The 15 Checks
Tick them off as you go. Your ticks stay in this browser only.
The seller on the listing should match the owner of record. If they don't, ask why (an estate, a trust, a recent transfer).
Madison: the City Assessor's property lookup shows the owner and mailing address.(City of Madison) Elsewhere: AccessDane, Parcel Summary, Owner Names.(AccessDane)
Guide: Property lookup
The listing's tax figure may be last year's, or the seller's after credits. Look at the actual bill.
AccessDane's Tax Information shows each year's taxes, credits and amount due, and E-Bill gives a copy of past bills.(AccessDane) The lottery credit stays with the property and is figured into the tax proration at closing.(Wisconsin DOR)
Guide: Your tax bill, line by line
Street, sidewalk and sewer projects are billed to the lots on them. Some are on the record before the work is done.
In Madison, open the property lookup's Special Assessment tab: it lists each charge, the balance and whether it's final, preliminary or deferred. Home sales often require paying off all assessments, preliminary ones included.(City of Madison)
Guide: Madison special assessments
Age tells you what to expect: lead paint before 1978, original wiring and plumbing in older houses.
Madison's record lists Year Built and Roof Replaced under Residential Building Information.(City of Madison) AccessDane doesn't show year built.(AccessDane)
Guide: When was my house built?
A finished basement, deck or addition with no permit on file may need work, or a permit after the fact, later.
Madison's Permit Reports search permits by address.(City of Madison) For the full record, the city says to file a public records request.(City of Madison) Other towns: ask the building inspector.
Guide: Permits by town
Shows how long the seller has owned it and what they paid.
Madison: the Sale/Conveyance Details tab lists grantor, grantee, date, price and deed type.(City of Madison) Elsewhere: AccessDane's Recorded Documents lists each deed.(AccessDane)
Guide: Deeds and records
Online parcel maps are for tax listing, not surveys. A fence or driveway may not sit where the map shows.
AccessDane says so in its disclaimer.(AccessDane) The recorded plat or certified survey map at the Register of Deeds shows the lot's dimensions.(Dane County Register of Deeds)
Guide: Property lines
A lender requires flood insurance in a FEMA high-risk zone, and most homeowners policies don't cover flooding anywhere.
Type the address into FEMA's Flood Map Service Center.(FEMA) In Madison, also check the city's flood risk map.(City of Madison) Flood insurance is available outside the floodplain too.(City of Madison)
Guide: Flood maps
Matters if you plan an addition, an ADU, a home business or renting part of the house.
Madison's record lists the zoning district, and the city's Zoning Districts map shows it.(City of Madison)(City of Madison)
Guide: ADU rules by town
Dane County district lines don't follow city lines, and the district sets a big share of the tax bill.
AccessDane's District Information lists the school district and technical college for the parcel.(AccessDane)
A wetland limits building; a nearby cleanup site can affect wells and resale.
Wetlands: the DNR's Surface Water Data Viewer.(Wisconsin DNR) Known contamination and cleanups: the DNR's RR Sites Map.(Wisconsin DNR)
Guide: Official maps
If the house has a well, the construction report shows its depth and who drilled it. No test is required at sale.
Search the DNR's well construction reports.(Wisconsin DNR) Wisconsin doesn't require a well inspection or water test when a property sells; a buyer can make one a condition of the offer.(Wisconsin DNR)
Guide: Well tests
Wisconsin doesn't require a test to sell, but a seller who knows of a radon problem must say so on the condition report.
DHS recommends a test in real estate deals and says sellers must disclose known unsafe levels.(Wisconsin DHS) Kits are $10 at Public Health Madison & Dane County.(PHMDC)
Guide: Radon in Dane County
Homes built before 1978 may have lead paint; older homes may still have a lead water line.
For pre-1978 homes the seller must give you the EPA lead pamphlet and any known records, and you get 10 days for a lead inspection unless you waive it.(EPA) Madison replaced all known lead service lines by 2012, more than 8,000,(City of Madison) but the city says lead lines still turn up occasionally, usually at sale.(City of Madison)
Guide: Lead service lines
Exterior changes in a local historic district need approval.
Madison lists its local historic districts.(City of Madison) The Wisconsin Historical Society's search shows State and National Register listings.(Wisconsin Historical Society)
Guide: House history
After the Offer Is Accepted
Public records stop at what's on file. Once your offer is accepted, the seller's real estate condition report tells you what they know about the house, and your home inspection looks at the house itself. The deadlines for each are in buying a house step by step.
Badger Homeowner doesn't recommend agents, lenders, inspectors or contractors, and takes no money from them.
Questions
What should I check before making an offer on a house in Dane County?
Owner of record, the actual tax bill, special assessments, year built, permit history, past sales, lot lines, flood zone, zoning, school district, nearby wetlands or contamination, well records, radon, lead, and whether it's in a historic district. All are free public records.
Where do I look up a Madison property?
The City Assessor's property lookup at cityofmadison.com/assessor/property. It shows owner, values, taxes, zoning, year built, sales and special assessments. Outside Madison, use AccessDane.
Is a pre-purchase home inspection the same thing?
No. These are records you can check before you offer. A home inspection happens after the offer is accepted, under the offer's inspection contingency, and looks at the house itself.
Do I have to pay the seller's special assessments?
It depends on the deal. Madison says home sales often require paying off all assessments, including preliminary ones. Who pays is negotiated in the offer, so find them before you write it.