REAL ESTATE APPRAISER I

Salary: $49,710.15 - $63,995.71 Annually
Location : Portsmouth, VA
Job Type: Full-Time Regular
Job Number: FY2025-01483
Department: City Assessor
Opening Date: 07/31/2026
Closing Date: 8/16/2026 11:59 PM Eastern


General Statement of the Job & Essential Functions
GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

The position works in partnership with other staff in the Assessor's Office. This position performs technical work appraising land and buildings at fair market value within the City of Portsmouth. Position reports to the Assessor and Deputy Assessor and Supervisors.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Responsibilities include a level of work above that of entry level. Assessing Residential property and willingness and ability to learn the assessment of more complex property within the city.
Responsible for recordation analysis and data entry for accurate assessment data. Position also requires work out of the office through physical inspection/review, meetings with property owners (as needed), conducting periodic inspections, photographing, sketching, and analyzing through review of records, GIS, pictometry, sales studies, and market data.
Also responsible for maintaining and updating Property records, data, and parcel(s) processing accurately in Assessor's electronic database system.
The Appraiser is part of The Appraisal Team which falls under The Management Team. The Management Team is the head of the Assessor's Office and leads the Appraisal, Clerical and Analytical Teams. It consists of the Assessor, Deputy Assessor, and the Supervisors.
The organization chart is reviewed biannually, or upon the hiring of new staff. Expectations also include all those as applied by the Department of Human Resources, and as needed per the Assessor's determination, as the business environment/requirement may change.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
PERFORMANCE INDICATORS
Knowledge of Job: This position reports to the Assessor and Deputy Assessor and staff Appraisal Supervisors and works in partnership with other staff in the Assessor's Office. Ability to communicate well with others, including the public, both in writing and verbally. Candidate also works on assignments autonomously and should be self-sufficient and self-motivated while adhering to protocol and guidelines of The Office. Position is also an interactive and interdisciplinary role, so must be able to gracefully receive criticism and feedback about the work performed, suggestions, changes, and updates to the position/requirements. Successful performance in the position will expand the Office's mission by providing knowledgeable, courteous, efficient and professional execution of duties. Also requires helping the Office and other Departments with which the Assessor's Office interacts, and citizens, property owners, and other affiliated personnel, while understanding that the position also requires the ability to perform professionally and calmly when confronted with stressful moments and/or stressful persons. Position responsibilities and requirements also include all those as applied by the Department of Human Resources and as needed per the Assessor's determination as the business environment/requirement may change.
Additional information: Position also requires adherence to City/Office work hours, sick, vacation and time off policies, understanding that proper notice must be given for planned vacations. Position provides support of co-workers responsibilities as needed. Taking calls and responding to owner inquiries as needed. Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Demonstrates analytical judgement and engages immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet goals and objectives established by the Office. Share knowledge with Supervisors and staff for mutual Assessor's Office benefit. Contributes in a positive manner to Office morale and brings concerns to the Assessor, Deputy Assessor and Supervisor as needed/required. Maintains cooperative and courteous relationships tactfully and effectively with co-workers and other Departments, representatives from organizations with which the Office and City interact; and the general public so as to maintain goodwill.
Quality of Work: Maintains high standards of accuracy in exercising duties and responsibilities. Exercises immediate remedial action to correct any quality deficiencies that occur in areas of responsibility. Maintains high quality communication and interactions within The Office, and with co-workers and the general public.
Quantity of Work: Maintains effective and efficient output of all duties and responsibilities as described under "Essential Job Functions."
Dependability: Assumes responsibility for doing assigned work and meeting deadlines. Completes assigned work on or before deadlines in accordance with Assessor's Office directives, city policy, standards and prescribed procedures. Accepts accountability for meeting assigned responsibilities in the technical, human and conceptual areas.
Attendance: Attends work regularly and adheres to Office policies and procedures regarding absences and tardiness. Provides adequate notice to higher management with respect to vacation time and time-off requests.
Initiative and Enthusiasm: Maintains an enthusiastic, self-reliant and self-starting approach to meet job responsibilities and accountabilities. Strives to anticipate work to be done and initiates proper and acceptable direction for completion of work with a minimum of supervision and instruction.
Judgment: Exercises analytical judgment in areas of responsibility. Identifies problems or situations as they occur and specifies decision objectives. Identifies or assists in identifying alternative solutions to problems or situations. Implements decisions in accordance with prescribed and effective policies and procedures and with a minimum of errors. Seeks expert or experienced advice and researches problems, situations and alternatives before exercising judgment.
Cooperation: Accepts supervisory instruction and direction and strives to meet the goals and objectives of same. Inquires for further understanding on instruction and direction when clarification of results or consequences are justified, i.e., poor communications, variance with Office policy or procedures, etc. Offers suggestions and recommendations to the Office Management Team, to encourage and improve cooperation between all staff persons within the Office.
Relationships with Others: Shares knowledge with supervisors and staff for mutual and Office benefit. Contributes to maintaining high morale among all Office employees. Develops and maintains cooperative and courteous relationships with Office employees, staffers and managers in other departments, representatives from organizations, and the general public so as to maintain good will toward the Office and project a good Office image. Under the supervision and upon the authority of The City Assessor, tactfully and effectively handles requests, suggestions and concerns from other departments and persons in order to maintain good will within the city. Interacts effectively with fellow employees, City Assessor, Deputy Assessor, staff professionals and the general public.
Coordination of Work: Plans and organizes daily work routine. Establishes priorities for the completion of work in accordance with sound time-management methodology. Avoids duplication of effort. Estimates expected time of completion of elements of work and establish a personal schedule accordingly. Attends meetings and discussions on time. Implements work activity in accordance with priorities and estimated schedules. Maintains a calendar for meetings, deadlines and events.
Safety and Housekeeping: Adheres to all safety and housekeeping standards established by the City Assessor and general city expectations and various regulatory agencies. Sees that the standards are not violated. Maintains a clean and orderly workplace.

Education, Experience & Special Requirements
EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE
Completion of Associates Degree. Bachelor's Degree preferred with 2-4 years' experience in similar field/position. Minimum of at least 2 years in a similar role with comparable responsibilities and goals. Background in and experience with assessment of Residential property and willingness and ability to learn the assessment of more complex property within the city, and improvement valuation.
SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS

An acceptable general background check to include a local and state criminal history check.
A valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record.
All employees may be expected to work hours in excess of their normally scheduled hours in response to short-term department needs and/or city-wide emergencies.

Attention to detail is a must. You must be an excellent writer, someone who understands how to frame a message in a clear, concise, and compelling way. Prepare and present data as needed for all types of meetings as associated with the functions of The Assessor's Office whether internal to the Assessor's Office or with other City Departments/entities as needed/required.


You must also understand the mechanics of efficient, effective and accurate recordation and data process/updates as well as ability to compare and/or analyze readily observable, functional, structural or compositional characteristics of real property data. Ability to communicate effectively and efficiently in a variety of technical and professional areas including Microsoft applications (word, excel, etc.), Adobe PDF, etc., mapping, real estate, tax terminology, deeds, surveys, plats, etc.


Ability to handle correspondence, prepare and update ownership records, and interpret all pertinent data related to ownership and land records. Must be able to operate typical office equipment.


An ideal candidate would have an expanded knowledge of construction costs, building materials and land valuation both historical and real-time analysis, ability to read, understand and interpret building plans and specifications, site data and all associated applications of Real Property data.


Ability to conduct meetings with owners and appear as needed for Informal Hearings and Board of Equalization sessions. Reviews Building Permits and Inspection Reports from other Departments and inspect the property, as allowed, for changes and updates the Assessor's Real Estate system for accuracy. Understands Permits and Inspection Documents and must be able to accurately update Property Records Cards.
Please Note: Incumbent can only advise, conduct or participate in real estate activities within the City of Portsmouth within the scope of their employment .

Physical Demands
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS OR STANDARDS REQUIRED

TO PERFORM ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS
Physical Requirements: Must be physically able to operate a variety of automated office machines which include computer, adding machine, calculators, copiers, facsimile machines, telephones, etc. Must be able to exert up to 20 pounds of force occasionally and/or a negligible amount of force frequently or constantly to lift, carry, push, pull or otherwise move objects. Sedentary Work involves sitting most of the time, but may involve walking or standing for periods of time.
Data Conception: Requires the ability to compare and/or judge the readily observable, functional, structural, or compositional characteristics (whether similar to or divergent from obvious standards) of data, people or things.
Interpersonal Communications: Requires the ability of speaking and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving instructions, assignments and/or directions to subordinates or assistants.
Language Ability: Requires the ability to read a variety of correspondence, land records, reports, records, forms, statistical summaries, policy manuals, etc. Requires the ability to prepare reports, correspondence, records, forms, etc., using prescribed formats and conforming to all rules of punctuation, grammar, diction, and style. Requires the ability to speak before groups of people with poise, voice control and confidence.
Intelligence: Requires the 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 diagrammatical form; deal with several abstract and concrete variables.
Verbal Aptitude: Requires the ability to record and deliver information, to explain procedures, to follow oral and written instructions. Must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently using Standard English.
Numerical Aptitude: Requires the ability to utilize mathematical formulas, to add and subtract, multiply and divide. Must be able to utilize decimals and percentages; interpret graphs.
Form/Spatial Aptitude: Requires the ability to inspect items for proper length, width and shape.
Motor Coordination: Requires the ability to coordinate hands and eyes rapidly and accurately in using automated office equipment.
Manual Dexterity: Requires the ability to handle a variety of items, office equipment, control knobs, switches, etc. Must have minimal levels of eye/hand/foot coordination.
Color Discrimination: Does not require the ability to differentiate between colors and shades of color.
Interpersonal Temperament: Requires the ability to deal with people beyond giving and receiving instructions. Must be adaptable to performing under minimal levels of stress when confronted with persons acting under stress.
Physical Communication: Requires the ability to talk and/or hear: (talking - expressing or exchanging ideas by means of spoken words; hearing - perceiving nature of sounds by ear).
AMERICANS WITH DISABILITIES ACT (ADA) REQUIREMENTS

The City of Portsmouth is an Equal Opportunity Employer. ADA requires the City to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. Prospective and current employees are invited to discuss accommodations.

This is a class description and not an individual position description. A class specification defines the general character and scope of duties and responsibilities of all positions in a job classification, but is not intended to describe and does not necessarily list the essential job functions for a given position in a classification.
FLSA STATUS: Non-Exempt

EEO Cat: 3
The city of Portsmouth offers a complete and comprehensive benefit package to full-time employees including: medical, dental, vision, legal, Flexible Spending Accounts, basic and optional life insurance, short-term disability insurance, Virginia Retirement System (includes a mandatory 5% employee contribution), holidays, vacation, sick leave, deferred compensation plan, and Chartway Credit Union. To learn more details, visit
01


Do you have a valid driver's license with an acceptable driving record?

• Yes
• No

02


Do you have an Associate's Degree related to this position?

• Yes
• No

03


Do you have 2 to 4 years of experience in real property appraisal or a similiar field/position?

• Yes
• No

04


Please describe your experience in real property appraisal.
Required Question