Exhibit 99.1

		NEWS RELEASE

WASHINGTON REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST ANNOUNCES

FIRST QUARTER FINANCIAL AND OPERATING RESULTS

Washington Real Estate Investment Trust (WRIT) (NYSE: WRE) reported financial and operating results today for the quarter ending March 31, 2008:

Operating Results

Core Net Operating Income (NOI)⁽²⁾ for first quarter increased 2.8% and rental rate growth was 1.4% compared to the same period last year. Core occupancy was 95.3% during the first quarter of 2008, an increase of 150 bps from the same period in the prior year.

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Leasing Activity

During the first quarter, WRIT signed commercial leases for 270,000 square feet, with an average rental rate increase of 16.4% and tenant improvement costs of $5.65 per square foot. Residential rental rates increased 2.4% in the first quarter compared to the same period one year ago.

Acquisition Activity

On February 22, 2008, WRIT acquired 6100 Columbia Park Road, a 150,000 square foot industrial warehouse in Landover, Maryland for $11.2 million. The property is located inside the Capital Beltway adjacent to Route 50, between Interstate 95/495 and the Baltimore-Washington Parkway/MD 295. Upon acquisition, the property was 78% leased. With lease stabilization, the second-year cash return is expected to be 8.2%. The acquisition was funded with cash from operations and borrowings on WRIT’s line of credit.

On February 28, 2008, WRIT entered into an agreement to acquire Lansdowne Medical Office Building, a five-story, 85,300 square foot medical office development currently under construction, for $19.5 million. The project is located at the intersection of Riverside Parkway and Lansdowne Boulevard in Loudoun County, Virginia, directly across from Inova Loudoun Hospital. WRIT will purchase the property upon completion of the base building, estimated to be in the first quarter of 2009.

Development Activity

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Capital Structure

On January 28, 2008 WRIT exercised a portion of the accordion feature on one of its unsecured revolving credit facilities. WRIT’s total borrowing capacity was increased to $337 million at a rate of LIBOR plus 0.425%.

In February, WRIT completed an extinguishment of debt on $60 million of 10-year Mandatory Par Put Remarketed Securities (“MOPPRS”), resulting in an $8.4 million non-recurring charge. WRIT issued a $100 million 2-year term loan, which was swapped for a fixed rate of 4.45% to refinance the 6.74% debt. The remaining proceeds were used to refinance a portion of line outstandings. By extinguishing the debt, WRIT estimates it will save approximately $5.6 million of interest expense in the first two years alone.

On March 31, 2008, WRIT paid a quarterly dividend of $0.4225 per share for its 185^th consecutive quarterly dividend at equal or increasing rates.

As of March 31, 2008 WRIT had a total capitalization of $2.9 billion.

Conference Call Information

The Conference Call for 1^st Quarter Earnings is scheduled for Tuesday, April 29, 2008 at 11:00 A.M. Eastern Standard Time. Conference Call access information is as follows:

The instant replay of the Conference Call will be available until May 29, 2008 at 11:59 P.M. Eastern Standard Time. Instant replay access information is as follows:

The live on-demand webcast of the Conference Call will also be available on WRIT’s website at www.writ.com. On-line playback of the webcast will be available at http://www.writ.com for two weeks following the Conference Call.

About WRIT

WRIT is a self-administered, self-managed, equity real estate investment trust investing in income-producing properties in the greater Washington metro region. WRIT’s dividends have increased every year for 37 consecutive years. WRIT’s FFO per share has increased every year for 35 consecutive years. WRIT owns a diversified portfolio of 91 properties consisting of 14 retail centers, 26 office properties, 16 medical office properties, 24 industrial/flex properties, 11 multi-family properties and land for development. WRIT shares are publicly traded on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE:WRE).

Note: WRIT’s press releases and supplemental financial information are available on the company website at www.writ.com or by contacting Investor Relations at (301) 984-9400.

Certain statements in this press release and the supplemental disclosures attached hereto are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to differ materially. Such risks, uncertainties and other factors include, but are not limited to, fluctuations in interest rates, availability of raw materials and labor costs, levels of competition, the effect of government regulation, the availability of capital, weather conditions, the timing and pricing of lease transactions and changes in general and local economic and real estate market conditions, and other risks and uncertainties detailed from time to time in our filings with the SEC, including our 2007 Form 10-K. We assume no obligation to update or supplement forward-looking statements that become untrue because of subsequent events.

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⁽¹⁾ Funds From Operations (“FFO”) – The National Association of Real Estate Investment Trusts, Inc. (“NAREIT”) defines FFO (April, 2002 White Paper) as net income (computed in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”)) excluding gains (or losses) from sales of property plus real estate depreciation and amortization. We consider FFO to be a standard supplemental measure for equity real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) because it facilitates an understanding of the operating performance of our properties without giving effect to real estate depreciation and amortization, which historically assumes that the value of real estate assets diminishes predictably over time. Since real estate values have instead historically risen or fallen with market conditions, we believe that FFO more accurately provides investors an indication of our ability to incur and service debt, make capital expenditures and fund other needs.

⁽²⁾ For purposes of evaluating comparative operating performance, we categorize our properties as “core” or “non-core”. Core Operating NOI is calculated as real estate rental revenue less real estate operating expenses for those properties owned for the entirety of the periods being evaluated. Core Operating NOI is a non-GAAP measure.

⁽³⁾ Funds Available for Distribution (“FAD”) is calculated by subtracting from FFO (1) recurring expenditures, tenant improvements and leasing costs that are capitalized and amortized and are necessary to maintain our properties and revenue stream and (2) straight line rents, then adding (3) non-real estate depreciation and amortization, (4) amortization of restricted share and unit compensation, and adding or subtracting amortization of lease intangibles, as appropriate. FAD is included herein, because we consider it to be a measure of a REIT’s ability to incur and service debt and to distribute dividends to its shareholders. FAD is a non-GAAP and non-standardized measure, and may be calculated differently by other REITs.

Office Acquisitions: 2000 M Street, Woodholme Center, and Monument II;

Medical Office Acquisitions: CentreMed I & II, Ashburn Farm Park, Woodholme Medical Office Building, 2440 M Street; Retail Acquisitions: none;

Industrial Acquisitions: 270 Technology Park, 6100 Columbia Pike Dr.

Also excluded from Core Properties in Q1 2008 and Q1 2007 are Sold Properties: Maryland Trade Centers I & II; Held for Sale Properties: Sullyfield Center and The Earhart Building; and In Development Properties: Bennett Park, Clayborne Apartments, Dulles Station and 4661 Kenmore Ave.

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WASHINGTON REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

(In thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current presentation.

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WASHINGTON REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST

CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS

(In thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

Note: Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform to the current year presentation.