Author: Jessa May Bautista
Reviewed by: Josh Blanchard
Fact- Checked by: Jack Aldous

Estimated reading time: 6 minutes

Chippewa County does not run just one type of property sale. It actually runs two, and they work in totally different ways. One is a tax deed sale, run by the Treasurer’s Office. The other is a Sheriff’s Sale, run for mortgage foreclosures. Mixing these two up is easy to do, so this guide breaks down both in plain words.

What Is a Tax Deed?

When a property owner does not pay real estate taxes, the debt becomes delinquent. If the taxes stay unpaid long enough, the county can take legal title to the property. This is called a tax deed. The county then sells these properties to the public to recover the unpaid taxes.

Why Does the County End Up Owning Land?

Property taxes pay for roads, schools, and county services. When an owner does not pay for long enough, the debt keeps growing. Once taxes stay unpaid past 24 months, Chippewa County can move to take the property through a court order.

One thing worth knowing up front: Wisconsin does not sell tax lien certificates. Nobody buys a certificate and waits around to collect interest. Chippewa County takes full ownership first, then sells the property itself. That is the whole reason people call this a tax deed, not a tax lien.

What Happens Before a Property Reaches Sale?

Starting March 1 each year, Chippewa County, Wisconsin tracks unpaid real estate taxes. After extensive notification and title work, once a parcel is more than 24 months delinquent, a court order allows the county to sell it. The property becomes part of the county’s “tax deed lands” list.

Step	What Happens
Taxes go unpaid	Owner stops paying real estate taxes starting March 1
Notification period	County mails notices and completes title work
24 months delinquent	A court order allows the sale of the property
County takes title	Chippewa County becomes the legal owner
Parcel listed	Property joins the Tax Deed Lands For Sale list
Offer submitted	Buyer fills out an Offer to Purchase form
County reviews and decides	County accepts, rejects, or waits for a better offer

How Do Chippewa County Wisconsin Tax Deed Sales Work Here?

Chippewa County does not run a live auction or a sealed bid deadline for tax deed lands. It runs an “over the counter” system, similar to what a few other Wisconsin counties do. The county posts a list of tax deed parcels for sale, and buyers can submit an Offer to Purchase form for any listed property at any time. There is no fixed auction date to wait for.

What About Chippewa County Wisconsin Sheriff’s Sales?

Sheriff’s Sales are a completely different process. These happen when a bank or lender forecloses on a mortgage, not when the county forecloses over unpaid taxes. The Chippewa County Sheriff’s Office holds these sales every Thursday (skipping holidays), starting at 10:00 a.m., in the lobby of the Sheriff’s Department at 32 E Spruce Street, Chippewa Falls.

Winning bidders must pay a 10% down payment right away, in cash or a certified bank check. Personal checks do not work. Since October 2018, every winning bidder also needs to file an Eligible Third-Party Bidder Affidavit with the Clerk of Courts.

Feature	Tax Deed Sale	Sheriff’s Sale
Reason for sale	Unpaid property taxes	Unpaid mortgage
Who runs it	County Treasurer	Sheriff’s Office
Format	Offer to Purchase, any time	In-person sale, Thursdays 10 a.m.
Location	Submitted to Treasurer’s Office	Sheriff’s Dept lobby, 32 E Spruce St
Payment	Per accepted offer terms	10% down day of sale, certified funds
Extra paperwork	None required	Eligible Third-Party Bidder Affidavit

How to Get Ready to Buy

Things Buyers Often Forget

Every property in both types of sale goes “as is.” Nobody fixes the roof, clears out old furniture, or settles a boundary dispute before you take ownership. Keep this in mind:

• Interior walkthroughs are rare to never offered
• Set money aside for repairs or unpaid utility bills
• Double check the legal description before you commit
• Ask the local zoning office directly instead of guessing

Chippewa County Wisconsin Tax Deed Quick Facts

Detail	Info
County agency (tax deed)	Chippewa County Treasurer, Patricia Schimmel
Treasurer address	711 N Bridge Street, Room 105, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Treasurer phone	715-726-7960
Sheriff’s Sale day/time	Thursdays, 10:00 a.m. (excludes holidays)
Sheriff’s Sale place	32 E Spruce Street, Chippewa Falls, WI 54729
Sale type (tax deed)	Over the counter, Offer to Purchase form
Property condition	Sold as is
Deed type	Deed

Frequently Asked Questions

Sources:
Chippewa County Wisconsin Tax Deed Lands
Chippewa County Wisconsin Sheriff Sales
Chippewa County Wisconsin Treasurer
Chippewa County Wisconsin Website

Related Links:

• Wisconsin Tax Deed Investments: The Benefits of Tax Deed Sales
• Washington County
• Jefferson County
• Orange County

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About Dustin Hahn

Dustin Hahn is a Tax Lien & Deed investor with over 22 years of experience and hundreds of deals under his belt. He created Tax Lien School.com to help you buy Tax Deeds up to 90% off mortgage free and earn up to 36% ROI with Tax Liens. This site was voted the “Most Useful Resource” for new investors. Dustin’s YouTube Channel is the #1 Channel on Tax Liens & Deeds with over 98,000 Subscribers and 3600 videos to help you start. “The Best Time To Start Real Estate Investing Was 20 Years Ago, The Second Best Time Is TODAY!”

20+yrs

5–10deals/mo

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