Preliminary 2017 Sales Reports Now Available for Review

February 23, 2018

To: General Assessors
      Statutory Assessors


The Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) posted the preliminary 2017 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 9, 2018, and provide the corrected information.


2017 Preliminary Sales Reports

  1. Assessment/Sales Ratio Analysis – this report is an analysis of the 2017 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 2018 assessment year

  2. Useable Sales for DOR Ratio Projection – this report is an analysis of the 2017 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, 2018 level of assessment

  3. Useable Arm's-length and Rejected for DOR Ratio Projection – this report includes 2017 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 2017 sales identified as non-arm's-length transactions

Prior Year Sales Reports

2016 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 9, 2018 Deadline – post FINAL 2017 Assessment Information into PAD
    • Sales conveyed in 2017 (but recorded in 2018) are still loaded into the PAD system as 2017 sales.  Assessment information for these sales must be posted by March 9.
    • 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, 2018 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 2018 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 11, 2018 Deadline – 2018 Assessor Reports
    • Municipal Assessment Report (MAR)
    • Tax Increment District Assessment Report (TAR)
    • Note: 2018 reports will be available on April 23. DOR will send an email including filing instructions.

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