REALTY SPECIALIST 2, TRANSPORTATION
Career Family: REALTY SPECIALIST
Realty Specialist 2, Transportation is a competitive state title, the kind you test for: the exam result, not a hiring manager's pick, decides where you land in line.
You can qualify with a bachelor's degree or, if you do not have one, by piling up more experience instead. Pay on the FY2026 schedule runs $67,312 to $98,503, and state payroll currently lists about 21 people in the title, most of them at Transportation.
How to apply
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Exam
This is an application to sit an exam and be placed on an eligible list for this title, not an application for a specific job. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. There may be no current vacancy behind it, and the list it produces may not be certified for months or years.
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Exam
Open to permanent employees in the competitive division who hold a qualifying lower title in the same unit. A $35 application fee applies to Non-Public-Safety announcements issued on or after 2026-02-01. Like the open competitive exam, this places you on a list; it is not itself a job offer.
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Agency posting
Department of Transportation posts its own vacancies directly, often before (or instead of) any civil service exam announcement. Provisional appointment against a posted vacancy is how most people are actually hired into this kind of title.
Pay ladder: Realty Specialist series
- Realty Specialist 1 Transportation — $58,818 – $85,742
- Realty Specialist 2 Transportation — $70,431 – $103,187
- Realty Specialist 3 Transportation — $80,756 – $118,678
- Realty Specialist 4 Transportation — $92,711 – $136,605
Its top salary lands around the 42nd percentile of all NJ civil service titles that publish a range.
Rungs are ordered by FY2026 pay. NJ level numbers are not always sequential, so ordering follows salary rather than the title number.
Who employs this title
State payroll records show 21 people working under this title. The median actual salary is $70,431. The agencies employing the most are:
- Transportation (21)
Counts from NJ YourMoney agency payroll. See statewide workforce analytics.
Official job specification
The text below is the official specification published by the New Jersey Civil Service Commission. The plain-language summary and analysis above are derived from it by NJ Civil Service Navigator.
Definition
Under the general supervision of a Realty Specialist 3, Transportation or Realty Specialist 4, Transportation, performs the more sensitive and complex work involved in conducting negotiations, relocation, property management, project programming, administrative and the laws and principles of Eminent Domain activities associated with the purchase and disposition of real property; does other related duties as assigned.
Examples of work
Meets with property owners or their agencies and conducts personal negotiations to acquire various interests in real property. Meets and negotiates with attorneys representing property owners and relocatees. Prepares case summaries, negotiations call data and assembles cases for transmission to Technical Support as agreements or for the initiation of condemnation. Aids the unit supervisor in gathering, interpreting, and correlating miscellaneous state and local real property and/or design/construction project data and prepares factual reports of findings. Reviews environmental reports or letters. Explains to owners the impact contamination may have on the valuation of the property. Reviews the Access cutout and explains the general concepts of the New Jersey Access Code. Prepares site occupancy surveys, workable relocation assistance plans and provides relocation advisory assistance and payment to persons/businesses displaced by projects. Prepares moving estimates, replacement housing/tenant rental supplements, self move agreements, in lieu of payments and other technical payment authorizations related to the relocation of occupants and personality. Assists the assigned Litigation Support Unit in preparing for and conducting commission hearings and trials. Testifies at such hearing and trials as required. Reviews Right of Way construction plans depicting the proposed acquisition and appraisal report, prior to scheduling negotiations contact with property owners. Conducts investigations of title, verify tax assessments, encumbrances and selling prices of real estate. Accomplishes personal service of pleadings upon property owners. Investigates and clarifies problem areas with respect to determination of state real property ownership, title searches, department jurisdiction, and property boundaries. Provides information to other state agencies, local governments, and the general public on matters relating to state owned or leased real property and design/construction projects. Participates in developing and maintaining an inventory of suitable properties available, and performs some market research analysis to identify suitable properties using market surveys, published and computerized information sources, and multimedia advertising, contacting real estate broker, owners, or agents, and making personal site evaluations to locate potential leased space for use by state agencies. Conducts negotiations pursuant to the standards set forth in the Administrative/Legal Settlement Authorization Schedule. Explains negotiation/condemnation process to property owners or their agents and assists owners in interpreting the meaning of the various clauses in the real estate agreement. Prepares and negotiates leases with displaced occupants or others and the public and assists in rental collection and management of leased property. Make entries to rental program database as appropriate. Prepares Right of Way/relocation cost estimates for level of action, project scoping related project funding matters. Inventories improvements to be acquired for projects, schedules the availability of such improvements and assists in the preparation of demolition contracts. Secures moving cost estimates, prepares self move agreements, assists occupants with preparation of invoices and claims for payment and prepares vouchers and department actions to authorize expenditure of funds. Prepares moving cost expense findings, property retention estimates and business discontinuance allowances. Assists in programming and arranging for project funding; assists in the review of Right of Way and construction plans at various states during project development; prepares Right of Way availability letters; attend project scoping meetings; prepares project transmittals to district offices. Conducts requisite real estate market analyses and prepares owner housing and tenants rental supplements. Computes mortgage interest rate differential payments. Assists in scheduling and conduction of public auctions for rental and sale of Department of Transportation property. Assist in the maintenance of the Right of Way Parcel Data Base and makes appropriate entries to the data bases. Investigates and responds to inquiries from the public concerning Right of Way issues. Responds to requests from state and local officials regarding state real property matters. Attends Pre-Construction meetings and discuss construction issues related to property agreements. Assists the Construction Resident Engineer during construction to resolve Right of Way related issues. Will be required to learn to utilize various type of electronic and/or manual recording and computerized information systems used by the agency, office, or related units.
License
Appointees will be required to possess a driver's license valid in New Jersey only if the operation of a vehicle, rather than employee mobility, is necessary to perform the essential duties of the position.
Knowledge, skills and abilities
Knowledge of the Federal and State Uniform Acquisition and Relocation Policies Acts and the attendant Federal and State Regulations promulgated to implement the provision of these Acts following a period of training. Knowledge of the Right of Way Procedural Manuals including Acquisition, Relocation and Property Management and Appraisal/Appraisal Review following a period of training. Knowledge of accepted negotiation techniques. Knowledge of the basic legal terms and concepts prevalent in real estate law. Knowledge of appraisal principles and terminology. Knowledge of the State Eminent Domain Statute and the requirements for the initiation of condemnation proceedings. Knowledge of data base management techniques. Knowledge of the types of appraisal methods available. Knowledge of the basic Access Code process as implemented by the State and the ability to explain the Code to others. Knowledge of the interaction between the Access Code and the Acquisition of Right-of-Way. Knowledge of general engineering concepts utilized in the preparation of specialist reports. Ability to interpret of legal agreements and descriptions of property. Ability to interpret real estate contracts, agreements, and building specifications. Ability to correlate basic deed information with tax maps. Ability to interpret Right of Way construction plans sufficiently to respond to owners; questions regarding the impact of our acquisition and construction upon their property. Ability to interpret and apply laws, regulations, policies, and procedures relating to acquisition, use, and maintenance of leased and owned property programs. Ability to explain the basics behind the environmental report. Ability to learn the accounting procedures set forth by Federal and State regulations. Ability to establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with owners and their counsel, representatives of business and civic and organizations and with the general public regarding the acquisition of rights of way. Ability to prepare technical and routine communications that are clear and concise and understandable to the reader. Ability to prepare clear, accurate information technical, statistical financial and other reports. Ability to learn to utilize various types of electronic and/or manual recording and information systems used by the agency, office or related units. Ability to read, write, speak, understand, or communicate in English sufficiently to perform the duties of this position. American Sign Language or Braille may also be considered as acceptable forms of communication. Persons with mental or physical disabilities are eligible as long as they can perform essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation. If the accommodation cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, such persons may not be eligible. CODES: 22/P22 - MER 4/24/2010
Note
The examples of work for this title are for illustrative purposes only. A particular position using this title may not perform all duties listed in this job specification. Conversely, all duties performed on the job may not be listed. Applicants must meet one of the following or a combination of both experience and education. Thirty (30) semester hour credits are equal to one (1) year of relevant experience. Six (6) years of professional experience in any phase of Right of Way work subject to the Federal Highway Funding Reimbursement Program (e.g. appraisal, negotiations, relocation, property management or programming and admistration). OR Possession of a bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university; and two (2) years of the above-mentioned professional experience. "Professional experience" refers to work that is creative, analytical, evaluative, and interpretive; requires a range and depth of specialized knowledge of the profession's principles, concepts, theories, and practices; and is performed with the authority to act according to one's own judgment and make accurate and informed decisions.