Real Estate Land Agent

City of Vernon, BC; Vernon; On-site; CAD 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

The City of Vernon is seeking a Land Agent/Negotiator to manage property acquisitions for various city projects. The successful candidate will be responsible for negotiating land purchases, providing professional real estate advice, and ensuring compliance with local laws. With an extensive benefits package and opportunities for professional growth, this role is perfect for someone looking to make a significant impact in the community.

Benefits

Comprehensive medical benefits package

Sick and vacation leave

Relocation assistance

Compressed work week program

Monthly car allowance

City cell phone

Qualifications

• Minimum two years' experience in real estate or land development.
• Valid BC Driver’s License – Class 5 required.
• A combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.

Responsibilities

• Negotiate acquisition of property for city projects.
• Prepare reports and provide technical advice.
• Manage real estate holdings to benefit the City.

Skills

Land purchase and sale negotiations

Communication

Project management

Interpersonal skills

Education

Diploma in Real Estate

Eligibility for membership in relevant institutes

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft PowerPoint

Job description

About Vernon:

Welcome to Vernon and the sunny North Okanagan, where our casual lifestyle matched with spectacular outdoor recreation opportunities has led Vernon to become one of the most diversified communities in BC. The community is surrounded by three lakes; Okanagan, Kalamalka and Swan in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley, one of the most desirable regions in Canada in which to live. The community is located approximately 4 1/2 hours by car from Vancouver and the Pacific Ocean.

Vernon is the hub of the North Okanagan and has a population of over 45,000. Vernon provides an exceptional quality of life with a mix of urban amenities, world class resorts, amazing recreational opportunities all situated in a natural setting. Vernon is a great place to live, work, visit or invest. Just ask anyone who lives in the region or visit our Tourism Vernon webpage!

About the Position:

Reporting to the Manager, Economic Development & Partnerships, the successful candidate will primarily be responsible for negotiating and acquiring statutory right of ways and road dedications to support capital projects, protect existing infrastructure and drainage corridors; and value, negotiate, and purchase property required to support the City’s Housing, Park, Recreation and Transportation Plans. In addition, the Land Agent/Negotiator assists in a variety of the City’s real estate needs including: sale, exchange, lease, licence, rental and property management, under the direction of the Manager. The successful candidate provides professional real estate advice to the Manager and other City divisions. They will rely on a commitment to appraisal principles, working knowledge of real estate values and trends, legal understanding of the Local Government Act, the Community Charter, the Land Title Act, the Land Registry Act and City bylaws and policies.

About the Benefits:

The City of Vernon offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well-being and work-life balance. This includes an extensive medical benefits package, sick and vacation leave, allowing you to take the time you need to rest and recharge.

If you're relocating to join our team, we’ll provide assistance with relocation costs to make your transition as smooth as possible. Additionally, we offer a compressed work week program, giving you the flexibility to balance your professional and personal life more effectively. To support professional activities, we offer a monthly car allowance and a city cell phone to stay connected and efficient in your role.

Responsibilities:

• Negotiates acquisition of property interests required for City projects (e.g. utilities, roads, drainage, housing, parks, and trails).
• Maintains appropriate contacts with other government agencies and associations, liaises with other City divisions, and acts as a Project Manager when required.
• Assists in the selection of consulting services in support of various projects (e.g. appraisers, surveyors and lawyers).
• Prepares reports and provides technical and professional advice.
• Assists in ensuring that the City’s land management legislation, policies, and procedures are regularly updated and revised in accordance with changes in senior government legislation, City Council policy, and external economic factors.
• Formulates recommendations regarding the sale, purchase and lease of properties for the Manager.
• Negotiates purchase and sale of properties required for, or surplus to, City needs at the direction of the Manager.
• Allocates land and negotiating agreements to support affordable housing initiatives.
• Assists in managing leases of City-owned residential and commercial properties, including drafting leases, interviewing of prospective tenants, reference checking, arranging security deposits and advising appropriate departments and outside agencies of such tenancies.
• Attends to payments of real estate related invoices and works with the Finance and Corporate Services Divisions to arrange for property taxes, utility billing, maintenance, legal fees and land title registrations.
• Assists in maintaining an inventory of City-owned properties, including information on leased properties.
• Assists with the management of the City’s real estate holdings in a manner that provides the greatest overall benefit to the City and is consistent with changing political and economic objectives.
• Collaborates with community groups, developers, government agencies and policymakers to ensure public land serves community needs.
• Protects and improves the City’s image by resolving complaints and promoting good public relations.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.
• All persons employed by the City of Vernon will be required to assist the City in providing emergency services. Duties assigned during an emergency may differ from regular duties.

Required Education and Experience:

• Diploma in Real Estate, Urban Land Economics, or other equivalent education.
• Eligibility for membership in the Real Estate or Appraisal Institutes (RIBC, AACI), BOMA, or International Right of Way Association (IRWA).
• Minimum of two (2) years' experience in the real estate industry, land development industry, or government lands ministry/agency/department.
• Valid BC Driver’s License – Class 5
• A combination of relevant education and experience may be considered.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Experience and proficiency in land purchase and sale negotiations.
• Thorough knowledge of the requirements and procedures of the Land Title System and regulatory acts related to land use.
• Thorough knowledge and proficiency in handling of real property, transactions of land related information systems and multiple listing service sales data.
• Ability to manage land-related projects.
• Thorough knowledge and demonstrated familiarity in the interpretation of legal surveys.
• Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
• Knowledge of general office practices and procedures.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and email software.
• Considerable diplomacy and exceptional interpersonal skills.
• Flexible and able to prioritize work in a fast-paced environment, working to deadlines.