you might sit but use your arms and legs to control machines, equipment or tools.
• Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
• Work in this occupation requires being outside most of the time
• Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

• Seeing clearly at a distance
• Seeing clearly up close
• Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
• Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

• Irregular hours
• Overtime work
• Weekend work