REAL PROPERTY AGENT

Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job.

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under direction, performs a variety of professional duties in support of the City’s real property program including property appraisal, acquisition, relocation, property management, eminent domain, surplus property sales, and related activities and services.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this classification. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Acquires property rights including total and partial acquisitions such as easements for public facilities; inspects property; reviews appraisals; negotiates acquisitions; prepares essential documents and agreements including less complex legal documents (contracts, deeds, agreements) required for purchase of properties; reports to the City Council and others as necessary.
• Provides relocation services to those displaced by public projects; interviews those displaced by public projects; locates and inspects available replacement homes; manages and processes payment of benefits to displacees; provides referrals and transportation as necessary; assists with document preparation.
• Manages property leased by City and City-owned real property; inspects property; researches and prepares property assessment and rent analysis; negotiates transactions; prepares essential documents and agreements including leases; coordinates repair and maintenance; collects delinquent rent; reports to the City Council and others as necessary.
• Participates in the sale of City-owned real property; inspects property; coordinates repairs as necessary; determines property value; markets the property; qualifies buyer; prepares reports and recommendations for management and City Council action.
• Reviews and develops a variety of documents; reviews property legal descriptions, engineering drawings, and other documents for accuracy; prepares necessary documents including easement deeds, quitclaim deeds, and street vacations.
• Serves as a team-member on eminent domain actions; provides information on the interpretation and application of eminent domain and uniform relocation assistance laws in performing value estimates and property acquisitions.
• Researches, analyzes, and makes reports and recommendations on a variety of real property issues including appraisal of property rights, lease proposals, property acquisition, and management activities.
• Establishes and maintains customer contact; obtains job status, makes presentations and/or provides information to appraisers, property owners, escrow officers, real estate brokers, public groups, other City departments, City Council, and other agencies; conducts interviews and makes inquiries of property owners and tenants in the negotiation process; attends meetings, hearings, conferences, and trials related to the purchase, rental, or disposal of real property.
• Performs a variety of general administrative duties as assigned.
• Attends meetings and makes presentations including to City Council and public groups. Performs related duties as required.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Pertinent federal, state, and local laws, codes, and regulations including California real estate law and Federal Uniform Acquisition and Relocation laws and regulations.
• Real estate principles and practices related to the appraisal, acquisition, management, and sale of public real property assets.
• Relocation assistance principles and practices and laws governing condemnation proceedings.
• Laws, practices, and legal instruments involved in real estate transactions and contracting.
• Rental and lease agreements and procedures for negotiating and implementing such agreements.
• Market data sources and collection techniques.
• Principles and practices used in contract preparation and administration.
• Negotiation practices and techniques.
• Principles and practices of customer service.

Ability to:

• Interpret and apply federal, state, and local policies, laws, and regulations.
• Effectively negotiate the property rights required by the City.
• Communicate and interact in situations requiring instruction, persuasion and counseling with people of various educational and socio-economic backgrounds.
• Apply principles of logic to define problems, organize, collect, and analyze data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions to solve real property and relocation problems.
• Read, understand, and interpret complex documents involved in land transactions including title reports, right-of-way plans, construction plans, legal and technical documents, and financial statements.
• Make and interpret mathematical calculations including basic math and use of compound interest tables.
• Operate office equipment including computers and supporting word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.
• Demonstrate an awareness and appreciation of the cultural diversity of the community.
• Communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.
• Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work.

Education and Experience Guidelines - Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training: A Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major course work in real estate, public or business administration, economics, or a related field.

Experience: Four years of increasingly responsible experience in real property acquisition or relocation assistance for an agency with the power of eminent domain.

License or Certificate - Possession of an appropriate, valid driver’s license. Possession of an Appraiser’s license from the State of California is desirable.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT

The conditions herein are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential job functions.

Environment: Standard office setting with some travel from site to site. Some exposure to dust from paperwork and environment, temperature swings from air conditioning to outdoors. Work schedule is 9/80 with alternating Fridays off in a biweekly period. Work environment is both formal and informal, team oriented, having variable tasks, pace, and pressure. Overtime and attending meetings outside regular work hours may be required. Work is primarily performed indoors in office and in meeting rooms.

Physical: Primary functions require sufficient physical ability to work in an office setting and operate office equipment and assigned vehicle. CONTINUOUS sitting and upward and downward flexion of neck; fine finger dexterity; light to moderate finger pressure to manipulate keyboard, equipment controls, and office equipment; pinch grasp to manipulate writing utensils. FREQUENT side-to-side turning of neck, walking, standing, bending, stooping, pushing/pulling, and twisting at waist; moderate wrist torque to twist equipment knobs and dials; lifting objects weighing up to 20 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 yards. OCCASIONAL squatting, kneeling, and reaching above and at shoulder height; moderate grasp to manipulate reference books and manuals; lifting objects weighing 20-35 lbs. from below waist to above shoulders and transporting distances up to 50 feet.

Vision: See in the normal visual range with or without correction; vision sufficient to read computer screens and printed documents and to operate equipment.

Hearing: Hear in the normal audio range with or without correction.

Date: April 2003
Johnson & Associates