Home Building Sites

Urban Neighborhoods

The City of Milwaukee is actively marketing these home building sites. Sites range from established urban neighborhood lots to large suburban lots where you can spread out. This is a great opportunity to build your dream home in the neighborhood of your choice.

The City of Milwaukee is accepting offers for new home construction on these sites!

Arlington Gardens Neighborhood

• 7722 West Potomac Avenue

Avenues West Neighborhood

• 1821-23 West State Street-Pending

Borchert Field

• 3336 North 11th Street

Brewer's Hill Neighborhood

• 2228 North Palmer Street

Clock Tower Acres Neighborhood

• 1747 South 3rd Street-Pending

Granville Woods Neighborhood

•  8215 North 107th Street

Hampton Heights Neighborhood

• 4862 North 54th Street
• 4964 North 54th Street

Harambee Neighborhood

• 2409 North 1st Street
• 2534 North 2nd Street
• 2333 North 6th Street
• 2724 North Buffum Street
• 2730 North Buffum Street
• 2636 North Hubbard Street
• 2640 North Hubbard Street
• 2833 North Hubbard Street
• 2837 North Hubbard Street
• 2401 North Richards Street
• 2528 North Vel R. Phillips Avenue

Historic Mitchell Street Neighborhood

• 1123 West Rogers Street

Johnson's Woods Neighborhood

• 161 South 62nd Street-Pending

King Park Neighborhood

• 1325-27 West Cherry Street

Lincoln Creek Neighborhood

• 4472 North 51st Boulevard

Lincoln Village Neighborhood

• 2361 South 10th Street

Menomonee River Hills Neighborhood

• 8272 West Daphne Street-Pending

Merrill Park Neighborhood

• 535 North 28th Street
• 550 North 28th Street
• 416 North 29th Street
• 424 North 29th Street
• 425 North 29th Street
• 323 North 31st Street-Pending
• 223 North 33rd Street
• 234 North 36th Street
• 323 North 36th Street
• 3319 West Clybourn Street
• 3215 West Michigan Street
• 3121 West St Paul Avenue

North Division Neighborhood

• 2511 North 15th Street
• 2448 North 16th Street
• 2453 North 16th Street
• 2460 North 16th Street
• 1426 West Groeling Avenue
• 1430 West Groeling Avenue
• 1510 West Wright Street
• 1521 West Wright Street

Park Knoll Neighborhood

• 5861 North 121st Street-Pending

Ridgeview Neighborhood

• 9316 North Burbank Avenue-Pending
• 9328 North Burbank Avenue-Pending
• 9338 North Burbank Avenue-Pending

Riverwest Neighborhood

• 930 East Hadley Street-Pending

Roosevelt Grove Neighborhood

• 3318 North 37th Street

Rufus King Neighborhood

• 4352 North 17th Street-Pending
• 4357 North 17th Street-Pending

Saint Joesph Neigborhood

• 2932 North 58th Street

Silver Spring Neighborhood

• 5723 North 77th Street

The Valley/Pigsville Neighborhood

• 428 North 42nd Street-Pending

Thurston Woods Neighborhood

• 5673 North 35th Street-Pending
• 5767 North 39th Street-Pending
• 5953 North 41st Street

Timmerman West Neighborhood

• 10615 West Villard Street

Triangle North Neighborhood

• 1920 North 14th Street
• 1928 North 14th Street

Uptown Neighborhood

• 2401 North 53rd Street

Washington Park Neighborhood

• 3726 West Garfield Avenue

 

The City of Milwaukee is is also actively marketing $1,000 building sites for single family new home construction in two brand new subdivisions in the heart of the City, Walnut Circle and Josey Heights. Visit the link for additional information.

Building on a City of Milwaukee Vacant Lot

1. Find a builder -- design your home

• Find an experienced homebuilder and prepare your house plans
  • A good resource is Metropolitan Builders Association
  • Ask if your builder has experience building in urban neighborhoods with narrow lots and impacted subsoil conditions.
• Design a home that is appropriate for the lot and the neighborhood. Pay attention to:
  • Neighborhood House Design Standards (Revised 7/3/2024)
  • Zoning Code
  • "Green" Your Milwaukee House

2. Prepare your budget

• Work with your builder to prepare an affordable budget that works for your project
•  Avoid surprises by reserving in your budget or by making sure the following costs are included in the contract with your builder:
  • $5,000 to $10,000 for additional excavation and soil disposal trucking fees since most City lots contain old foundations
  • $8,000 for sewer and water lateral connections to city utilities in the street
  • Costs for tree removal or utility pole relocation

These are approximate costs. Your costs may vary. Understand what is covered in the contract with your builder and what costs you may be responsible for.

3. Obtain a prequalification letter for your budgeted costs

• Find a lender
• Research interest rates

4. Submit your offer

• Complete the City Vacant Land Offer to Purchase 
  • Read the offer carefully for expiration and performance dates, buyer policies, sale terms and conditions and City disclosures
  • Make sure all blanks are completed
  • If you are interested in any of the building sites above, please contact Tess Wynn at (414) 286-5838 to submit an offer.
• Attach your prequalification letter for a new construction home loan, or proof of funds for construction price.
• Submit the house elevations and a site plan if available for DCD approval. If you do not have plans yet, you must submit them in 30 days of offer acceptance.

DCD will accept your offer if the offering price is reasonable, your plans are compatible with the neighborhood and our design standards and you do not violate the City Buyer Policies.

5. Work on your final plans

• Obtain DCD plan approval if plans were not submitted with your offer
• Apply for a building permit with DCD’s Development Center for the approved design

6. Close on the lot

Closing must happen within 120 days of offer acceptance. Contingencies include submission to DCD of the following:

• Building permit for the approved design
• Executed construction contract
• Final financing with no contingencies and/or evidence of equity that matches your contract

The City will convey by Quit Claim Deed on an “as is, where is” basis. The City will provide title insurance if the sales price is $10,000 or more.

7. Start building!

• Construction must start within 15 days of closing
• You must finish building and landscaping within 12 months of closing

8. Move In.

Questions? If you are unsure about the appropriateness of your plans in terms of lot size or design, call us at (414) 286-5838 before submitting your offer.