City Assessor Guide

Key Job Duties

What you will act and execute daily upon appointment:

• Perform and/or review professional tax assessments and property valuations of Class I, II, III, and IV real properties.
• Conduct physical field inspections, gathering, collecting, and recording meticulous real property inventory data.
• Analyze capitalization rates, lease sales, market transactions, expense sheets, and comparable sales data to generate valuation reports.
• Formulate precise appraisal estimates and signed declarations of value using the cost, income, and market data approaches.
• Defend property assessments, market valuations, and legal classifications before the NYC Tax Commission.
• Review architectural blueprints, property maps, municipal land surveys, zoning files, and construction drawings.

Filing & Appointment Eligibility

Candidates must fulfill these rules BEFORE certification:

• Category A: For Positions Not Requiring State Board Certification
• - Pathway A1: A baccalaureate degree from an accredited college or university PLUS two (2) years of satisfactory, full-time experience in real estate work involving real property valuation (gained via property inventory data collection, comparable sales analyses, signed valuations, or appraisals using the cost, income, or market data approaches); OR
• - Pathway A2: An associate degree or sixty (60) semester credits PLUS three (3) years of satisfactory, full-time experience as described above; OR
• - Pathway A3: A four-year high school diploma or equivalent PLUS four (4) years of satisfactory, full-time experience as described above; OR
• - Pathway A4: A combination of college credits and experience (60 college semester credits substitute for 1 year of experience, but all candidates must have a high school diploma and at least 2 years of satisfactory valuation experience).
• Category B: For Positions Requiring State Board Certification
• - Requirements: Successful completion of coursework covering the three approaches to real property valuation (cost approach [15 credit hours], sales comparison [15 credit hours], and income approach [30 credit hours]) prior to appointment. Experience criteria similar to Category A, but experience must specifically involve real property appraisal in an occupation such as assessor, appraiser, or database appraisal evaluator.
• Disqualifying Experience: Mere listing of real property for potential sale or preparing simple asking prices using multiple listing systems (MLS) is strictly non-qualifying.

Official Exam Syllabus & Cognitive Skill Focus

Knowledge areas, trade competencies, and cognitive abilities evaluated by DCAS:

Physical Demands & Environmental Conditions

Physical activities performed and environments experienced in this role:

• Traveling across the five boroughs to perform physical onsite inspections of diverse buildings and structures.
• Walking on undeveloped active construction lots and uneven ground surfaces.
• Climbing and descending scaffolding, staircases, and ladders to review property boundaries and construction conditions.

Special Working Conditions

Operational environments and agency-specific criteria:

• Category B appointees must pass their two-year probationary assessment and achieve state-authorized Real Property Assessor Certification.
• Driver License: A valid Motor Vehicle Driver License in the State of New York may be required for field assignments.
• City Residency: City residency is subject to New York City Administrative Code Section 12-120 rules (may require residency within 90 days of appointment).