Property & Land Survey
1. My name is spelled wrong on my tax bill.
Call Property Listing at (920) 448-6480 or fill out the GENERAL PROPERTY QUESTION Form with your concern and we address any issues.
2. My tax bill mailing address has changed or is INCORRECT.
Call Property Listing at (920) 448-6480 or fill out the GENERAL PROPERTY QUESTION Form with new mailing address & associated parcel number(s) and it will be changed.
3. Who is “ETAL” on my tax bill?
ETAL means “and others” and additional owners will be listed in the Comment Area shown below. Brown County changed to a new Land Records system in May of 2019. The former system allowed one owner on a line and the new system allows us to add all of the current owners to the Owners area. These will be addressed as they come to our attention.
PROPERTY SEARCH
4. I split my land this year but the tax bill still shows old acreage?
If a parcel was “split” (new CSM or plat, sold land to neighbor), there will be a “Future Year” version of the parcel as shown below. This means if you split your land in 2019, there will also be a 2020 (Future Year) information in the Land Records system. Taxes are done in arrears (as the land stood on January 1st of that year) so that is how you are being taxed for the current year. The “new” acreage can be found under the “Future Year” tab in the property Summary area.
PROPERTY SEARCH
5. My acreage has changed since my last tax bill – Nothing happened, so where did my land go?
The Brown County Parcel map is an ever changing depiction of the property records of the County.Because of this, when new information is made available (surveys, CSM and plat) to our office we will need to make minor changes and adjustments to the map. As we make adjustments, we are able to have a more accurate calculation of the land area by use of computer aided drafting (CAD) maps compared to the old paper maps. Property Listing staff will add a Comment to the parcel that can be seen in the Parcel Report.
PARCEL SEARCH
6. I sold this parcel months ago – why am I still listed as owner?
There are multiple reasons why this can occur. The new deed might not be recorded yet. There could be an error or issue with the deed which requires a correction document to be recorded before the Property Listing office can process the deed. See the Comment area for the person Brown County contacted about the issue.
PROPERTY SEARCH
7. The bank foreclosed on my home a year ago but I am still listed as owner – why?
Banks do not always record the foreclosure deed until much later, perhaps a year or two in some instances. Until the deed is recorded, Property Listing office will list the owner of record.
8. Can you recommend a good surveyor and attorney to help with my land issues?
Brown County cannot recommend any particular surveyor or attorney or give any legal advice to an issue. You may want to contact the title company or real estate agent from when you purchased the property for a recommendation of a surveyor or attorney. We do recommend if you look online or in the yellow pages that you contact and get quotes from multiple companies. You should have a comfort in what they are describing and how they will address your particular issue. Price should not be the deciding factor in your choice on a company.
9. Can the County Surveyor find my property lines?
The County Surveyor does not perform survey work for private parties. Their primary tasks are office and field work for maintaining Public Land Survey System (PLSS) corners, County projects and surveys ordered by the courts.
10. Doesn’t every lot have to be surveyed?
The vast majority of parcels in Brown County were created by written legal description and not by a field survey. Therefore it is likely that there are no physical markers in the ground to show lot corners. Surveys are now required to make certain new land divisions as determined by municipal or county rules/ordinances. Surveys are required in some Towns and Municipalities to obtain certain permits or to build fences or structures. To see if there is a survey filed on the property click the following link.
SURVEY INDEX & TIE SHEET
11. What marks the corners of my property?
If your parcel has indeed been surveyed, it is likely that the property corners are marked with an iron bar or iron pipe. However, many different objects have been used as monuments. The legend on your survey map should indicate the type of monument set. Most often the monuments were set below the surface to help avoid disturbance. To see if a survey was filed on the property click on the following link.
SURVEY INDEX & TIE SHEET
12. What are those concrete posts that say 'Government Marker' or the signs that say 'Survey Monument' on them?
Concrete posts or small rectangular yellow signs that are placed on metal posts are placed near ties to PLSS corners. More recently, white survey marker posts have been used in place of the concrete or metal posts to mark witness monuments. They are not marking the corner itself, but are placed near witness monuments that are used to preserve the corner location. Please do not disturb or remove these markers! If you know of a corner monument that is endangered, please notify the Property Listing Office at the below link.
GENERAL PROPERTY QUESTION
13. Who is surveying at my neighbor's house? What if I don't agree with the surveyor's work?
There are many private licensed land surveyors who work in the county. They are independent, do not work for the county, and are not supervised/approved by the county. The county cannot determine 'who is right' in a property line dispute. And cannot give legal advice.
14. How much does a survey cost?
Prices will vary based on the complexity of the property being surveyed. It is best to get a few different quotes and to have the surveyor explain what services they will provide for you.
15. How can I find my property corners?
Whether you are putting up a fence, adding landscaping to your yard or any other reason, it is important to know where your property lines are. If your property has been surveyed in the past you could use a metal locator to locate the monuments that mark your property. However, it is best to have it surveyed. A surveyor will verify the location of found monuments that mark your property and set new monuments to make sure that the markers match what your deed says you have title to. To see if a survey has been done on your property click on the following link.
SURVEY INDEX & TIE SHEET
16. Who do you recommend I get for a surveyor?
The County cannot recommend specific surveyors as it would be a conflict of interest. It is best to get a few different quotes and to have the surveyor explain what services they will provide for you.
