Selling a House With Code Violations in Milwaukee

In the City of Milwaukee, building and property maintenance codes are enforced by the Department of Neighborhood Services (DNS). Inspections can be triggered by a complaint from a neighbor or tenant, a city program, a vacant-building review, or a visit related to another issue. When an inspector finds conditions that don't meet code, DNS typically issues a written order listing each violation and a deadline to correct it.

Common items on orders include peeling paint, damaged porches and steps, roofs and gutters, broken windows, missing smoke detectors, unsafe electrical or plumbing, garbage or debris, and conditions in vacant buildings. If the work isn't completed by the deadline, the city may conduct reinspections and charge reinspection fees, issue citations, or in some cases perform work itself. Unpaid charges can be added to the property tax bill as special charges.

Suburbs such as West Allis, Wauwatosa and West Milwaukee have their own inspection departments and procedures, but the general pattern — written orders, deadlines and possible fees — is similar. Always check your specific order for the exact requirements and contact information.

• Make the repairs. Hire licensed contractors, pull permits where required, and request a reinspection when done.
• Ask for more time. If you're making progress, contact the inspector listed on the order before the deadline to ask about an extension.
• Look into assistance. The city and nonprofit organizations have offered home repair help for qualifying owners at various times; ask DNS or your alderperson's office what's currently available.
• Sell the property. If the repairs are beyond your budget, time or interest, selling to a buyer who will take on the corrections may be the simplest path.

Whatever you choose, don't ignore an order. Acting before deadlines generally keeps more options open and limits additional fees.

When selling a home in Wisconsin, sellers commonly complete a Real Estate Condition Report, which asks about known defects and code violations. Even when a buyer accepts a property as-is, it's important to be truthful about orders you know of. We ask for copies of any orders during our walkthrough so our offer reflects the real scope of work and there are no surprises at closing. An attorney can explain your exact disclosure obligations.

• Share what you have. Send us the orders or describe them; we'll review the list.
• One walkthrough. We assess both the ordered items and any other repairs.
• Written as-is offer within 24 hours of the visit, accounting for the corrections we'll need to make.
• Title company settles charges. Delinquent taxes and special charges on the tax bill are typically paid from proceeds at closing.
• We handle the corrections. After closing, the work and communication with the city become our responsibility.

This is common with rental properties, inherited houses and homes that have been vacant. See our pages on selling a rental, probate sales and houses that need repairs.

Orders can affect any home, but they come up most often with older housing — the century-old bungalows and duplexes in neighborhoods like Washington Heights, Riverwest and Bay View, and in inner-ring suburbs like West Milwaukee. We buy in all of them.