Academic Impact

Building Knowledge Infrastructure for China's Housing Market

For more than two decades, CityRE has developed one of China's most comprehensive housing market databases. Beyond commercial applications, CityRE data has become an important foundation for academic research, policy analysis, and market decision-making.
Research based on CityRE data has been conducted by leading universities and research institutions across China, North America, Europe, Oceania, and East Asia, helping scholars better understand housing markets, urban development, population mobility, environmental impacts, and real estate finance.
Today, CityRE serves as a bridge connecting data, research, policy, and industry practice.

Research Policy Industry

Academic Research

Supporting Evidence-Based Research

CityRE datasets have been widely used in:

  • Housing Economics
  • Urban Economics
  • Economic Geography
  • Environmental Economics
  • Real Estate Finance
  • Public Policy
  • Urban Planning
  • Data Sciences

Researchers use CityRE data to analyze:

  • Housing affordability
  • Housing market cycles
  • Urban expansion and contraction
  • Population migration
  • Housing vacancy
  • Rental market dynamics
  • Property valuation
  • Infrastructure impacts on housing prices

Research Institutions

China — Leading domestic institutions include:

  • Chinese Academy of Sciences
  • Renmin University of China
  • Xiamen University
  • Southwestern University of Finance and Economics
  • Nanjing University
  • Nanjing Normal University
  • Peking University
  • Tsinghua University

International — Research institutions include:

  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
  • London School of Economics (LSE)
  • Columbia University
  • University of Southern California
  • Utrecht University
  • EHESS
  • University of Stuttgart
  • Chalmers University of Technology
  • Massey University
  • JETRO
  • Nomura Institute of Capital Markets Research

Academic Publications

Research based on CityRE data has appeared in internationally recognized journals, including:

  • Journal of Development Economics (JDE)
  • Journal of Environmental Economics and Management (JEEM)
  • Regional Science and Urban Economics (RSUE)
  • Journal of Housing Economics (JHE)
  • Journal of Real Estate Finance and Economics (JREFE)

In China, CityRE data has supported studies published in:

  • Economic Research Journal
  • The Journal of World Economy
  • Journal of Financial Research
  • Acta Geographica Sinica
  • Geographical Research

Research Timeline

2012–2015

International universities began using CityRE data to study housing prices, rental markets, and urban expansion.

2016–2020

CityRE entered China's mainstream academic research ecosystem through studies on housing affordability, housing vacancy, and housing price spatial differentiation.

2021–Present

Research based on CityRE data increasingly appears in internationally recognized peer-reviewed journals, expanding its global academic influence.

From Research to Policy

Informing Public Decision-Making — Academic research transforms data into evidence. Research supported by CityRE data has contributed to public discussions and policy studies on:

Housing Affordability

Housing Vacancy

Urban Development

Population mobility

Real estate market stability

Urban renewal

Housing supply and demand

By providing objective and long-term datasets, CityRE helps researchers evaluate the effectiveness of housing and urban policies and supports evidence-based decision-making.

Examples of Policy-Relevant Research

Housing Affordability

Development of urban housing affordability indicators to assess housing burdens across Chinese cities.

Housing Vacancy

Research on urban housing vacancy and idle housing resources.

Urban Development

Analysis of housing markets as indicators of urban growth, decline, and spatial restructuring.

Environmental Policy

Evaluation of environmental improvements through housing market responses.

From Research to Industry

Translating Knowledge into Market Intelligence — Academic research often becomes the foundation of practical market applications.

Insights derived from CityRE-supported research are reflected in:

  • Housing Price Indicators
  • Rental Market Indicators
  • Urban Development Assessments
  • Housing Market Cycle Analysis
  • Property Valuation Models
  • Risk Monitoring Systems

These tools support:

  • Government agencies
  • Financial institutions
  • Asset managers
  • Real estate developers
  • Consulting firms
  • Technology companies

Bridging Academia and Industry

CityRE provides a common data language for:

Academic Research
Policy Analysis
Market Intelligence
Business Applications
Industry Standards

Through this process, research findings are transformed into actionable tools that improve transparency, decision-making, and market efficiency.

Building China's Housing Market Knowledge Infrastructure

CityRE's long-term vision extends beyond data services.

By integrating nationwide housing data, academic research, policy analysis, and industry applications, CityRE is helping build the knowledge infrastructure required to understand China's housing market and urban development.

As research networks continue to expand, CityRE aims to serve as a trusted platform connecting scholars, policymakers, investors, and industry participants through reliable housing intelligence.

By the Numbers

20+
Years of Historical Data
Nationwide
Coverage
Millions
Housing Records
Hundreds
Academic Studies Supported
50+
Universities and Research Institutions
Multiple
International Top-Tier Journal Publications
Growing
Global Research Network