Selling a House in Foreclosure in Wisconsin
Yes, and Wisconsin gives you more room than most states. Foreclosure here goes through circuit court, and after the judgment there's a redemption period before the sheriff's sale, anywhere from five weeks for an abandoned house to a year for some older mortgages. You can sell during that window, pay off the judgment and keep your equity, right up until the court confirms the sale. You can also reinstate before the sale by catching up. Whether the lender can come after you for a deficiency depends on whether it asked for one in the complaint.
Reviewed by Dennis Fassett, founder of Dennis Buys Houses · Updated November 2026
For Wisconsin homeowners behind on the mortgage in Milwaukee, Dane, Brown, Kenosha or any other county. General information, not legal advice. Talk to a Wisconsin foreclosure attorney or HUD-approved counselor soon.
The Court Process
- 1Four months behind
Federal servicing rules generally require more than 120 days of missed payments before the case is filed.
- 2Summons and complaint
You usually have 20 days to answer. Skip it and the lender likely gets a default judgment.
- 3Judgment
The court enters a judgment of foreclosure, and the redemption period starts.
- 4Sheriff's sale
After the redemption period, with notice published for three weeks. (Wis. Stat. § 815.31)
- 5Confirmation
The court confirms the sale, and you can stay until then.
The Redemption Window Comes Before the Sale
- Mortgage signed on or after April 27, 20166 months if the lender seeks a deficiency; 3 months if it waives one. (Wis. Stat. § 846.10 and Wis. Stat. § 846.101)
- Older mortgages12 months with a deficiency, 6 months without.
- Abandoned houseAs little as 5 weeks. (Wis. Stat. § 846.102)
- ExtensionsSome periods can be extended by up to two months if you're listed with a broker and trying in good faith to sell.
In Wisconsin, the redemption period is the window to sell. Close before the court confirms the sheriff's sale and the equity stays yours.
Want a Number to Compare Against?
Let me know where your case stands and a little about the house. I'll set an as-is figure beside the judgment amount and give you my honest read on reinstating or listing instead.
Your Options
- ReinstateCatch up before judgment and the case is dismissed; after judgment, catching up postpones the sale. (Wis. Stat. § 846.05)
- MediationSome Wisconsin counties, including Milwaukee, offer foreclosure mediation.
- Loss mitigationSend the servicer a complete application early.
- Sell during redemptionThe judgment amount is paid at closing.
- Short saleThe lender accepts less than the balance.
- Deed in lieuHand back the house with the shortfall waived in writing.
- BankruptcyThe automatic stay halts the sale.
Free help: CFPB – Find a Housing Counselor and Wisconsin Law Help.
Can They Come After You for the Rest?
Only if the lender asked for a deficiency judgment in its complaint. Many lenders waive it to get the shorter redemption period. Read the complaint, or have your attorney read it, so you know which you're facing.
Surplus From the Sheriff's Sale
If an outside bidder pays more than the judgment and the liens behind it, the excess belongs to you. Ask the clerk of court about it, and be wary of surplus recovery services that want a large share.
Run the Numbers
Add up the judgment amount, interest since judgment, the lender's attorney fees, a second mortgage, unpaid taxes and any other liens. Compare that with a realistic sale price. The difference is what a sheriff's sale can wipe out.
List It or Sell As-Is?
A redemption period of several months gives a show-ready house time to sell on the market, and an active listing may even earn an extension. If the window is short or the house needs work, a buyer's lender may not move fast enough.
When the sale date is near or the house won't pass a lender's inspection, an as-is buyer can often close before confirmation. Or skip the to-do list and sell it as-is to a real estate investor: no showings, no repair requests after the inspection, no dragging furniture down basement stairs in January, and a closing date you choose. With Dennis Buys Houses, you don't have to empty the place. Keep what you want and walk away from the rest. Anything personal or valuable we come across gets back to you.
Taxes and Estates
Unpaid property taxes are a separate problem with their own foreclosure. (See Selling a House With Delinquent Property Taxes in Wisconsin.) If the borrower has died, the right person has to have authority to sell. (See How to Sell a House in Probate in Wisconsin.)
Rescue Scams
Foreclosure filings are public on Wisconsin's court records site, and the solicitations follow. Steer clear of anyone charging upfront fees, telling you to stop talking to your lender, offering to take the deed and rent it back to you, or asking for a cut of your surplus.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Not answering the summons.
- Treating the judgment as the end; the redemption period is still open.
- Moving out early, which can shrink the redemption period to five weeks.
- Not checking whether the lender wants a deficiency.
- Signing a deed in lieu without a written waiver.
- Waiting until confirmation to look at selling.
Where I Fit, and Where I Don't
Wisconsin owners tend to call me after the judgment, when the redemption clock is running, the house needs work a lender won't finance, they've already moved, or they need a closing before confirmation.
You won't need to clear the house out for Dennis Buys Houses, either. Leave whatever you don't want.
If you can reinstate, get a modification or list a ready house with months to spare, that's probably the better road, and I'll say so.
No matter which way it goes, you'll hear from me early whether I'm the right fit.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can sell during the redemption period and up to confirmation of the sale, as long as the judgment is paid.
From five weeks for an abandoned house to 12 months for some older mortgages; three or six months is common for newer ones.
No. Pack the things you want; with an as-is sale, Dennis Buys Houses handles the rest.
Yes, generally until the court confirms the sheriff's sale.
Only if it asked for one in the complaint. Many lenders waive it.
Yes. Every mortgage foreclosure goes through circuit court.
Start with CFPB – Find a Housing Counselor and Wisconsin Law Help. Key statutes: Wis. Stat. § 846.10, Wis. Stat. § 846.101 and Wis. Stat. § 846.102 (redemption periods).
Wisconsin Selling Guides
- How to Sell a House in Probate in Wisconsin
- Selling an Inherited House in Wisconsin
- Selling a Vacant House in Wisconsin
- Selling a House With Bad Tenants in Wisconsin
- Selling a House With Delinquent Property Taxes in Wisconsin
Is the Redemption Clock Running on Your House?
Send me the case number or judgment, your payoff and a few photos. We'll look at every option together, and if selling makes sense, you'll get a firm as-is offer in writing.