Real Property Law

Home Construction / Remodeling

Agencies
- WI Dept. of Safety & Professional Services
  Information and resources regarding the Uniform Dwelling Code, which is the statewide building code for one- and two-family dwellings. The UDC sets standards for fire safety; structural strength; energy conservation; erosion control; heating, plumbing and electrical systems; and general health and safety in new dwellings.
  - Archived building and dwelling codes
Complaints
- Home Improvement Complaint Form - Print/Mail (WI Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection)
Home Improvement Consumer Tips (WI Dept. of Agriculture, Trade & Consumer Protection)
Topics include contracts, lien waivers, right to cure and right to cancel.

The Law (Additional statutes, regulations & opinions may apply to your specific situation.)

Search for more statutes, regulations & opinions.

Home Ownership

For buying or selling your home, see: Real Estate

ABA Guide to Home Ownership (American Bar Association)
Frequently Asked Questions About C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) (WI Office of the Commissioner of Insurance)
Database of insurance claims history. Property owners, insurers, and lenders can request access to property claim data.
Home Improvement
Insurance / Liability
- Avoiding Liability (American Bar Association)
  Discusses liability risks & provides checklists for a safe home. Also includes information on what happens if someone is injured on your property, if you are liable for your guest's actions when hosting a party, liability concerning your pets, and what you should do if someone is injured on your property.
- Consumer's Guide to Homeowner's Insurance (WI Office of the Commissioner of Insurance)
- Liability Insurance (American Bar Association)
  Discusses liability coverage including umbrella policies.
Manufactured / Mobile Home Forms (WI Dept. of Safety and Professional Service)
Neighbors
- Neighbors & Home Ownership (American Bar Assoc.)
Property Assessment
- Property Owner Guides (WI Dept. of Revenue)
  Questions & Answers about WI property assessment, appeals & taxation.
- Property Tax (WI Dept. of Revenue)
- WI Property Assessment Manual (WI Dept. of Revenue)
  Current and past manuals and local modifier volumes. (Find archived manuals through our catalog.)

The Law (Additional statutes, regulations & opinions may apply to your specific situation.)

Search for more statutes, regulations & opinions.

Real Estate

Agencies / Organizations
- U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development
- WI Housing and Economic Development Authority
Brokers
- The "New" Chapter 452: Defining Real Estate Broker Practice (Wisconsin Lawyer, June 2006)
Buying / Selling
- ABA Guide to Consumer Law: Buying and Selling a Home (American Bar Association)
  Includes selecting a real estate agent, financing, home inspection, the purchase contract, contract riders, etc.
- Buying a Home Glossary (WI Dept. of Financial Institutions)
- Buying or Selling a Home (American Bar Association)
  Learn the information you need to buy or sell your home, such as selecting a real estate agent, buying & selling without an agent, disclosures, working with an attorney, setting the price, making an offer, home inspections, financing, applying for a home loan, key provisions of a mortgage, buying a home from a builder, title, closing, ownership options, tax considerations, buying a multi-unit dwelling, and The Fair Housing Act.
- Buying / Selling Real Estate: Answering Your Legal Questions (State Bar of WI)
- Frequently Asked Questions About C.L.U.E. (Comprehensive Loss Underwriting Exchange) (WI Office of the Commissioner of Insurance)
  Database of insurance claims history. Property owners, insurers, and lenders can request access to property claim data.
- Taxation
  - Individual Income Tax: Sale of Home (WI Dept. of Revenue)
    FAQs concerning taxes and selling a home.
  - Selling Your Home (U.S. Internal Revenue Service)
    Explains the tax rules that apply when you sell your main home.
Complaints / Fraud
- Complaints (WI Dept. of Safety & Professional Services)
  Includes complaints against real estate brokers, appraisers, home inspectors, architects, etc.
- Discrimination Complaint Fair Housing (WI Dept. of Workforce Development)
- Housing Complaints (U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development)
  Includes: discrimination, bad landlords in federal housing, manufactured housing, land sales, deceptive contractors under Title 1 programs, fraud & waste in HUD programs, etc.
- Mortgage Banker/Broker Complaint (WI Dept. of Financial Institutions)
  - Guidelines for Submitting
- Mortgage Complaint (Consumer Financial Protection Bureau)
Discrimination
- Fair Housing (U.S. Dept. of Housing & Urban Development)
- Open Housing / Discrimination in housing (WI Dept. of Workforce Development)
Foreclosure
Foreclosure information is now on its own legal topic page: Foreclosure
Forms
- Real Estate Contractual Forms (WI Dept. of Safety & Professional Services)
- Real Estate Forms (WI Register of Deeds Association)
  Correction instrument, firm name, termination of decedents interest, and links to other forms and sample deeds.
- Real Estate Forms $ (State Bar of WI)
  Includes: Warranty Deed, Quit Claim Deed, Land Contract, Guardian's Deed, Personal Representative's Deed, Special Warranty Deed, Trustee's Deed, Condominium Deed, Satisfaction of Mortgage, etc.
- Real Estate Transfer Return (WI Dept. of Revenue)
- Residential Offer to Purchase, WB-11 (WI Dept. of Safety & Professional Services)
- Transfer on Death / Termination of Decedent’s Property Interest (WI Register of Deeds Assoc.)
- FAQs and urban legends about WI real estate forms (WI Realtors Assoc.)
- Manufactured / Mobile Home Titling Forms (WI Dept. of Safety and Professional Service)
- Quit Claim Deed Forms from Wisconsin Counties (WI State Law Library)
- Real Estate & Property Forms from Wisconsin Counties (WI State Law Library)
Ginnie Mae
Home Ownership
Mortgages / Reverse Mortgages
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
- Consumer Guides to Home Mortgages (Federal Reserve Board)
- Loan Modification Programs (National Consumer Law Center)
  Resources to modify a mortgage loan and avoid foreclosure.
- MakingHomeAffordable.gov
  Determine if you are eligible for a refinance or modification.
- Mortgages / Real Estate (Federal Trade Commission)
  Includes information on foreclosure and making mortgage payments.
Real Estate FAQs (American Bar Association)
Records
- Adding or Removing a Name from a Deed (Milwaukee County FAQ)
- Tapestry $
  Search land records for Midwest states. Includes mortgages, deeds, etc.

The Law (Additional statutes, regulations & opinions may apply to your specific situation.)

Search for more statutes, regulations & opinions.

County Resources

Recommended links from our County Resources database:

Other Forms
- Affidavit of Correction (Jefferson Register of Deeds)

Guides
- Civil Process (Rock Sheriff's Department)
  Execution or service of legal documents; civil process timeline; civil process fees; writ of replevin and execution

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Law Review Articles

Modernizing Wisconsin Residential Construction Laws with Right to Cure chart
79 Wis Lawyer 9 (Aug 2006)
Over Assessed? Appealing a Home Tax Assessment
84 Wis Lawyer 7 (July 2011)

Wisconsin State Law Library

Real Property Law

Home Construction / Remodeling

Home Ownership

Real Estate

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