Milwaukee is located in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Wisconsin imposes a real estate transfer fee of $3.00 per $1,000 of consideration (0.30%) on all real property transfers. The fee is collected by Milwaukee County at the time of deed recording. There is no additional city-level transfer tax imposed by Milwaukee beyond the state rate.
In Milwaukee and throughout Wisconsin, the real estate transfer fee is paid by the seller (grantor) at closing. This obligation is set by state law. Buyers and sellers should confirm payment responsibilities with their real estate attorney or title company.
Certain Milwaukee real estate transactions may be exempt from Wisconsin's transfer fee. Common exemptions include transfers with consideration of $1,000 or less, transfers to qualifying governmental entities, transfers between certain family members, and certain foreclosure-related transfers. Consult a Wisconsin real estate attorney to determine whether your transaction qualifies for an exemption.