Exam Bulletin - Real Estate Officer

Department of General Services

Exam Code: EX-1553

Examination Plans Included:

  • REAL ESTATE OFFICER - Open

Final Filing Date: Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Classification Details

REAL ESTATE OFFICER: $4,012.00 - $4,559.00 (A) per Month
REAL ESTATE OFFICER: $4,140.00 - $4,933.00 (B) per Month
REAL ESTATE OFFICER: $4,964.00 - $6,213.00 (C) per Month

View the REAL ESTATE OFFICER classification specification.

Application Instructions

This is not a timed exam. If you request a Reasonable Accommodation your account will be locked and you will not be able to proceed with the exam until the request is processed.

Applications are accepted on a continuous basis.

Who Should Apply:

The information below will help you determine which classification(s) is(are) appropriate for you. Applicants must meet the Minimum Qualifications as stated on this bulletin to compete in this examination.

Open and Open, Non-Promotional Examination(s):

  • REAL ESTATE OFFICER - Open

For all Classifications, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

    1553

For REAL ESTATE OFFICER, once you have participated in any of the following examinations, you may not recompete for 9 months:

Exam Code(s):

  • EX-01553

How To Apply:

Submit an Examination/Employment Application (STD 678) to apply for this examination.

Electronic applications can be submitted through your account at www.CalCareers.ca.gov.

Special Testing Arrangements:

If you require assistance or alternative testing arrangements due to a disability, indicate on your application that you need reasonable accommodation. You will be contacted by a representative of the testing department to make the necessary arrangements. If you have not been contacted by the time you receive notification of testing, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

If you are unable to submit your application or complete the test due to a disability, please contact the testing department listed in the Contact section of this bulletin.

Minimum Qualifications

All applicants must meet the education and/or experience requirements as stated on this exam bulletin to be accepted to the examination.

Unless otherwise stated in the Minimum Qualifications, qualifying experience may be combined on a proportionate basis if the requirements stated below include more than one pattern and are distinguished as "Either" 1, "or" 2, "or" 3, etc. For example, applicants possessing qualifying experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 1 and additional experience amounting to 50% of the required time of Pattern 2 may be accepted to an examination as meeting 100% of the overall experience requirement.

00109594 - REAL ESTATE OFFICER

Either 1

Equivalent to graduation from college with major work in Business Administration, Real Estate, Marketing, Urban Development, Economics, or a related field. (Registration as a senior in an accredited college or university or equivalent institution approved by the California Superintendent of Public Instruction under the provisions of California Education Code Section 94310 will admit applicants to the examination, but they must produce evidence of graduation or its equivalent before they can be considered eligible for appointment.)

Or 2

Experience: Two years of technical experience performing work in one or more of the following: (1)appraisal or acquisition work involving fair market value as applied to transfer and sale of real property; (2)commercial leasing; (3)leased facilities program development; (4)management of commercial rental properties; (5) portfolio management; (6) facility planning; or (7) asset enhancement of real property [experience in real estate sales or transfers will not be considered equivalent to the appraisal or acquisition work referenced in (1) above]. and


Education: Equivalent to completion of an associate of arts degree with major work in Business Administration, Real Estate, Marketing, Urban Development, Economics, or a related field. (Additional qualifying experience may be substituted on a year-for-year basis.)

Or 3

One year of experience in the California state service performing the duties of a class comparable in level of responsibility to a Management Services Technician, Range B, in an assignment involving the appraisal, acquisition, sale, and asset enhancement of real property, and the leasing and asset enhancement of commercial space. (Persons with six months of qualifying experience in the California state service may compete in the examination; however, one year of experience must be completed before they can be considered eligible for appointment.)
Special Requirements

Interest in and aptitude for real property appraisal, acquisition, and commercial lease negotiation work; demonstrated creative ability; tact; patience; willingness to work at odd hours; willingness to multi-task in a stressful environment, to think creatively, and problem solve in a variety of situations, to continually learn and assimilate new information, to lift office supplies, books and manuals weighing up to ten pounds, and to walk over a variety of different terrains; and to travel independently throughout the State.

Position Description

00109594 - REAL ESTATE OFFICER

This is the entry level training class and first working level in the series. Under the close supervision of a higher level Real Estate Officer, incumbents perform the less-difficult tasks related to the appraisal, acquisition, sale, and management of real property and the leasing and management of commercial space. Incumbents secure commercial leases of average difficulty, make simple appraisals, and perform routine negotiations for the purchase, sale, lease, rental, or donation of lands improvements but no authority to commit funds, and easements.

Based on the appropriate alternate range criteria, incumbents advance to Range C and are assigned progressively more complex real estate work as their competence increases.

For information regarding position location(s), please refer to the Eligible List Information section.

Examination Information

This examination consists of the following component(s):

Component OrderComponent TypeComponent DuePercentage of Final Score
1CalHR Online ExamN/A100%

A final score of 70% must be attained to be placed on the eligible list.

In addition to evaluating the applicant's relative knowledge, skill and ability as demonstrated by quality and breadth of education/experience, emphasis in each test component will be on measuring competitively, relative to job demands, each applicant's:

Knowledge of:
  1. Factors involved in appraising property.
  2. Principles, methods, and techniques used in the acquisition or disposition of real property and in negotiating commercial leases.
  3. Legal procedures and documents involved in real property transactions.
  4. Real property law concerned with acquisition, eminent domain, leasing, and sale of real property.
  5. Rural and urban property values and the effect of economic trends upon value, price, and construction cost of improvements.
  6. Portfolio management.
  7. Due diligence.
  8. Negotiation for and asset enhancement of leased commercial space.
  9. Facility planning.
  10. Asset enhancement of real property.
  11. Common methods of legally describing real property.
Ability to:
  1. Understand and apply the laws, policies, rules, and regulations relating to the appraisal, acquisition, and leasing of real property for public use purposes.
  2. Negotiate effectively.
  3. Appraise real property accurately.
  4. Read and interpret maps, plans, and data relating to property locations.
  5. Write clear and concise reports.
  6. Analyze situations and data accurately and adopt an effective course of action.
  7. Establish and maintain cooperative relations with those contacted in the course of the work.
  8. Communicate effectively.

Eligible List Information

A Departmental Open eligible list for the REAL ESTATE OFFICER Classification will be established for:

  • Department of General Services

The names of successful competitors will be merged onto the eligible list(s) in order of final score regardless of test date. Eligibility expires 12 months after it is established. Applicants must then retake the examination to reestablish eligibility.

Resulting Eligibility List(s) will be used to fill vacancies throughout the State of California.

Veterans' Preference will be granted for this examination. Veterans' Preference is an assistance program for veterans, veteran widows and widowers, and spouses of 100% disabled veterans who seek employment with the state. Veterans' Preference is also extended to currently serving military members nearing their retirement or separation date.

You are not eligible for Veteran's Preference if you are:

  • A veteran who has been dishonorably discharged or released.
  • A veteran, widow or widower of a veteran, or spouse of a 100 percent disabled veteran who currently has permanent civil service status. (Permanent civil service status is the status of an employee who is lawfully retained in his/her position after completion of the applicable probationary period. This does not include limited term).

Veterans' Preference is codified in Government Code Sections 18973 – 18979.

Veteran status is verified by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR). Directions to apply for Veterans' Preference are on the Veterans' Preference Application (Std. Form 1093), which is available at www.CalCareers.ca.gov, and the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Career Credits are not granted for examination(s) administered on an Open basis or a Promotional basis.

Real Estate Officer Training and Experience Exam Preview

Instructions:
Rate your experience performing specific job-related tasks.

Respond to each of the following task statements by indicating how the statement applies to you. You are required to respond to every question and provide relevant examples. Also, indicate the references who can verify the information provided.

In responding to each statement, you may refer to your WORK EXPERIENCE, whether paid or volunteer, your EDUCATION, and/or FORMAL TRAINING COURSES you have completed.

Tasks:
  1. Negotiating leases, amendments, or renewals for commercial facilities with landlords. 
  2. Managing or administering any types of leases, license agreements or space assignments for commercial spaces in accordance with terms and conditions of contracts and existing laws. 
  3. Completing routine valuations and/or studies to determine the market value of commercial real property. 
  4. Identifying problems and/or exceptions to ensure adequate title for real property (e.g., easements, restrictions, encumbrances). 
  5. Researching, managing, or gathering statistical data and other information (e.g., spreadsheets, databases) for inclusion in real estate reports. 
  6. Writing formal correspondence (e.g., memorandums, letters) to real estate clients, regulatory agencies, or local governmental entities.

Testing Departments

  • Department of General Services

Contact Information

Technical questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

California Department of Human Resources
CalCareer Service Center
1810 16th Street
Sacramento, CA 95814
Phone: (866) 844-8671
CalCareer@Calhr.ca.gov

Administrative questions regarding this examination should be directed to:

Department of General Services
Department of General Services - OHR
P.O. Box 989052
West Sacramento, CA 95798-9052
Phone: (916) 376-5400

California Relay Service: 1-800-735-2929 (TTY), 1-800-735-2922 (Voice). TTY is a Telecommunications Device for the Deaf, and is reachable only from phones equipped with a TTY Device.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The State of California is an equal opportunity employer to all, regardless of age, ancestry, color, disability (mental and physical), exercising the right to family care and medical leave, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, military or veteran status, national origin, political affiliation, race, religious creed, sex (includes pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding and related medical conditions), and sexual orientation.

Drug Free Statement

It is an objective of the State of California to achieve a drug-free State work place. Any applicant for State employment will be expected to behave in accordance with this objective, because the use of illegal drugs is inconsistent with the law of the State, the rules governing civil service, and the special trust placed in public servants.

General Information

Examination and/or Employment Application (STD 678) forms are available at the California Department of Human Resources, local offices of the Employment Development Department, and through your CalCareer Account (www.CalCareers.ca.gov).

If you meet the requirements stated on this examination bulletin, you may take this examination, which is competitive. Possession of the entrance requirements does not assure a place on the eligible list. Your performance in the examination described in this bulletin will be rated against a predetermined job-related rating, and all applicants who pass will be ranked according to their scores.

Department of General Services reserves the right to revise the examination plan to better meet the needs of the service, if the circumstances under which this examination was planned change. Such revision will be in accordance with civil service laws and rules and all applicants will be notified.

General Qualifications: Applicants must possess essential personal qualifications including integrity, initiative, dependability, good judgment, the ability to work cooperatively with others, and a state of health consistent with the ability to perform the assigned duties of the class. A medical examination may be required. In open examinations, investigation may be made of employment records and personal history and fingerprinting may be required.

Eligible Lists: Eligible lists established by competitive examination, regardless of date, must be used in the following order: 1) sub-divisional promotional, 2) departmental promotional, 3) multi-departmental promotional, 4) service-wide promotional, 5) departmental open, 6) open. When there are two lists of the same kind, the older must be used first. Eligible lists will expire in one to four years unless otherwise stated on the bulletin.

High School Equivalence: Equivalence to completion of the 12th grade may be demonstrated in any one of the following ways: 1) passing the General Education Development (GED) Test; 2) completion of 12 semester units of college-level work; 3) certification from the State Department of Education, a local school board, or high school authorities that the competitor is considered to have education equivalent to graduation from high school; or 4) for clerical and accounting classes, substitution of business college work in place of high school on a year-for-year basis.

Accepted applicants must provide proof of identification at each in-person test session. Acceptable identification consists of a photo identification card or two forms of signed identification.
Application Methods:
Electronic (Your CalCareer Account)