Preliminary 2020 Sales Reports Now Available for Review

February 19, 2021

To: General Assessors, Statutory Assessors


The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) posted the preliminary 2020 sales reports to our website.

Accessing the Reports

  • To access the reports, log into the eRETR System using your WAMS ID
  • Links to the reports are located on the home screen under "Assessor Sales Reports"

Reviewing the Reports

It is very important to review these reports for accuracy. Sales with incorrect assessment information, and improper validation and verification can dramatically skew the assessment level for a class which could have a negative impact on the Equalized Value and property tax apportionment.

While reviewing, verify:

  • Sales are correctly identified as useable for arm's-length and ratio analysis
  • Assessment and classification are correct
  • Reported assessment includes all parcels involved in the sale
  • Sale is correctly identified as:
    • Vacant or improved
    • Useable or reject

Note: If you find errors, notify the Equalization Bureau District Office in your area by March 5, 2021, and provide the corrected information.


2020 Preliminary Sales Reports

  1. Assessment/Sales Ratio Analysis – this report is an analysis of the 2020 sales the assessor identified as arm's-length and useable for ratio purposes
    • If a municipality is located within two or more counties, there is a ratio report for each piece of the municipality and a report combining all pieces
      • The split district report is located within the applicable county
      • All combined reports for split district municipalities are located in a separate link below the list of counties
    • You may use assessment/sales statistics from these reports to estimate the current level of assessment for the 2021 assessment year

  2. Useable Sales for DOR Ratio Projection – this report is an analysis of the 2020 sales identified as arm's-length and useable for ratio purposes by the assessor
    • An assessor may use the report's assessment/sales statistics to assist in estimating the January 1, 2021 level of assessment
    • A statewide Excel file is available at the end of the county list

  3. Useable Arm's-length and Rejected for DOR Ratio Projection – this report includes 2020 sales identified as arm's-length transactions, and rejected for DOR ratio projection

  4. Rejected Arm's-length and Rejected for DOR Ratio Projection – this report includes 2020 sales identified as non-arm's-length transactions

Prior Year Sales Reports

2019 Useable Sales Reports and Assessment/Sales Ratio Reports remain available

  • To access the reports, sign into the eRETR System using your WAMS ID
  • Links to the reports are located on the eRETR/PAD home page under "Assessor Sales Reports"

PAD Data via CAMA System

If you submitted PAD data in a file upload using your CAMA system, be particularly aware of extremely low or high ratios, which may indicate you submitted incorrect sales data.


Important Deadlines

  1. March 5, 2021 Deadline – post FINAL 2020 Assessment Information into PAD
    • Sales conveyed in 2020 (but recorded in 2021) are still loaded into the PAD system as 2020 sales. Assessment information for these sales must be posted by March 5.
    • Review the PAD system for sales identified as "Incomplete"
    • Sales are often identified as incomplete because only part of the required information was entered and saved
    • Typically the missing data is the physical attribute information required on improved sales

  2. May 1, 2021 Deadline – Stratified Assessment Data
    • You may submit stratified assessment data or similar information to your district office by May 1 for consideration in establishing the 2021 real estate market trends (economic adjustments)
    • Information on stratifying assessments into similar property groupings and a sample DOR spreadsheet are available on our website

  3. June 14, 2021 Deadline – 2021 Assessor Reports
    • Municipal Assessment Report (MAR)
    • Note: 2021 MAR report will be available in late April. DOR will send an email including filing instructions.

If you have questions, contact the Equalization Bureau District Office in your area.