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College Graduates The Dallas Central Appraisal District actively recruits college graduates to fill positions as Residential and Business Personal Property Appraisers. Both these positions have career paths that can lead to senior technical or managerial positions dependent upon the individuals training, ability, and performance. While the District does not typically fill Commercial appraisal positions with entry level personnel, dependent upon performance employees may later transfer to the Commercial division as openings occur. The District has approximately 84 appraisal positions and actively recruits at college campuses as well as locally to fill vacant and/or newly created positions. Training New Appraisers enter a comprehensive training program that includes both classroom and on-the-job training. During their first day of employment the new appraiser will receive a brief orientation to the Appraisal District and its operations as well as receive a training manual that will guide them through their first year of employment. The training manual is broken into sections that cover the different types of work the appraiser will be doing both in the field and the office. In addition to this on-the-job training new appraisers will begin attending a series of classes on the ad valorem tax system that is sponsored by the Comptrollers Office of the state of Texas. These classes are designed to provide educational material and resources to employees so they can successfully complete required examinations presented by the state Board of Tax Professional Examiners. Over a five year period appraisers must complete a number of courses as well as pass two comprehensive examinations in order to continue to appraise property for ad valorem tax purposes. The successful appraisers will receive the Registered Professional Appraiser (RPA) certification at the conclusion of this process. Work Overview Each year appraisers typically spend from five to eight months in the field gathering information on either Residential, Commercial or Business Personal Property (non real estate taxable assets). In the case of Real Property (Residential and Commercial property) the appraiser will be involved in gathering information on new construction including measurements, descriptions, and other attributes that determine the value of the improvement. In addition changes to existing properties are reviewed when building permits are filed for remodeling or other improvements to the account. Finally, a number of properties are physically reviewed each year to determine if the information in the file is reflective on the current condition of the property, or if an adjustment should be made. Since the District has over 600,000 residential accounts and over 80,000 commercial accounts the process is highly automated so that the appraiser can work a large number of accounts in a relatively short period of time. Once all the data has been gathered and verified, the property owners are notified of any changes. After notices have been mailed to property owners the Appraisal Review Board (ARB) cycle begins. At this point of the work cycle the appraiser must be able to effectively and clearly communicate with the general public both on the phone and in person regarding the value placed on their particular property. More experienced appraisers will be assigned to work the Appraisal Review Board hearings and represent the District before an impartial panel that evaluates the appeals of property owners regarding the value of their property. During the ARB period the District will interface with tens of thousands of property owners as well as many professional tax agents. All this must be done as professionally and accurately as possible during the limited time allowed for hearings and adjustments. Following the ARB, the cycle repeats itself and the field work portion of the job begins again.Business Personal Property (BPP) appraisers are involved in a cycle similar to that of the Real Property Appraiser, with the following major differences. BPP appraisers visit every operational place of business within Dallas County every year. Certain accounts are visited in order to verify existing information regarding ownership and location, while others receive a more detailed inspection to determine inventories, furniture, fixtures, and equipment values. In addition to on-site inspections, the appraiser will use an appraisal manual and density tables to determine the value of certain types of businesses. After this information is gathered, a comparison is made between the appraisers opinion of value and the rendered assets of the business. Finally, notices are mailed and the ARB process for BPP begins. Appraisers must then work with taxpayers and their agents, both on the phone and in person to settle the value of the property in question. In cases where a value cannot be settled, the taxpayer may file a protest necessitating a hearing before an Appraisal Review Board hearing panel. At the conclusion of the ARB, the appraisers prepare to begin the field work portion of the work cycle. Promotions Appraisers become eligible for promotion to Appraiser levels II and III based on a combination of years of experience, successful completion of professional examinations, and annual performance ratings. Promotions to senior level appraisal positions as well as management positions are based primarily on job performance as well as related education and training. Keys to Success To be successful you must be able to work independently during the field cycle, yet be able to change gears and thrive in a high pressure environment that involves a high volume of public contact during the Appraisal Review Board cycle. Candidates for the Residential Appraiser position should have a business degree with an emphasis in Real Estate or Finance. Candidates for the Business Personal Property Appraiser should have either an Accounting or Finance degree. General Business degrees are considered based on the course of study and outside work experiences of the candidate. The reputation of the Appraisal District is a product of our employees. We look for capable, dedicated, ethical employees that enjoy serving their community. |
