Milwaukee County Property Search
Milwaukee County Property records are official documents containing detailed legal information about real property within the County's jurisdiction. This includes deeds, liens, mortgages, plats, foreclosures, judgments, and others. Milwaukee County residents file their property records at the Milwaukee Recorder of Deeds Office pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 59.43 of the Wisconsin Statutes.
A Milwaukee County property record search helps individuals avoid the many pitfalls and costly mistakes in Real property acquisition that uninformed people may make.
Are Milwaukee County Property Records Public?
Yes. Property records are considered part of Milwaukee County Public Records after they are filed with state or local government agencies. This is pursuant to the provisions of Wisconsin Legislature 19.31 and the Wisconsin Open Records Law. Per these laws, access to these records should only be restricted in selected circumstances since denying the public access is generally against the community's interests.
What Do Milwaukee County Property Records Contain?
There are many kinds of documents encompassed within a Milwaukee County property record. This depends on the type of Real property transaction or the agency involved in the document's creation, recording, and maintenance. The following are some Real property documents which can be found in a Milwaukee property record:
- Deed: This legal document is used to transfer real property ownership from grantor to grantee (seller to buyer). A legally valid deed must include the identification of both the previous and current owner and an adequate description of the property in question.
- Land Contracts: When a buyer submits an offer on a real estate that is up for sale, this legal document is created. The real estate contract's conditions will be negotiated if the seller accepts the offer, and the purchase process will then start. Once both parties have signed this agreement, it becomes an enforceable contract that can be used in court. Land contracts involve the buyer's legal offer, the seller's acceptance of the offer, the payment of consideration, and the parties' mutual consent to agree.
- Mortgages: A mortgage is a loan consumers take out to buy real property and agree to pay back over a specific period or term in small, equal payments. The information included in a mortgage document includes borrower's identification, mortgage application information, income verification, assets and debts, and credit verification, amongst others.
- Satisfaction of Mortgage: A satisfaction of mortgage is a record that attests to the borrower's complete mortgage payment, releasing the loan's lien on the property, and transferring title to the borrower. This document contains information about the loan's specifics, terms that release the lender's claim to the property, and the steps required to transfer the title. All parties to the loan and the title of the collateral must sign a satisfaction of mortgage document that the mortgage lender prepares.
- Assignment: The original purchaser of a property (the assignor) permits another purchaser (the assignee) to assume the original purchaser's rights and obligations under the Agreement of Purchase and Sale before the original purchaser closes on the property.
Where to Perform a Milwaukee County Property Lookup
The following options are available for individuals who wish to perform a Milwaukee County property lookup:
- Online: Individuals may obtain or view property records online through the third-party website working with the county register of deeds office.
- US Mail: An individual may obtain a real property document record when they mail a written request to the County's register of deeds at
Milwaukee County Register of Deeds
901 N. 9th St., Room 103
Milwaukee, WI 53233
Information required to facilitate the search includes the document type, document number (optional), full name of the requestor, property address, phone number, check to be paid to the County's recorder of deeds office, and an indication if a certified copy is requested instead of an informational one. All requests are processed on the date received by the office.
- In-Person: Individuals may look up a Milwaukee property record in person after making the required appointment. The Register of Deeds staff provides aid and guidance in looking up a property record.
- Subscription-Based Search Service: This service, provided by another third-party website, is used by real estate professionals and other industry partners to conduct a significant number of real estate searches and need access to document images regularly. A fee of $800 per month is paid to the Register of Deeds office for this service.
How to Perform a Property Owner Lookup in Milwaukee County
Cities and towns in Milwaukee County provide search services for individuals who wish to perform a property owner lookup through their assessors' office. For instance, the City of Milwaukee Assessor's Office provides an online property search service to members of the public. Anyone who wishes to lookup a property owner may:
- Click on the "real property search" icon on the Assessor's Office Data page
- With the address information on hand, type in the street name and number in the space provided
- Click on "Go".
All addresses that fit the search criteria are displayed in the results set that the search returns. It also includes information such as the property owners' names, the location's year of construction, the building's design or kind, and the total current assessment, amongst other information.
In addition, individuals can look up property owners in Milwaukee County using the Recorder of Deeds third-party website. An individual's search will be valid if they can fill in at least one criteria field.
How to Find Milwaukee County Property Records Online
- Register of Deeds Office: This government agency offers property records search services online through a third-party website. To find Milwaukee County property records online
- Visit the website
- Click on "Search now" to begin the search
- Choose the state (Wisconsin) and County (Milwaukee)
- Input the first and last name of the property owner only or the business name required.
There is a $6.95 per search cost to use this site. A document's first page costs $1.50 to print, and each successive page costs $1.00. An individual may acquire certified copies directly from the Milwaukee Registrar of Deeds office; they are not accessible through this website.
How to Find Property Owner by Address Free
Individuals seeking a property owner by address for free in Milwaukee County may obtain such information through the following process.
- Municipal Assessors' Office: An individual may obtain information about a property owner in Milwaukee County by contacting the Assessor's office in the City or town where the property is located online or in person. The individual must possess the address of the real property to access information about the property owner.
- Wisconsin Electronic Real Estate Transfer Return (RETR): Anyone with knowledge of the municipality or the address of a property in Milwaukee may obtain information on the owner of the property at no cost through this online service.
Milwaukee County Property Tax Lookup
Property tax lookup is necessary, and in some cases required, to compare the tax advantages of several properties when a real estate acquisition is being contemplated. Property tax records are recorded, maintained, and disseminated by the following agencies:
- Milwaukee County Treasurer: According to state law, the Treasurer's Office collects real estate taxes in 18 of the County's 19 suburban municipalities. The County Treasurer additionally maintains records of property tax information. The Milwaukee County treasurer's website lists cities and villages under its jurisdiction. To obtain a property tax record or report, an individual may choose the property's location, and input the parcel number or address of the real property to obtain tax information on a property.
- Municipal Treasurer: The treasurers of cities and villages in Milwaukee County maintain and disburse property tax records to members of the public. For instance, the City of Milwaukee Treasurer's Office provides property tax lookup services to members of the public.
- Click on the Tax Records tab on the City Treasurer's homepage or the Quick Links list in the right-hand margin. Select Munis Self-Service Tax Information to obtain property tax record information online.
- On the right side of the Milwaukee Self-Service Welcome page, click Online Tax Inquiry.
- Choose Personal Property, Real Estate, or Special Improvements on the Welcome to Online Tax Inquiry page.
- Enter the tax key/account number in the Parcel ID form on the Real Estate page to access a Property Tax Report, also known as a Tax Search. Alternatives include typing in the house number, street name, and street direction, then pressing enter or clicking the Search button.
How to Find Milwaukee County Property Appraiser
A real estate appraiser is a specialist hired to estimate the worth of a house or other real property. The Wisconsin Department of Safety and Professional Services licenses real estate appraisers. Individuals may look up the license of real estate appraisers in Milwaukee County online. However, individuals may find property appraisers by enquiring at the local Assessor's Office where the property is located. Services offered by real property appraisers are many. After conducting a comprehensive investigation, appraisers determine the worth of a property by looking up comparable homes, buildings, properties, public records, legal descriptions, and tax data. To ascertain the property's existing and prospective future values, they assess the data gathered. Property appraisers may also appraise investment properties to determine whether they can be utilized for profit. Government organizations, financial institutions, and independent contractors are all potential employers for appraisers.
Milwaukee County Property Assessor
The Assessor is a local government official who determines the market value of real estate within a city, town, or village. The County of Milwaukee does not have a dedicated property assessor. However, all local towns and municipalities have an Assessor's Office that provides the value of all taxable property within the City under Chapter 70 of the Wisconsin State Statutes and the Wisconsin Property Assessment Manual. They keep a complete record of property information accessible to the public on request. The Assessor must record the description of each parcel of real property in the assessment district. Other services offered by property assessors include:
- Assessment roll search
- Property owner search
- Change of mailing address
- Copy of building record/field Notes/building sketch records
- Parcel maps search services
- Tax bill calculation
- Property tax exemptions
- Assessment exclusion services
An individual can contact a local assessor in the town or City where the property is located. Most City or town official assessors provide online services to members of the public. For instance, the City of West Allis Assessor's Office can be contacted online or visited in person at:
West Allis City Hall
7525 W Greenfield Avenue
West Allis, WI 53214
