Assessor - Appraiser Trainee

Mineral County, NV; Hawthorne (NV); On-site; USD 42,000 - 64,000; Full time

Job summary

Mineral County is seeking an Appraiser Trainee to gain hands-on experience in valuing real property. You will assist with appraisal cycles, perform parcel inspections, and help maintain maps and records while pursuing state certifications within two years. Expect travel for classes and association functions as needed.

The role requires learning to interpret property values, discuss assessments with owners, and develop priorities to meet office demands under supervision of senior staff.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of real and personal property appraisal methods and techniques.
• Understanding of county laws and regulations pertaining to property assessments.
• Descriptive statistics and basic mathematics applicable to valuation.
• Data collection and record keeping for assessment processes.
• Ability to operate AS400 and CAMA software for property data.

Responsibilities

• Assist Sr. Appraiser and Assessor with tasks throughout the appraisal cycle.
• Make physical inspections of parcels within Mineral County.
• Maintain building permits and map records in order.
• Assist with plat maps and parcel data bases preparation.
• Support property ownership transfers with the Deputy Assessor.
• Locate property from legal descriptions for assessment.
• Communicate with property owners regarding assessments.
• Understand components of assessed value and relation to taxes.
• Develop priorities to stay current and handle stressful situations.
• Maintain certification by attending classes and travel for meetings.

Skills

Property appraisal

Data collection

Communication

Record keeping

Drone surveys

Legal descriptions

Measurement reading

Interpersonal skills

Prioritization

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

AS400

DevNet

CAMA applications

Job description

The Appraiser Trainee will be responsible for gaining experience and knowledge through study and hands on work in becoming proficient in the ability to make fair and equitable values for real property by data collections in the field. With that information return to the office to apply the various costs and factors that will be applicable whereby a new valuation will be developed for the real property. Certification must be obtained within a 2-year time frame as follows: the General Exam and the Personal Property Exam within the first year and the Real Property Exam within the second year or sooner. The trainee should become aware of all the jobs and tasks required and necessary by the office in order to maintain operation in an orderly manner.

Essential Functions

(Performance of these functions is the reason the job exists. Assigned job tasks/duties are not limited to the essential functions).

• Appraiser Trainee will assist the Sr. Appraiser and the Assessor with any and/or all task required throughout the appraisal cycle which may include making new work sheets;
• Make physical inspections of parcels within Mineral County;
• Keeping the building permits in their proper places and recorded accordingly;
• Assisting with the preparation of plat maps for our parcel data bases;
• Assist with the property ownership transfers as it may become necessary in order to assist the Deputy Assessor;
• Locating property from a legal description;
• Being able to confer with an individual over the phone regarding their property;
• Having the capability and understanding of what an assessed value is made up of and how that relates to a property tax bill;
• Having the capability of developing priorities in order to keep work caught up and above all else learning how to handle extremely stressful situations should they arise;
• Responsible for obtaining and maintaining proper certification and will be expected to attend classes virtually and in person as needed to maintain said certifications; and
• The Appraiser Trainee will be required to travel, including overnight stays when required by the Assessor to attend classes and Assessor Association functions.

Qualifications for Employment

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: (KSAs are attributes required to perform a job; generally demonstrated through qualifying experience, education, or training.)

Knowledge of:

• Organizational policies and procedures;
• Real and personal property appraisal methods and techniques;
• Principles, factors, techniques, and methods of estimating the value of real or personal property;
• Organization’s county laws and regulations pertaining to real property, personal property, and business assessments;
• Descriptive statistics;
• Economic and accounting principles and practices, the financial markets, banking, and the analysis and reporting of financial data;
• Basic mathematics and geometry;
• Basic computer literacy;
• Receipt tax payment and balance cash on a daily basis;
• Conduct or assist in drone fights and surveys;
• Must be able to understand and translate information received as it relates to the value of the property
• Data collection and record keeping; and
• Correct English usage including grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary.

Skill to:

• Read and interpret various measurement tools and methods to determine the physical dimensions of a property;
• Operate a digital camera/ iPad because pictures of improvements are required for each property having an improvement;
• Prioritize tasks and manage projects;
• Effectively deal with irate or unhappy taxpayers/property owners; and
• Establish and maintain effective working relations with co-workers, property owners, and representatives from other local, state, and federal agencies.

Ability to:

• Correctly estimate the valuation of real properties for tax assessment purposes;
• Analyze and interpret real property data, financial statements, tax records, and ratios to draw appropriate conclusions;
• Differentiate between unsecured and secured property and the fiscal years they relate to;
• Conduct audits and use recognized accounting principles and procedures in the assessment of business personal property;
• Collect, assemble, tabulate, and analyze data and make arithmetical computations;
• Draw charts and descriptive sketches;
• Deal with Manufactured Housing Division with regards to mobile homes and DMV as they relate to exceptions;
• Communicate effectively, both orally and in writing;
• Carry records and office tools when performing field inspections;
• Understand, interpret, and apply policies, procedures, and written and oral directions to specific situations;
• Operate the various machines including: copy machines, postage machine, PC, fax machine and use the AS400 and DevNet computer systems
• Interact positively with others including the general public, elected officials, other organizational staff, and coworkers;
• Read and interpret legal descriptions, deeds of title, cadastral maps, building plans, and permits;
• Understand the rules and regulations set forth by the Nevada Revised Statutes Chapter 361, which pertains to the Assessor and also implement the various guidelines set forth by the Nevada Department of Taxation/Division of Assessments Standards.

Required Certifications and Licenses

Possession of a valid driver’s license or alternative means of travel.

Experience and Training

Any combination of training, education, and experience that would provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities. A typical way to gain the required knowledge, skills, and abilities is:

Possession of a high school diploma education or equivalent. Must have computer experience and be able to train other staff members on the use of computer and CAMA applications. Must obtain Personal Property and Real Property Appraiser Certifications and obtain the Personal Property and Real Property Appraiser Certifications within two years of appointment.