The Washington Center for Real Estate Research (WCRER) provides real estate research and data for the State of Washington. Among its core activities are quarterly Housing Market Reports and Apartment Market Reports, both of which provide county-level data. The Center also provides a range of housing data intended to support Washington localities that are planning for affordable housing. Starting in 2024, WCRER has published an annual report, The State of the State’s Housing, that has summarized recent legislation, demographic and economic conditions, homeownership, house prices, apartment rents, housing affordability, and homelessness. The Center also conducts and publishes research on various topics related to real estate in Washington State.
WCRER was established by the Washington State Legislature under RCW 18.85.741, which states: “The purpose of a real estate research center in Washington State is to provide credible research, value-added information, education services and project-oriented research to real estate licensees, real estate consumers, real estate service providers, institutional customers, public agencies, and communities in Washington State and the Pacific Northwest region.”
The Center is funded in part by brokers’ licensing fees through the Washington State Department of Licensing. Other funding comes from document recording fees through the Department of Commerce, pursuant to RCW 36.70A.610. The Center was initially housed at Washington State University, relocating to the University of Washington in 2012. At UW, the Center is housed in the College of Built Environments.