By now all homeowners should have received their property assessment from the City of Milwaukee Assessor’s Office. Some may be relieved, some may be surprised, others may be confused. At Take Root Milwaukee, we hope to help clarify things to help homeowners better understand their assessment and the appeal process. Below are answers to commonly asked questions about the assessment process.

HERE is a recording from the webinar we co-hosted with Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity.

What is a Property Assessment?
Annually the City of Milwaukee Assessor’s Office evaluates property values. The assessors look at property sales from the previous year, any reported property changes, and determines the value of properties based on these and other factors that affect the real estate market.
More Information can be found HERE

How does my Property Assessment affect my Property Tax?
The assessed value of your property and the tax rate to cover budgets (city, county, school district, sewerage district, etc.) determines what your tax bill for your property will be. This is why it is important to closely look at your assessment to ensure it’s accurate.

Although property assessments come out in the spring and tax bills come out at the end of the year, the only time to ask questions or file an appeal is April 20 – May 18, 2026.
More Information can be found HERE

I have Questions/Concerns about my Property Assessment
Please reach out to the City of Milwaukee Assessor’s Office right away! You can submit your questions by completing their Ask the Assessor form. There is also a hotline to call and speak to one of the city’s appraisers: 414-286-6565. Or you can visit their office during business hours (Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:45pm), at City Hall Room 507. After that, if you would like to file an appeal, you have until May 18, 2026, to do so.
More Information can be found HERE

How can I file an appeal?
The City of Milwaukee Assessor’s Office provides step by step instructions on how to appeal your assessment. Information can be found HERE

1) It is important that you contact their office between the fourth Monday in April and the third Monday in May (April 20-May18, 2026).

2) Complete and submit the Milwaukee Real Property Appeals application – this can be submitted by completing the online form, by mailing or hand delivering a physical form to their office (City of Milwaukee Assessor’s Office, 200 E Wells Street, Room 507, Milwaukee, WI 53202). The form cannot be emailed to the office.

3) It is recommended that you provide supporting documentation with your appeal, such as a copy of an appraisal, copy of a real estate market comparable analysis (you can ask a local real estate agent to help pull “comps” for your property), photos of the interior or exterior of your home.

4) Appeals will be reviewed by an appraiser in the Assessor’s Office and their determination will be reviewed by the Board of Assessors. A written notice of their determination will be sent to the owner.
More Information can be found HERE

How else can I learn about the real estate market that may affect my Assessment?
Look at recent sales data for homes in your neighborhood that are similar. You can look at Zillow, Redfin, and Realtor.com. Look at homes that are comparable (house size, lot size, number of rooms, condition, single family/duplex/condo, etc.). This is a helpful way to get a sense of market value of your home.

If you think your assessment may not be correct, reach out to a local real estate agent (check out Take Root’s listing of Realtor members if you don’t know who to contact). As they can complete a real estate market comparable (there may be a small fee for this service).

What else can I do to learn about Property Assessments?
Go to the City of Milwaukee Assessor’s Office website, look at their FAQs, and contact them.
Visit the City of Milwaukee Assessor’s Office HERE

Reach out to Take Root member partner Housing Resources Inc. They have a team of Homeownership Preservation Specialists that work with homeowners. Emmett Gross, Homeowner Retention Manager, is experienced with working on property assessment and tax issues. Email him with questions.
Check out their website HERE

Take Root Milwaukee, in partnership with Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity, hosted a webinar on Property Assessments. Deputy Commissioner of Assessments presented, along with the Homeowner Retention Manager of Housing Resources Inc., and a Realtor with Homestead Realty.
Check out the recording HERE!