Founded in 1996, the Center for Urban Real Estate is a focal point for teaching, scholarly research and service activities that pertain to the real estate markets of metropolitan Chicago.

Research - Journal publications have been based on work conducted in the Chicago metropolitan area and include studies of population and density patterns, house price indexes, the demand for vacant office space, new residential and commercial developments in the suburbs and the effects of zoning on land values. The scholarly research mission is also served by sponsoring research seminars, and by providing research assistantship and dissertation research opportunities for graduate students.

Teaching - CURE participates in four academic programs within the university: the Master of Arts in Real Estate offered by the College of Business Administration and College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, the real estate concentration within the MBA degree, a series of real estate courses offered for undergraduates majoring in finance or economics and a Certificate in Urban Real Estate.

Service - The center provides contract work for business clients in the Chicago metropolitan area. Recent projects include the BOMA/Chicago office building Occupancy Survey, the BOMA/Chicago Rent Barometer for downtown office space, a study of the impacts of the property tax in Evanston, a forecast of the office market, and forecasts of rents and occupancy rates for low-income housing.