Wisconsin Real Estate Investors

What Wisconsin Real Estate Investors does

Wisconsin Real Estate Investors (WREI), formerly the Wisconsin Apartment Association (WAA), is a 501(c)(6) non-profit business league founded in 1974 and headquartered in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The organization serves residential rental property owners, property managers, and rental-industry suppliers across Wisconsin through three membership tiers: At-Large Members ($60/year), Local Apartment Association Members ($45/year), and Associate Members ($225/year). WREI is organized as a volunteer-led entity with one part-time employee, operating through a network of 10 local affiliate landlord associations spanning all seven Wisconsin geographic regions.

The organization's core technology is its website platform (waaonline.org), which provides member login, a categorized file library of Wisconsin-specific court case law, fair housing resources, maintenance guides, statutes and forms, webinars, and Run-Til-You-Sell income property listings. Members also receive discounted apartment listing services through an exclusive partnership with APARTMENT Con*NeXT*ion. The organization distributes semi-annual conferences (spring and autumn), an annual Legislative Day at the Wisconsin State Capitol, monthly newsletters (since 1980), educational webinars, and a member directory of associate businesses.

WREI's business model combines recurring subscription revenue from three membership tiers, transaction revenue from conference registrations and non-member listing fees, and advertising/booth revenue from associate members. The organization's primary value proposition is legislative advocacy at the Wisconsin state capitol through two licensed lobbyists (Christopher J. Mokler and Gary R. Goyke), combined with grassroots representation via the 10-chapter affiliate network. Notable substantive outcomes include the 2017 successful Beloit Inspection Ordinance lawsuit, the Milewski v. Town of Dover Wisconsin Supreme Court victory on property tax due process, and formation of the COVID-era Helping Hands for Housing Coalition with the Wisconsin Realtors Association.

Name

Wisconsin Real Estate Investors

Legal name

Wisconsin Real Estate Investors

Website

https://waaonline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Wisconsin Real Estate Investors (WREI) is a 501(c)(6) statewide non-profit serving Wisconsin rental property owners, managers, and rental-industry vendors through tiered memberships, semi-annual conferences, legislative advocacy at the state capitol, and a 10-chapter local affiliate network.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Oshkosh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual dues collected from three membership categories: At-Large Members ($60/year), Local Apartment Association Members ($45/year), and Associate Members ($225/year). Members belonging to multiple locals only pay state dues once.
2. Conference Registration: Revenue from semi-annual conferences and annual Legislative Day events. Conferences include educational sessions, networking, and trade shows. Legislative Day costs $35 and includes lunch, materials, and awards reception.
3. Property Listings: Income property listing service: FREE for members (Run-Til-You-Sell listings), $50 per listing for non-members. Apartment listings available through APARTMENT Con*NeXT*ion partnership at discounted rates for members.
4. Associate/Business Directory Advertising: Associate Members (businesses serving the rental industry) receive advertising privileges and trade show booth access for fees set by the Board of Directors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Wisconsin Real Estate Investors (WREI), formerly the Wisconsin Apartment Association (WAA), is a 501(c)(6) statewide non-profit trade association that provides membership services to rental property investors, landlords, and property managers across Wisconsin. Core offerings include three membership tiers, educational programs (webinars, videos, file library, courses), semi-annual conferences and trade shows, an annual Legislative Day at the State Capitol, income property and apartment listing services, and legislative advocacy through licensed lobbyists. The organization operates through a network of 10 affiliated local landlord associations covering seven geographic regions of Wisconsin.

Product overview

Wisconsin Real Estate Investors (WREI), formerly Wisconsin Apartment Association (WAA), is a 501(c)(6) statewide non-profit business league that serves as a membership organization for rental property owners and managers in Wisconsin. The organization offers a comprehensive suite of member services including three membership tiers (At-Large Members, Local Apartment Association Members, and Associate Members), access to educational resources through webinars, videos, and a file library covering topics like court cases, fair housing, and maintenance. WREI organizes semi-annual conferences and an annual Legislative Day event at the State Capitol, provides income property listing and apartment listing advertising services, and maintains a network of local affiliate associations across Wisconsin's seven geographical regions. The organization also advocates for landlord interests through political activism and maintains an Associate Directory connecting members with service providers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• WREI Membership Annual membership in Wisconsin Real Estate Investors providing rental property owners, landlords, and property managers with access to education, networking, legislative advocacy, file library, webinars, and member resources. Three tiers: At-Large Members (ALM) at $60/year, Local Apartment Association Members (LAAM) at $45/year, and Associate Members (AM) at $225/year.
• Semi-Annual Conferences & Trade Shows Semi-annual educational conferences (Spring and Autumn) held at rotating Wisconsin venues (Oshkosh, Fond du Lac, Baraboo, Janesville). Feature 8-10 educational seminars on landlord-tenant law, fair housing, evictions, leasing, financing, and real estate investment, plus trade show exhibits and networking opportunities for rental property owners and managers.
• Annual Legislative Day

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and supporting.

• APARTMENT Con*NeXT*ioncoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2017Exclusive partnership provides WREI/WAA members with discounted monthly rates for apartment listings on APARTMENT Con*NeXT*ion, the site preferred by renters searching for housing in Wisconsin. Members also receive a free 'FOR RENT AS SEEN IN...' yard sign as a member benefit.
• Rental Housing ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNon-profit organization partnered with WREI's Traveling Education Program to provide education to members. Classes include Landlord Tenant Law, Fair Housing, Small Landlord training, Lead Paint Pamphlet, and tenant screening tools like CCAP (Wisconsin Circuit Court Automation Program).
• Helping Hands for Housing CoalitionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition formed during COVID-19 pandemic consisting of WREI/WAA, Wisconsin Realtors Association (WRA), and Apartment Association of Southeast WI (AASEW). Working to help keep renters in homes and property owners able to continue offering rental property.
• National Apartment Association (Historical)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical membership in NAA (local affiliates were required members in 1990s). Policy changed in 1995 allowing each local to choose whether to belong to NAA.
• Business Associate Members (Vendors)supportingChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVarious vendor companies listed in Associate Directory including Brew City Towing, Brio Properties, Christopher Mokler & Associates, Connor Environmental, and Platinum Pest Solutions. These businesses provide services to rental property owners and receive advertising access and trade show booth opportunities.
• Wisconsin Ethics CommissioncoreOthersWREI's legislative liaisons Christopher J. Mokler and Gary R. Goyke are both licensed lobbyists registered with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission, enabling the organization to advocate before the state legislature.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Apartment Association of Southeast Wisconsin: AASEW is a regional Wisconsin apartment association that partnered with WREI on the Helping Hands for Housing Coalition. It serves the same landlord/property manager member base with overlapping advocacy and education offerings in Wisconsin.
• Florida Apartment Association: FAA is Florida's statewide apartment industry trade association providing legislative advocacy, education, and networking to rental property owners and managers. Comparable to WREI in member services and state-level lobbying focus.
• Institute of Real Estate Management: IREM is an international association of real estate managers offering credentials, education, and advocacy for property management professionals. Its member services and educational content closely parallel WREI's offerings for property managers.
• National Association of Residential Property Managers: NARPM is a national trade association serving residential property managers, providing certification, education, and networking. WREI's property manager member segment directly overlaps with NARPM's value proposition.
• Texas Apartment Association: TAA is the statewide trade association for the Texas rental housing industry, offering advocacy, education, and affiliate local associations. Its chapter-based structure mirrors WREI's local-affiliate model.
• National Apartment Association: NAA is the U.S. national trade association for the rental housing industry, providing advocacy, education, and networking to apartment owners and managers. WREI was historically affiliated with NAA, making it a directly comparable state-level chapter organization.
• California Apartment Association: CAA is a large state-level apartment trade association providing advocacy, education, and member services to rental property owners in California. It is the most directly comparable large state-level peer to WREI in structure and mission.

Others

• Rental Housing Resources: Rental Housing Resources is a non-profit educational organization partnered with WREI's Traveling Education Program to deliver landlord-tenant law, fair housing, and tenant-screening courses to WREI members. It functions as a curriculum provider and ecosystem enabler rather than a competing trade body.

Broad incumbents

• National Association of REALTORS: NAR is the largest U.S. real estate trade association, representing realtors across residential sales, commercial, and adjacent segments. While its focus is broader than rental-specific advocacy, NAR's political machinery and resources represent the kind of scaled advocacy WREI operates within at the state level.
• Wisconsin Realtors Association: WRA is the statewide trade association for real estate brokers and agents in Wisconsin. It is broader in scope than WREI (sales rather than rentals) but is a direct coalition partner in the Helping Hands for Housing Coalition and addresses overlapping policy issues.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/wisconsin-apartment-assoc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Real Estate Investors