Revaluation

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About the Revaluation

In 2025, the Assessor’s Office completed a revaluation. This is a city-wide review of all property assessments, based upon the current real estate market and conditions. A revaluation was conducted to guarantee that all property is assessed at market value and to ensure that taxes are distributed equitably. The last city-wide revaluation was completed in 2019.

What is a Revaluation?

A revaluation is a process where the City reviews all property values to make sure they reflect current market conditions. It helps ensure property taxes are fair and accurate for everyone in Wauwatosa.

Wisconsin law mandates regular revaluations to keep property assessments aligned with market values, ensuring fair tax distribution. On average, our assessments are currently about 55% of sale amounts. We have to be within 10% of fair market value (or 90% - 110%) of sale values.

A revaluation does not increase the total amount of tax collected. Instead, it helps make sure each property owner pays their fair share based on their property's current market value.

What is the deadline for submitting a formal objection?

Will the August 2025 flood affect my 2025 assessed value?

Can I see properties that were compared to my property?

We do not offer running reports on individual properties. Instead, we do offer a spreadsheet of recent sales (https://www.wauwatosa.net/home/showpublisheddocument/6249), and you can find similar properties yourself.

Under Wisconsin Statutes, the assessor’s value is presumed correct. If you disagree with your new assessed value, it is important to provide evidence that supports your opinion of value. At this time, we are asking property owners to submit any of the following documentation for our review:

Recent appraisals from 2023-2024
Accepted purchase offers or sale contracts
Adjusted arm’s length comparable properties
Contractor estimates for significant repairs or conditions affecting value
Any other relevant documents that help justify your opinion of value

How might my assessment change?

How do I request a change to my property value?

What is "Open Book?"

How can I compare my property to other properties?

2025 Communications about the Revaluation

Communications regarding the 2025 Revaluation:

Property Description Update postcard - November 29, 2024
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel article - June 16, 2025
City Assessor's presentation to the Common Council - June 24, 2025
Social media post about the Revaluation - July 8, 2025
2025 Revaluation postcard - July 9, 2025
Social media post about the postcard - July 15, 2025
"What Does an Assessor Do?" video (below)

Frequently Asked Questions

What was the city’s average assessment increase?

The average assessment increase was 54% (based on July 2025 information).

How will the revaluation impact my taxes?

Estimate how the 2025 property revaluation may impact your taxes.

What sales did the Assessor look at to re-evaluate my home?

Here is a list of all arm's-length residential sales in Wauwatosa that closed between 2022 and 2024: Residential Sales List

What does an Assessor Do?

The City Assessor estimates the fair market value of every property in Wauwatosa. This value is used to make sure property taxes are distributed fairly.

The Assessor does not set the tax rate or decide how much the City collects in taxes. Instead, they focus on determining accurate property values based on:

Recent sales
Property characteristics
Local market trends

The Assessor follows guidelines set by the Wisconsin Department of Revenue and state law.