Appraiser I

**NOTE: The application and selection process require you to complete an 

In-Person Examination in Santa Barbara, CA.

Salary: $70,620.16 - $84,599.84 Annually

The County of Santa Barbara’s Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department is currently accepting applications to fill five full-time vacancies in Santa Barbara or Santa Maria. 

Join us as an Appraiser I, a position brimming with growth potential and the chance to kickstart your career. As an Appraiser, you'll dive into the world of property appraisal, working under expert guidance to assess real and other properties for tax purposes. This role offers a dynamic environment where you'll constantly learn and develop your skills, paving the way for future advancement.

The Clerk-Recorder-Assessor Department: The Santa Barbara County Clerk-Recorder-Assessor department is comprised of three separate and unique divisions:   Clerk-Recorder, Assessor and Elections.   Each division offers employees growth and career advancement opportunities.  Working in the Assessor’s Office affords Appraisers options to gain experience working with a variety of properties including tract homes, luxury estates, ocean-front bungalows, vineyards, hotels, oil wells, airplanes, yachts, boat slips, space launch complexes and even racehorses.   

The Position: 

Appraisers in the Assessor’s Office are responsible for the discovery, identification, valuation and assessment of all taxable real and personal property in Santa Barbara County in order to produce the secured and unsecured assessment rolls.  This includes defending valuations and assessments before the Assessment Appeals Board. 

To learn more about the Assessor’s Office, please visit:   https://www.countyofsb.org/236/Assessor

BENEFITS:  The County of Santa Barbara offers generous benefits, please visit our website here.   In addition, applicants from other public sector employers may qualify for:

• Retirement reciprocity
• Time and service credit towards an advanced vacation accrual rate

Examples of Duties

1. Investigates and gathers data required for determining the market value of personal property, land, and improvements; interprets and applies the California Revenue and Taxation Code, Property Tax Rules, and the State of California Constitution as they apply to chain of title and property valuation; and prepares reports on facts pertinent to the determination of ownership or market value.
    
2. Inspects interiors and exteriors of buildings and other structures for property tax assessment and valuation; prepares scale drawings of improvements; explains assessment procedures and determinations of value from assessment records and maps; and determines appraisability of ownership transfers for real property and leasehold interests through chain of title investigation and research.
    
3. Investigates and analyzes data in the research of title or in appraisal of land, improvements, and personal property for property tax purposes; and performs appraisals on specific property types which may include commercial, residential, agricultural, and/or research of property ownership records.
    
4. Explains chain of title, appraisal procedures, and California Revenue and Tax code sections and rules to taxpayers.
    
5. Determines through chain of title investigation and research of recorded and unrecorded title transfer documents for real property and leasehold interests whether changes in ownership will result in appraisal; and prepares and presents assessment appeals.
    
6. Receives on-the-job training and formal course work in property appraisal; and learns to perform cost, market, and income appraisals.
    
7. Learns to interpret and apply the California Revenue and Taxation Code and the State of California Constitution as they apply to property valuation and chain of title.

Employment Standards

In order to be considered for this position, applicants must provide detailed information on their application to demonstrate how they meet the employment standards (minimum qualifications) listed below:

1. Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year institution; OR,
2. Possession of a high school diploma or equivalent AND four years of relevant experience. "Relevant experience" means employment experience within the last ten years in any of the following occupations:
   1. an accountant, auditor, real property appraiser, building cost estimator, engineer, real estate loan agent, real estate loan underwriter, right-of-way agent, licensed building contractor; or,
   2. a real estate licensee, licensed by the California Department of Real Estate, engaged in buying, selling, leasing, or managing real estate; or,
   3. an appraiser aide or appraiser trainee in an Assessor's office or in the property taxes department of the State Board of Equalization; or,
   4. an employee, other than an appraiser, appraiser aide, or appraiser trainee, of an Assessor's office or of the property taxes department of the State Board of Equalization, except that such employment time shall be limited to qualifying for only 2/3 of the four-year experience requirement.  The remaining 1/3 of time shall be accumulated by other relevant experience as described in subparagraphs a), b), and c) above or by education in an accredited institution of higher education.

Note: Applicants who are currently in their final quarter or semester of study leading to a bachelor's degree are encouraged to apply. Such applicants may compete in the examination process but may not be considered for appointment until they have obtained the required degree.

Additional Requirements:

• Applicants for Appraiser I are not required to possess a valid appraiser's certificate at time of application; however, selectees for employment must obtain a temporary appraiser's certificate issued by the California State Board of Equalization after appointment to the Appraiser I class.
• As a condition of continued employment, Appraiser I appointees must obtain a valid appraiser's certificate issued by the State Board of Equalization within one year of appointment.

Additional Qualifications: A Valid California Class C Driver's License may be required at the time of appointment.

Knowledge of: mathematics, including arithmetic and geometry; English grammar and usage; and computer applications, including current word-processing, spreadsheet, and data base programs.

Ability to: learn the factors involved in the valuation and assessment of land, improvements, and personal property; gather and analyze data for appraisal purposes and make appropriate determinations; make accurate calculations; understand and follow rules and instructions; read and interpret procedures, laws and regulations; keep accurate records; draw sketches of improvements to scale; maintain impartiality and objectivity; determine percentages of transferable interests on deeds for tax purposes; understand legal descriptions and complex legal documents; interpret corporate lease agreements and trust documents; investigate facts affecting real property and chain of title; read and interpret blueprints, and property descriptions; accept and promote suggestions, recommendations, and process improvements; accept accountability and responsibility of work product and job performance; communicate effectively both orally and in writing; and establish and maintain effective working relationships.