Press Release

WELLS REIT DECLARES 1ST QUARTER DISTRIBUTION

NORCROSS, Ga. (March 7, 2006) - Wells Real Estate Investment Trust Inc. (Wells REIT) announced today its Board of Directors has declared a quarterly distribution of $0.1467 per share for the first quarter of 2006. The distribution will be paid this month to shareholders of record as of the close of business March 15, 2006. The distribution is unchanged from the previous quarter.

Currently, the Wells REIT portfolio includes more than 21 million square feet of space in 86 Class-A office and industrial buildings in 31 real estate markets in 23 states and Washington, D.C. The weighted average credit rating of those tenants rated by Moody's Investors Service or Standard & Poor's is "A+," and the portfolio is more than 95 percent leased.

REIT quarterly distributions may include dividend income as well as return of capital and capital gains. Wells REIT is a public, nontraded REIT focused primarily on office and industrial properties. Wells REIT is closed to new investors. Wells Real Estate Funds, a national real estate investment management company, purchases real estate on behalf of Wells-sponsored investment programs. Since 1984, more than 200,000 people across the country have invested, through their financial representatives, in Wells -sponsored programs to help diversify their portfolios. Collectively, Wells-sponsored programs own more than $7 billion in assets (valued at cost) totaling more than 35 million square feet of space.

For more information, visit Wells online at www.wellsref.com.

This press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, including discussions regarding Wells' use of proceeds and certain other factors that may affect future earnings or financial results. Such statements involve risks and uncertainties, which could cause actual results to vary materially from those expressed in or indicated by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause actual results to differ materially include changes in general economic conditions, changes in real estate conditions, construction delays, increases in interest rates, lease-up risks, lack of availability of financing, and lack of availability of capital proceeds. This is neither an offer nor a solicitation to purchase securities. For SEC filings: www.wellsref.com/investmentproducts/reit/secfilings.html.