Board of Review upholds assessor valuation for 315 Arlington Street in Waukesha

The City of Waukesha Board of Review sustained the assessor’s valuation of 315 Arlington Street, approving a total assessment of $326,800 with land at $58,500 and improvements at $268,300.

The decision follows testimony from homeowner Brian Schuette, who told the board he paid $255,000 for the home in September 2025 and said the house needs interior and exterior repairs. "It was a for sale by owner... I paid $255,000," Schuette said, adding that comparable sales he found on MLS were lower than the assessor’s figure. The assessor’s representative testified that the assessor reviewed photos and adjusted the original 2025 assessment down from $353,300 to $326,800 and offered adjusted comparables from 2023–2024 that, after standard adjustments for size and condition, supported the revised figure.

The assessor explained the office uses sales from the most recent market adjustment year for uniformity and adjusts comparables for square footage and grade. The assessor also noted that several of the owner’s comparables were recorded in September 2025 and therefore are not within the sales set used for this assessment cycle. "Based on my estimate of value and our adjusted sales, the values indicate market value in the maintained assessment year," the assessor said.

After closing testimony, the board found the assessor presented the most credible, adjusted-comparable evidence and that the property owner did not present sufficient evidence to overcome the presumption of correctness afforded to the assessor under Wisconsin statute 70.47(9)(a). The clerk moved to sustain the assessor’s valuation; the motion was seconded and approved by roll call.

The board’s action means the assessment stands at $326,800 for tax administration and any refund or subsequent tax calculation will proceed through the clerk/treasurer’s office as required by statute.