EXPANDED SCOPE

FOR

DEPUTY DIRECTOR OF REAL PROPERTY TAX SERVICE OC 1,2,3,4,5

LAND MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST III OC 1,2,3,4,6

LAND MANAGEMENT SPECIALIST VI PR 5,6,7,8,9

REAL PROPERTY RECORDER I OC 1,10,11,12

REAL PROPERTY RECORDER IV PR 2,3,4,5,13

1. PREPARING WRITTEN MATERIAL-These questions test for the ability to present information clearly and accurately, and to organize paragraphs logically and comprehensibly. For some questions, you will be given information in two or three sentences followed by four restatements of the information. You must then choose the best version. For other questions, you will be given paragraphs with their sentences out of order. You must then choose, from four suggestions, the best order for the sentences.

2. UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETING TAX MAPS AND SITE PLANS-These questions test for the ability to read, analyze and perform computations based on various types of maps and plans, and may include tax maps, deed descriptions, site plans, survey maps and building layouts. All the information needed to answer the questions will be provided in the maps, plans, layouts or related written material. A calculator and magnifying glass may be helpful for answering some of these questions. Candidates may bring their own calculator and magnifying glass if they so choose.

3. SUPERVISION-These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices employed in planning, organizing, and controlling the activities of a work unit toward predetermined objectives. The concepts covered, usually in a situational question format, include such topics as assigning and reviewing work; evaluating performance; maintaining work standards; motivating and developing subordinates; implementing procedural change; increasing efficiency; and dealing with problems of absenteeism, morale, and discipline.

4. UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETING ABSTRACTS, DEEDS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS RELATED TO REAL PROPERTY-These questions test for the ability to understand and apply information contained in documents related to real property and include examples, illustrations and applications of laws and procedures in relation to the reading and interpretation of title abstracts, deeds and other related documents.

5. UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETING REAL PROPERTY TAX LAW-These questions test for the ability to read, interpret and apply the New York State Real Property Tax Law. You will be provided with brief reading selections based on or taken from the New York State Real Property Tax Law, followed by one or more questions. All the information needed to answer the questions is contained in the reading selections. No prior knowledge of the subject is required. The subject matter of the selections may not be specific to the titles for which we are testing. The purpose of these questions is only to test for the ability to read and interpret this type of material at an appropriate level of difficulty.

6. PRINCIPLES AND TECHNIQUES OF REAL PROPERTY APPRAISAL-These questions test for a knowledge of principles and practices used in the appraisal of agricultural, commercial, and residential real property including knowledge of the three approaches to value; sales comparison, income, and cost estimation.

7. ADMINISTRATIVE SUPERVISION-These questions test for knowledge of the principles and practices involved in directing the activities of a large subordinate staff, including subordinate supervisors. Questions relate to the personal interactions between an upper level supervisor and their subordinate supervisors in the accomplishment of objectives. These questions cover such areas as assigning work to and coordinating the activities of several units, establishing and guiding staff development programs, evaluating the performance of subordinate supervisors, and maintaining relationships with other organizational sections.

8. ADMINISTRATION-These questions test for knowledge of the managerial functions involved in directing an organization or an organizational segment. These questions cover such areas as: developing objectives and formulating policies; making decisions based on the context of the administrator's position and authority; forecasting and planning; organizing; developing personnel; coordinating and informing; guiding and leading; testing and evaluating; and budgeting.

9. REAL PROPERTY TRANSACTIONS INCLUDING LEASES AND MORTGAGES-These questions test for definitions of terms used in real property transactions. Some questions ask for straight definitions while others contain hypothetical situations involving leases and mortgages. Candidates must recognize legal instruments used in the leasing and sale of real property and be able to apply the required principles and procedures to these real property transactions.

10. UNDERSTANDING AND INTERPRETING WRITTEN MATERIAL-These questions test for the ability to understand and interpret written material. You will be presented with brief reading passages and will be asked questions about the passages. You should base your answers to the questions only on what is presented in the passages and not on what you may happen to know about the topic.

11. WORKING WITH OFFICE RECORDS-These questions test your ability to work with office records. The test consists of two or more sets of questions, each set concerning a different problem. Typical record keeping problems might involve the organization or collation of numerical data from several sources; maintaining a record system using running balances; or completion of a table summarizing data using totals, subtotals, averages and percents. You should bring with you a hand-held battery- or solar-powered calculator for use on this test. You will not be permitted to use the calculator function of your cell phone.

12. NAME AND NUMBER CHECKING-These questions test for the ability to distinguish between sets of words, letters, and/or numbers that are almost exactly alike. Material is usually presented in two or three columns, and you will have to determine how the entry in the first column compares with the entry in the second column and possibly the third. You will be instructed to mark your answers according to a designated code provided in the directions.

13. REAL PROPERTY TERMINOLOGY, DOCUMENTS AND FORMS-These questions test for a knowledge of terminology, documents, and forms pertaining to real property. While some questions ask for only straight definitions, others are situational questions which require the use of real property terms to determine the answer to the questions.

The New York State Department of Civil Service has not prepared a test guide for this examination. However, candidates may find information in the publication 'General Guide to Written Tests' helpful in preparing for this test. This publication is available on line at: https://www.cs.ny.gov/testing/testguides.cfm.

USE OF CALCULATORS IS RECOMMENDED