Learn more about the important and emerging real estate issues the WRA is working on to help REALTORS® and property owners in Wisconsin.
Current Issues
Foreclosure Equity Theft Loophole
Legislation2023 Senate Bill 918 2023 Assembly Bill 969 The WRA supports requiring counties to sell property and distribute any net proceeds to the former owner after acquiring the property through a property tax foreclosure. BackgroundIn 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court...
Real Estate Practice Changes
LEGISLATION2023 Senate Bill 870 2023 Assembly Bill 918 Assembly Memo Assembly Amendment Memo The WRA supports making changes improve real estate practice, including establishing a safe harbor, requiring disclosures when contractual rights are being assigned, and...
No Recording Fee Increase
Legislation2023 Senate Bill 872 2023 Assembly Bill 915 Assembly MemoThis bill increases the general recording and filing fees charged by county registers of deeds, increases the amount of the fees that counties must submit to the Department of Administration for the...
Licensee Advertising For Sale By Owner Properties
To provide brokerage services in the state of Wisconsin, one must be a real estate licensee. Wisconsin Statute Chapter 452 sets forth the practices that require a real estate license.
Slashing the Transfer Tax
Cutting Wisconsin’s real estate transfer tax (Transfer Tax) by one-third would reduce the cost carried by Wisconsin property owners who pay the tax on the sale of real property.
Discriminatory Covenants and Deed Restrictions in Wisconsin
Offensive, discriminatory covenants based on race and other protected classes appear in deeds and subdivision restrictions and covenants throughout Wisconsin. While illegal, this language haunts the title records and title commitment reports received by buyers looking to purchase these properties.
Holding the line on Property Taxes
A home is the single largest investment an individual or family can make. When many prospective homeowners begin their property search one of the largest portions of this investment that they do not take into consideration is the property tax associated with the purchase.
Clarify Wisconsin MLS sales tax exemption
In November 2021, the Wisconsin Department of Revenue (DOR) expanded the scope of “digital goods” guidance to include access to online databases. DOR revised Publication 240 to clarify that “other news or information products” are not limited to products that disseminate news but also include any products that disseminate information, where information is a collection of facts or data (not necessarily news-related).