Real Estate Specialist I/II

City of Mesa•Mesa, AZ

1d•Onsite

About The Position

There is currently one (1) vacancy which may be filled at the Specialist I or II level. The ideal candidate for this opening will have the knowledge and skills needed to perform tasks associated with the negotiation and acquisition of land, right-of-way, easements, and agreements for a governmental agency. The ability to effectively communicate in person and in writing with a very diverse customer base that includes the general public, other City employees, public officials, and contractors is highly desirable. A successful candidate must be skilled in reading, writing, and plotting legal descriptions; reading and interpreting engineering plans; analyzing property appraisals; researching and interpreting land right legal documents; preparing deeds and easement documents for recordation; and explaining project plans in layman's terms to property owners. Previous experience as a Right of Way Agent is desirable. The ideal candidate must be familiar with federal regulations governing right-of-way and real property acquisition and be able to work effectively under high-pressure. Real Estate Specialist I ($65,142.06 - $97,620.22 annually) Under General Supervision a Real Estate Specialist I is responsible for assisting with real estate work involving the acquisition, leasing, disposal, abandonment, and/or exchange of City-owned property and the management and maintenance of City-owned property. Work includes responding to questions from the public, document preparation, plan review, developing negotiation skills to present and/or negotiate limited agreements with owners for the acquisition of property and property rights, obtaining owner’s signatures, closing transactions, and recording documents. This position will be contacting title companies, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, sign and fence contractors, utility companies, property owners, and tenants. This position must be familiar with standard government/city real estate purchase procedures. This class will be preparing and/or assisting in preparing for supervisory review Council action packets, including Council Reports and resolutions for abandonments/extinguishments, property purchases or sales, and for authorization for the City Manager to execute leases, license, deeds, and easements. This class is expected to develop initiative and independence in setting work priorities and completing assignments in an organized and efficient manner. The Real Estate Specialist I position includes research to determine ownership, value, and impact of proposed easement/deed files, county tax rolls and subdivision plat maps, construction plans, title reports, and appraisal reports. This class coordinates with the other City departments/divisions (such as Engineering, City Attorney, Planning) and with entities outside the City such as the county, other municipalities, utility companies, and contracted appraisers for real estate purposes. On an as needed basis, may assist the Property Management Coordinator in performing limited property management duties such as coordination of demolition of properties as needed; assistance with renting, inspecting, and arranging for the maintenance of City’s rental property; assisting in selling City property; and assisting in preparation and maintenance of lease and license agreements. This position performs related duties as required. This class is distinguished from the class Real Estate Specialist II by the less complex, smaller dollar value transactions normally assigned to incumbents in this position. An employee of this class performs entry level technical work in City property management and/or property acquisitions. This class is supervised by a Real Estate Supervisor or Real Estate Specialist II. This class is FLSA exempt-administrative. Real Estate Specialist II ($71,832.18 - $107,644.37 annually) A Real Estate Specialist II is responsible for performing professional level real estate work including acquisition of real property, leasing, disposal, and/or exchange of City owned property and assisting with the management and maintenance of City owned property for City or government purposes. The Real Estate Specialist II is responsible for the acquisition of residential and commercial real properties involving private, county, state, and federal lands. In the absence of the Property Management Coordinator, this position may assist or be responsible for asset and physical management of City owned and leased property. This position will be contacting and coordinating with title companies, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, sign and fence contractors, utility companies, property owners, and tenants for various projects. An employee in this classification must be thoroughly familiar with standard government/city real estate purchase and management procedures. This class identifies and resolves procedural, operational, and other work-related problems, including making decisions for awarding contracts for appraisals, maintenance, repair, closing on escrow, and determining negotiations approach for acquisition of parcels. This position acquires properties of a high dollar value and/or sensitive nature by negotiating acceptable compensation. When working with relocation and acquisition, an employee in this class evaluates and locates available decent, safe, and sanitary living accommodations and suitable business facilities commensurate with prospective tenant or owner’s ability to pay and matches displaced residents’ needs with resources from various outside agencies and organizations. The Real Estate Specialist II prepares the following materials: documentation and contracts for sensitive, complex, high-dollar value acquisitions; Council action packets (including Council reports and resolutions, property purchases, and related information); and information for the City Attorney’s office to initiate eminent domain proceedings as well as for authorization of the City Manager to execute deeds and easements. The incumbent reviews property appraisals; negotiates or assists with purchase and sale agreements; provides guidance and oversight to Real Estate Specialist I staff in technical areas such as plan review, appraisal review, and title research; and may supervise Real Estate Specialist I employees. This class has a clear understanding of severance damages. This class is expected to exercise initiative and independence in setting work priorities and completing assignments in an organized and efficient manner. The Real Estate Specialist II position includes research to determine ownership, value, and impact of proposed easement/deed files, county tax rolls and subdivision plat maps, construction plans, title reports, and appraisal reports. The employee coordinates with the other City departments/divisions (such as City Attorney and Planning) and with entities outside the City such as the county, other municipalities, utility companies, and contracted appraisers for real estate purposes. In the absence of the Property Management Coordinator, this position may perform some property management duties including: coordination of demolition of properties as needed; renting, inspecting, and arranging for the maintenance of City’s property; selling City property; and preparation and maintenance of lease and license agreements. Acquisition work involves conducting negotiations and securing agreements, easements, or deeds from property owners for and to be used by the City. This position performs related duties as required. This class is distinguished from the Real Estate Specialist I class by the greater complexity, sensitivity, and dollar value of projects; and greater interaction with top level management. A Real Estate Specialist II may specialize in Relocation and Acquisition or working with major residential and business properties. This class is supervised by a Real Estate Supervisor, Real Estate Manager, or Property Management Coordinator. This class is FLSA exempt-administrative. Please refer to the link below for the full job description and additional information regarding assignments, preferred qualifications, and essential functions.

Requirements

Any combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to graduation from high school or GED.
Good (1 - 3 years) experience in private or public property acquisition, leasing and asset management, title searching, real property appraisal, or related real estate work experience.
Must possess a valid Class D Arizona Driver's License by hire or promotion date.
Any combination of training, education, and experience equivalent to an Associates’ Degree from an accredited college or university.
Considerable (3 – 5 years) experience in private or public sector right-of-way acquisition, title searching, legal descriptions, property and/or asset management, construction plans, and/or real property appraisal experience.
Must possess a valid Class D Arizona Driver's License by hire or promotion date.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's Degree in Public or Business Administration, Real Estate, Economics, or a related field from an accredited educational institution is preferred.
Experience with and/or understanding of governmental requirements/codes/ordinances as they relate to real property is desirable.
Bilingual fluency in reading and speaking Spanish is also ideal.
Bachelor’s Degree in Public or Business Administration, Real Estate, Economics, or related field from an accredited educational college or university is preferred.
Supplemental college-level coursework in Real Estate Law, Civil Engineering, or Real Estate Appraisal is desirable.
Professional certification from the International Right-of-Way Association (IRWA) or other related professional organizations is highly preferred.
Bilingual fluency in reading and speaking Spanish is highly desirable.
Experience with and/or understanding of governmental requirements/codes/ordinances as they relate to real property is preferred.
Supervision experience is highly preferred.
Previous experience as a Right of Way Agent is desirable.
Familiarity with federal regulations governing right-of-way and real property acquisition.
Ability to work effectively under high-pressure.

Responsibilities

Assisting with real estate work involving the acquisition, leasing, disposal, abandonment, and/or exchange of City-owned property and the management and maintenance of City-owned property.
Responding to questions from the public, document preparation, plan review, developing negotiation skills to present and/or negotiate limited agreements with owners for the acquisition of property and property rights, obtaining owner’s signatures, closing transactions, and recording documents.
Contacting title companies, appraisers, attorneys, engineers, sign and fence contractors, utility companies, property owners, and tenants.
Preparing and/or assisting in preparing for supervisory review Council action packets, including Council Reports and resolutions for abandonments/extinguishments, property purchases or sales, and for authorization for the City Manager to execute leases, license, deeds, and easements.
Research to determine ownership, value, and impact of proposed easement/deed files, county tax rolls and subdivision plat maps, construction plans, title reports, and appraisal reports.
Coordinating with other City departments/divisions (such as Engineering, City Attorney, Planning) and with entities outside the City such as the county, other municipalities, utility companies, and contracted appraisers for real estate purposes.
Performing limited property management duties such as coordination of demolition of properties as needed; assistance with renting, inspecting, and arranging for the maintenance of City’s rental property; assisting in selling City property; and assisting in preparation and maintenance of lease and license agreements.
Performing professional level real estate work including acquisition of real property, leasing, disposal, and/or exchange of City owned property and assisting with the management and maintenance of City owned property for City or government purposes.
Acquisition of residential and commercial real properties involving private, county, state, and federal lands.
Assisting or being responsible for asset and physical management of City owned and leased property in the absence of the Property Management Coordinator.
Identifying and resolving procedural, operational, and other work-related problems, including making decisions for awarding contracts for appraisals, maintenance, repair, closing on escrow, and determining negotiations approach for acquisition of parcels.
Acquiring properties of a high dollar value and/or sensitive nature by negotiating acceptable compensation.
Evaluating and locating available decent, safe, and sanitary living accommodations and suitable business facilities commensurate with prospective tenant or owner’s ability to pay and matches displaced residents’ needs with resources from various outside agencies and organizations when working with relocation and acquisition.
Preparing documentation and contracts for sensitive, complex, high-dollar value acquisitions; Council action packets (including Council reports and resolutions, property purchases, and related information); and information for the City Attorney’s office to initiate eminent domain proceedings as well as for authorization of the City Manager to execute deeds and easements.
Reviewing property appraisals; negotiating or assisting with purchase and sale agreements; providing guidance and oversight to Real Estate Specialist I staff in technical areas such as plan review, appraisal review, and title research; and may supervise Real Estate Specialist I employees.
Conducting negotiations and securing agreements, easements, or deeds from property owners for and to be used by the City.