City Houses For Sale

Your Path to Homeownership in the City of Milwaukee

PLEASE NOTE: Additional properties are listed on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). To get information on those properties contact a Wisconsin licensed real estate agent.

1. Contact any Wisconsin licensed Real Estate Agent to assist you in the purchase process.

2. Ask the agent/broker to call us at (414) 286-5730 or email showingrequest@milwaukee.gov to arrange for access to the property.

3. Complete a thorough inspection of the property with your agent/broker to familiarize yourself with the features of the home and to determine the extent and cost of needed repairs. Seek qualified help if necessary.

4. Have your agent/broker complete and submit a signed City of Milwaukee - Offer to Purchase on your behalf. For bulk buyers, separate offers must be submitted for each property.

Please note the following applies to all offers submitted: 

Review the City of Milwaukee Residential Offer & Closing Checklist

• Buyer reviewed the property's Scope of Work and understands items marked as "Essential Repairs" must be completed to receive the Essential Repair Verification Form 180 days after closing and signs Exhibit A in the City’s Offer to Purchase.
• Submit a copy of government-issued ID for each signing buyer.
• Provide proof of funds for purchase price (ex. current bank statement or pre-approval letter) + estimate for Essential Repairs from the property’s Scope of Work.
  • If buyer chooses to use a gift or loan affidavit for proof of funds, the provider of the gift or loan must be current on all City of Milwaukee property taxes and fees for any properties they personally own, or as part of an entity, in the City of Milwaukee.
  • If applicable for gift or loan affidavits, please make sure they are notarized, provide proof of funds (ex: current bank statement or pre-approval letter), and include Photo ID for each donor.
• If applicable, HIP (Historic) Fund Special Conditions Addendum (will be noted with listing).
• Buyer will need to provide verification of funds for the purchase price and essential repairs estimate from the property’s Scope of Work. Buyer will complete and sign buyer verification of funds form on the day of closing. 
• If a Special Conditions Addendum form is required it will need to be submitted with the City’s Offer to Purchase.
• Any entity, LLC or Corporation will need to submit copies of their Articles of Incorporation/Organization and WI DFI printout showing registration of entity with WI DFI.
• Non-profit buyers must complete the Non-profit Buyer Affidavit.
• If you are a City of Milwaukee employee, spouse, sibling, parent or child of an employee of the City of Milwaukee a Conflict of Interest Form will need to be submitted.
• Investor buyers (includes non-profit and bulk buyers) or owner occupant buyers purchasing a duplex or multi-family home must complete landlord training and provide proof to DCD prior to closing.
  • As of May 1st, 2021, landlord training certificates must be renewed every three years.
• Earnest money in the amount of $1,000.00 shall be received 3 days after acceptance. Option One: The earnest money can be deposited through ZOCCAM which is a mobile app used on a smart phone to digitally deposit your check (which may be a cashier’s check, a business check, a personal check, or a certified check).  ZOCCAM is available in the Apple App Store for Apple Phones and the Google Play Store for Android. Option Two: The earnest money in the form of a certified check, cashier’s check or money order can be delivered to Knight Barry Title Inc.’s Milwaukee Office ONLY.  Knight Barry’s Milwaukee office is located at 201 East Pittsburgh Avenue, Suite 200, Milwaukee, WI 53204.  Knight Barry is open from 8 AM to 5 PM, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays. Please refer to the City’s Offer to Purchase.
• Buyers must provide a performance deposit at closing. Buyers are obligated to complete essential repairs within 180 days of closing. Deposit is refundable if buyer completes the Essential Repairs at the property, and obtains a DNS stamped Essential Repair Verification Form within 180 days of closing. Please see Offer to Purchase for additional details.
• Accepted offers will be evaluated by purchase price and in some cases program participation. Likelihood of project completion, including city buyer check and buyer history will be part of the offer evaluation. The City has the discretion to select offers in which it is deemed most likely the work will be completed in a timely manner. The City reserves the right to reject any offer for any reason, including no reason at all.

General Buyer Policies

Offers to Purchase will be rejected from any party (as an individual or as part of an entity) who:

• Is delinquent in the payment of any property tax, special assessment, special charge or special tax to the City of Milwaukee.
• Has outstanding judgments from the City or if the City acquired a property tax-foreclosure judgment.
• Has outstanding health or building code violations or orders from the City’s Health Department or Department of Neighborhood Services that are not actively being abated.
• Has been convicted of violating an order of the Health Department or Department of Neighborhood Services within the past year.
• Owned property in the city that, at any time within the past 5 years, the city acquired by means of property-tax foreclosure. Applies to any ownership group or LLC of which any prospective buyer has been a member.

For additional information and assistance:

• Wisconsin Realtors Association
• Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors
• Find a lender
• Interest rates
• WHEDA - Wisconsin Housing and Economic Development Authority
• NIDC - Neighborhood Improvement Development Corporation
• NARI - National Association of the Remodeling Industry
• This Old House
• $500 ROOTS Landscaping Incentive
• Homebuyer Assistance Program - $20,000 forgivable loan
• Me² Milwaukee Energy Efficiency Program (low-interest loans for energy improvements)
• Lead Service Line information
• 500+ Program 

Broker Information

Please note: City forms and procedures have been updated as of 7/18/2022. Please review the new Offer to Purchase form and checklist for instructions. 

Use the City of Milwaukee Residential Offer & Closing Checklist to submit your clients offer

If you are a licensed broker or sales person, broker fees are the greater of $1,500.00 or a full 6% commission on residential property 

• Call (414) 286-5730 or email showingrequest@milwaukee.gov for information on how to access the property
• Show the property to the perspective buyer.
• Submit City of Milwaukee - Offer to Purchase, along with a  buyer-signed Scope of Work Exhibit A,  a copy of buyer’s government ID and proof of the buyer's funds for purchase price (ex: bank statement or pre-approval letter) + estimate for the property’s Essential Repairs from the Scope of Work.
• Make sure to submit additional documents if applicable, Gift Affidavit, Loan Affidavit, HIP Fund Special Conditions Addendum or with entity buyers Articles of Incorporation/Organization, WI DFI printout, Non-Profit Buyer Affidavit, or Conflict of Interest Form if the buyer is an immediate family member of City, RACM, or HACM employee or an employee
  • Mail offers to 809 N. Broadway, Milwaukee, WI 53202; 2nd Floor Attention: Real Estate Sales 
  • Email offers to ResidentialOffers@milwaukee.gov
    • If property is listed under a listing contract with a listing broker, buyer broker or buyer (if there is no Buyer Broker) must submit offer to the listing broker who shall submit it to the City
• Ensure $1,000.00 earnest money is paid and documented according to instructions in the offer
• Make sure to submit additional documents if applicable, HIP Fund Special Conditions Addendum or with entity buyers articles of incorporation/organization, WI DFI printout, non-profit buyer affidavit, or conflict of interest form if buyer is immediate family member of City, RACM, or HACM employee
• Receive and forward a copy of the accepted offer to the buyer
• Assist the buyer with locating financing, if applicable
• Assure closing happens within 45 days of acceptance of the offer or earnest money is forfeited
• Offers may be extended for ONLY one 30-day period upon submission of a $250 extension fee
• Do a final walk through the day of closing
• Remove the City’s lockbox or padlock and return to Knight Barry Title Inc. at the time of closing 201 E Pittsburgh Avenue, Suite 200 Milwaukee, WI 53204
• All agents are required to provide buyers a copy of the following;
  • Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home (Spanish)
  • Lead-Safe Water Guide (Español)