Exhibit 1.2


                       United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc.
                Debt Securities (Including Over-Allotment Option)
                             Underwriting Agreement


                                                               November 10, 1998


Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.
PaineWebber Incorporated
NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC
Wheat First Securities, Inc.
 c/o  Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
      1585 Broadway
      New York, New York 10036


Ladies and Gentlemen:

         From time to time  United  Dominion  Realty  Trust,  Inc.,  a  Virginia
corporation  (the "Company"),  United Dominion Realty,  L.P., a Virginia limited
partnership  (the "Operating  Partnership"),  UDR Western  Residential,  Inc., a
Virginia corporation  ("Residential"),  UDRT of North Carolina,  L.L.C., a North
Carolina  limited  liability  company  ("North  Carolina"),  and ASR Investments
Corporation,  a Maryland corporation  ("Investment";  the Operating Partnership,
Residential,  North Carolina and Investment are  hereinafter  sometimes  called,
collectively,   the  "Operating  Entities"  and,  individually,   an  "Operating
Entity"),  propose to enter into one or more Pricing Agreements (each a "Pricing
Agreement") in the form of Annex I hereto,  with such additions and deletions as
the parties  thereto may  determine,  and,  subject to the terms and  conditions
stated herein and therein,  the Company  proposes to issue and sell to the firms
named in Schedule I to the applicable Pricing Agreement (such firms constituting
the  "Underwriters"  with respect to such Pricing  Agreement and the  securities
specified  therein) certain of the Company's debt securities (the  "Securities")
specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement (with respect to such Pricing
Agreement, the "Designated Securities"). In the event that any Pricing Agreement
shall grant the Underwriters  named therein the right to purchase any additional
Designated Securities to cover  over-allotments,  then, as used herein, the term
"Firm  Securities"  shall  mean the  aggregate  principal  amount of  Designated
Securities  specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement under the caption
"Aggregate   Principal  Amount  of  Firm   Securities",   the  term  "Additional
Securities" shall mean the aggregate  principal amount of Designated  Securities
specified in Schedule II to such Pricing Agreement under the caption  "Aggregate


Principal  Amount of Additional  Securities",  and, unless  otherwise  expressly
stated or the context otherwise requires, the terms "Securities" and "Designated
Securities"  shall be deemed to mean and include both such Firm  Securities  and
such Additional  Securities.  The terms and rights of any particular issuance of
Designated  Securities shall be as specified in the Pricing  Agreement  relating
thereto and in or pursuant to the indenture (the "Indenture") identified in such
Pricing Agreement.

         All references  herein to any  "subsidiary"  or  "subsidiaries"  of the
Company  shall be deemed to include  the  Operating  Entities  unless  otherwise
expressly stated.

1.  Particular  sales of Designated  Securities may be made from time to time to
the  Underwriters  of  such  Securities,   for  whom  the  firms  designated  as
representatives  of the Underwriters of such Securities in the Pricing Agreement
relating thereto will act as representatives (the  "Representatives").  The term
"Representatives"  also refers to a single firm acting as sole representative of
the  Underwriters and to an Underwriter or Underwriters who act without any firm
being designated as its or their  representatives.  This Underwriting  Agreement
shall  not be  construed  as an  obligation  of the  Company  to sell any of the
Securities or as an obligation of any of the Underwriters to purchase any of the
Securities.  The  obligation  of  the  Company  to  issue  and  sell  any of the
Securities and the obligation of any of the  Underwriters to purchase any of the
Securities  shall be  evidenced  by the Pricing  Agreement  with  respect to the
Designated  Securities  specified therein.  Each Pricing Agreement shall specify
the aggregate principal amount of such Designated Securities, the initial public
offering  price  of  such  Designated  Securities,  the  purchase  price  to the
Underwriters of such  Designated  Securities,  the names of the  Underwriters of
such  Designated   Securities,   the  names  of  the   Representatives  of  such
Underwriters  and the  principal  amount  of such  Designated  Securities  to be
purchased by each  Underwriter  and shall set forth the date, time and manner of
delivery  of such  Designated  Securities  and  payment  therefor.  The  Pricing
Agreement  shall also specify (to the extent not set forth in the  Indenture and
the  registration  statement and prospectus  with respect  thereto) the terms of
such  Designated  Securities.  A  Pricing  Agreement  shall be in the form of an
executed  writing  (which may be in  counterparts),  and may be  evidenced by an
exchange of telegraphic  communications or any other rapid  transmission  device
designed  to  produce  a  written  record  of  communications  transmitted.  The
obligations of the Underwriters  under this Agreement and each Pricing Agreement
shall be several and not joint.

2. The Company and the Operating  Entities  jointly and severally  represent and
warrant to, and agree with, each of the Underwriters that:

(a)      A registration  statement on Form S-3 (File No. 333-27221) and
         Amendment No. 1 thereto (as so amended,  the "Initial Registration
         Statement") in respect of the Securities  have been filed with the
         Securities and Exchange  Commission (the "Commission");  the Initial
         Registration  Statement and any post-effective  amendment thereto, each
         in the form heretofore  delivered  or to be  delivered  to the

                                       2

         Representatives  and  excluding  exhibits  to such  registration
         statement but including  all documents  incorporated  by reference in
         the  prospectus  contained  therein,  has been declared  effective by
         the Commission in such form;  other than a  registration  statement, if
         any,  increasing the size of the offering (a "Rule 462(b) Registration
         Statement")  filed  pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act of
         1933, as amended (the "Act"),  which became effective upon filing and
         other than exhibits  filed as part of documents incorporated by
         reference in the Initial  Registration  Statement,  no other document
         with respect to the Initial  Registration  Statement or any document
         incorporated  by reference  therein has  heretofore  been filed or
         transmitted for filing with the Commission (other than prospectuses
         filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) of the rules and regulations of the
         Commission under the Act each in the form heretofore delivered to the
         Representatives);  and no stop order  suspending  the effectiveness  of
         the Initial  Registration  Statement,  any post-effective  amendment
         thereto or the Rule 462(b)  Registration Statement,  if any, has been
         issued and no proceeding for that purpose has been initiated or
         threatened by the Commission;  any  preliminary prospectus  included in
         the Initial  Registration Statement or filed with the Commission
         pursuant to Rule 424(a) under the Act is hereinafter  called a
         "Preliminary Prospectus";  the various parts of the Initial
         Registration  Statement and the Rule 462(b) Registration Statement, if
         any,  including all exhibits thereto and the documents incorporated by
         reference in the prospectus  contained in the  Initial Registration
         Statement  at the time such part of the  registration statement  became
         effective  but excluding  any Form T-1,  each as amended  at the time
         such  part of the  Initial  Registration Statement  became effective or
         such part of the Rule 462(b) Registration  Statement,  if any, became
         or hereafter becomes effective, are hereinafter  collectively called
         the "Registration Statement";  the prospectus  relating to the
         Securities,  in the form in which it has most recently been filed,  or
         transmitted  for filing, with the Commission on or prior to the date of
         this  Agreement,  is hereinafter  called the  "Prospectus";  any
         reference  herein to any Preliminary Prospectus  or the  Prospectus
         shall be deemed to refer to and  include the  documents  incorporated
         by  reference therein pursuant  to the  applicable  form  under  the
         Act,  as of the  date of  such  Preliminary  Prospectus  or Prospectus,
         as the case may be; any reference to any amendment or supplement to any
         Preliminary Prospectus or the Prospectus  shall be  deemed  to  refer
         to and include  any  documents  filed  after  the date of such
         Preliminary Prospectus or Prospectus,  as the case may be, under the
         Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the "Exchange Act"),  and
         incorporated  by  reference  in such  Preliminary  Prospectus  or
         Prospectus,  as the case may be; any reference to any amendment to the
         Registration  Statement shall be deemed to refer to and include any
         annual report of the Company  filed  pursuant to  Sections  13(a) or
         15(d) of the  Exchange  Act after the  effective  date of the
         Registration  Statement  that is  incorporated  by reference in the
         Registration  Statement;  any  reference to the Prospectus  as amended
         or  supplemented  shall be deemed to refer to the  Prospectus as
         amended or  supplemented  in relation  to the  applicable  Designated
         Securities  in the form  first used to  confirm  sales of such
         Designated Securities,  including  any  documents  incorporated  by
         reference  therein  as of the  date of such  amendment  or supplement,
         as the case may be; and if the Company  elects to rely on Rule 434
         under the Act, any  reference to the Prospectus shall be deemed to
         include,  without  limitation,  the form of prospectus and the

                                       3


         abbreviated term sheet, taken  together,  provided to the  Underwriters
         by the Company in reliance on Rule 434 under the Act (the "Rule 434
         Prospectus");

(b)      The  documents  incorporated  by  reference  in the  Prospectus,  when
         they became  effective or were filed with the Commission,  as the case
         may be,  conformed in all material  respects to the requirements of the
         Act or the Exchange Act,  as  applicable,  and the  rules and
         regulations  of the  Commission  thereunder,  and none of such
         documents contained an untrue  statement of a material fact or omitted
         to state a material fact required to be stated  therein or necessary to
         make the statements  therein not misleading;  and any further documents
         so filed and incorporated by reference in the Prospectus or any further
         amendment or supplement  thereto,  when such documents  become
         effective or are filed with the Commission,  as the case may be, will
         conform in all material  respects to the requirements of the Act or the
         Exchange Act, as applicable,  and the rules and  regulations  of the
         Commission  thereunder and will not contain an untrue  statement of a
         material fact or omit to state a material  fact required to be stated
         therein or  necessary to make the  statements  therein not  misleading;
         provided,  however,  that this  representation  and warranty  shall not
         apply to any statements or omissions  made in reliance upon and in
         conformity  with  information furnished  in  writing to the  Company by
         an  Underwriter  of  Designated  Securities  through  the
         Representatives expressly for use in the Prospectus as amended or
         supplemented relating to such Designated Securities;

(c)      The  Registration  Statement  and  the  Prospectus  conform,  and  any
         further  amendments  or  supplements  to the Registration  Statement or
         the Prospectus will conform,  in all material respects to the
         requirements of the Act and the Trust  Indenture Act of 1939,  as
         amended (the "Trust  Indenture  Act"),  and the rules and  regulations
         of the Commission  thereunder  and do not and  will  not,  as of the
         respective  effective  dates  as to the  Registration Statement,  any
         Rule 462(b)  Registration  Statement and any amendment  thereto and as
         of the applicable filing date as to the Prospectus  and any amendment
         or supplement  thereto and as of the Time of Delivery (as defined in
         Section 4 hereof) (and if any Additional  Securities  are purchased, as
         of the Option Closing Date (as defined in Section 4 hereof))  with
         respect to any  Designated  Securities,  contain an untrue  statement
         of a material  fact or omit to state a material  fact required to be
         stated  therein or necessary to make the  statements  therein not
         misleading; provided,  however,  that this  representation  and
         warranty  shall not apply to any statements or omissions made in
         reliance  upon and in  conformity  with  information  furnished  in
         writing  to the  Company  by an  Underwriter  of Designated  Securities
         through the  Representatives  expressly for use in the Prospectus as
         amended or supplemented relating to such Designated Securities;

(d)      The  Company  has been duly  organized  and is  validly  existing  as a
         corporation  in good  standing  under the laws of the  Commonwealth  of
         Virginia,  with full power and authority to own,  lease and operate its
         properties and conduct its business as described in the Prospectus; and
         the Company is duly qualified to transact business in all jurisdictions
         in which the conduct of its business requires such qualification except

                                       4


         where the  failure  to so  qualify  would not have a  material  adverse
         effect on the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,  or the  earnings,
         business affairs or business prospects of the Company;

(e)      Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized and is validly
         existing as a corporation,  limited  liability company,  limited
         partnership or real estate  investment  trust in good standing under
         the laws of the jurisdiction of its  incorporation  or  organization,
         with power and  authority  to own,  lease and operate its  properties
         and conduct  its  business  as  described  in  the  Prospectus  and  is
         duly  qualified  to  transact  business  in all jurisdictions  in which
         the conduct of its business  requires such  qualification  except where
         the failure to so be in good  standing  would not have a  material
         adverse  effect on the  condition,  financial  or  otherwise,  or the
         earnings,  business  affairs  or  business  prospects  of  the  Company
         and  its  subsidiaries,  considered  as one enterprise;  each such
         subsidiary is duly qualified to transact  business in all
         jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business  requires such
         qualification,  or in which the failure to qualify  would have a
         materially  adverse effect upon the  business of such  subsidiary;  all
         of the issued and  outstanding  shares of capital  stock of each such
         corporate  subsidiary  and all of the issued and  outstanding  shares
         of beneficial  interest of each such real estate investment trust
         subsidiary have been duly authorized and validly issued,  are fully
         paid and  non-assessable and are owned by the Company or a subsidiary
         of the Company,  free and clear of any  security  interest,  mortgage,
         pledge, lien,  encumbrance,  claim or equity; all of the issued and
         outstanding  partnership  interests of each such partnership subsidiary
         and all of the issued and  outstanding  limited  liability  company
         interests of each such limited  liability  company  subsidiary have
         been duly authorized and validly issued,  are fully paid and (except in
         the case of general  partnership  interests)  non-assessable  and,
         except as otherwise  disclosed in the Prospectus, are owned by the
         Company and/or one or more  subsidiaries of the Company,  free and
         clear of any security  interest, mortgage,  pledge,  lien, encumbrance,
         claim or equity;  and the Company  and/or one or more  subsidiaries  of
         the Company are the only members or general partners of the Company's
         limited  liability company or limited  partnership subsidiaries,  as
         applicable,  and own the entire membership or general partnership
         interest in each such subsidiary free and clear of any security
         interest, mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or equity;

(f)      Neither  the  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has  sustained
         since the date of the latest  audited  financial statements  included
         or  incorporated  by reference in the  Prospectus  any material loss or
         interference  with its business from fire,  explosion,  flood or other
         calamity,  whether or not covered by  insurance,  or from any labor
         dispute  or court or  governmental  action,  order or decree,
         otherwise  than as set forth or  contemplated  in the Prospectus;  and,
         since the respective dates as of which information is given in the
         Registration  Statement and the Prospectus,  there has not been any
         material  change in the capital  stock,  total  assets or long-term
         debt of the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  or any material
         adverse  change,  or any  development  involving a prospective material
         adverse change, in or affecting the general affairs, management,
         financial position,  shareholders' equity or results of operations of
         the Company and its  subsidiaries,  otherwise than as set forth or

                                       5


         contemplated  in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the
         Pricing Agreement relating to the Designated Securities.

(g)      The  Company  has an  authorized  capitalization  as set  forth  in the
         Prospectus,  and all of the  issued  shares  of  capital  stock  of the
         Company have been duly and validly  authorized and issued and are fully
         paid and non-assessable;

(h)      The  Securities  have been duly and validly  authorized,  and, when
         Designated  Securities are issued and delivered pursuant to this
         Agreement and the Pricing  Agreement with respect to such  Designated
         Securities,  such Designated Securities will have been duly executed,
         authenticated,  issued and delivered and will constitute valid and
         legally binding  obligations of the Company entitled to the benefits
         provided by the Indenture,  which will be substantially in the form
         filed as an exhibit to the  Registration  Statement;  the  Indenture
         has been duly  authorized  and duly qualified  under  the Trust
         Indenture  Act and,  at the Time of  Delivery  (and if any  Additional
         Securities  are purchased,  at the Option Closing Date) for such
         Designated  Securities,  the Indenture will constitute a valid and
         legally binding instrument,  enforceable in accordance with its terms,
         subject,  as to enforcement,  to bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization
         and other laws of general  applicability  relating to or affecting
         creditors' rights and to general equity  principles;  and the Indenture
         conforms,  and the  Designated  Securities  will conform,  to the
         descriptions  thereof  contained  in the  Prospectus  as amended or
         supplemented  with  respect to such  Designated Securities;

(i)      The issue and sale of the Securities  and the  compliance by the
         Company and the Operating  Entities with all of the provisions of the
         Securities,  the Indenture,  this Agreement,  and any Pricing
         Agreement,  and the consummation of the transactions  herein and
         therein  contemplated  will not conflict with or result in a breach or
         violation of any of the terms or  provisions  of, or  constitute  a
         default  under,  any  indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust,  loan
         agreement or other  agreement or instrument to which the Company or any
         of its  subsidiaries  is a party or by which the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries  is bound or to which any of the property or assets of the
         Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is subject,  nor will such action
         result in any  violation of the  provisions of the Articles of
         Incorporation  or By-laws of the Company,  Residential or  Investment,
         the  certificate  of limited  partnership or limited  partnership
         agreement of the  Operating  Partnership,  the  operating  agreement of
         North  Carolina or any statute or any order,  rule or regulation of any
         court or governmental  agency or body having  jurisdiction over the
         Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their respective
         properties; and no consent,  approval,  authorization, order,
         registration or qualification  of or with any such court or
         governmental  agency or body is required for the issue and sale of the
         Securities  or the  consummation  by the  Company  or any of the
         Operating  Entities  of the transactions  contemplated by this
         Agreement,  or any Pricing Agreement or the Indenture,  except such as
         have been, or will have been  prior to the Time of  Delivery,  obtained
         under  the Act and the  Trust  Indenture  Act and such consents,
         approvals,  authorizations,  registrations or qualifications as may be

                                       6

         required under state securities or Blue Sky laws in connection with the
         purchase and distribution of the Securities by the Underwriters;

(j)      The statements  set forth in the Prospectus as amended or  supplemented
         with  respect  to  the   Designated   Securities   under  the  captions
         "Description  of  Debt  Securities"  and  "Description  of the  Offered
         Securities"  (or under any similar  caption  describing  the Designated
         Securities),  insofar as they  purport to  constitute  a summary of the
         terms of the Securities, and under the captions "Description of Capital
         Stock,"  "Plan of  Distribution"  and  "Underwriters",  insofar as they
         purport to describe the  provisions of the laws and documents  referred
         to therein, are accurate, complete and fair;

(k)      Neither the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries is in violation of its
         Articles of Incorporation or By-laws,  limited  partnership  agreement,
         limited  liability  company  agreement,  operating  agreement  or other
         organizational documents or in default in the performance or observance
         of any material obligation,  agreement, covenant or condition contained
         in any indenture,  mortgage,  deed of trust,  loan agreement,  lease or
         other  agreement or instrument to which it is a party or by which it or
         any of its properties may be bound;

(l)      Other  than as set  forth  in the  Prospectus,  there  are no  legal or
         governmental  proceedings  pending  to which the  Company or any of its
         subsidiaries  is a party or of which any property of the Company or any
         of its  subsidiaries is the subject which,  if determined  adversely to
         the Company or any of its  subsidiaries,  would  individually or in the
         aggregate  have a  material  adverse  effect on the  current  or future
         consolidated  financial  position,  shareholders'  equity or results of
         operations of the Company and its subsidiaries; and, to the best of the
         Company's knowledge, no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated
         by governmental authorities or threatened by others;

(m)      The financial  statements  together with related notes and schedules of
         the Company and its  subsidiaries and of any companies,  other entities
         or  properties  acquired or to be acquired by the Company,  in each
         case as set forth or incorporated  by reference in the  Prospectus,
         present fairly the financial  position and the results of operations of
         the Company and its  subsidiaries  and of such  companies,  entities
         and  properties,  as the case may be, at the indicated  dates and for
         the indicated  periods.  Such financial  statements  have been prepared
         in accordance  with generally  accepted  principles  of  accounting,
         consistently  applied  throughout  the periods  involved,  and all
         adjustments  necessary for a fair  presentation  of results for such
         periods have been made.  The summary  financial and  statistical  data
         included  in the  Prospectus  present  fairly the  information  shown
         therein and have been compiled on a basis consistent with the financial
         statements  presented therein; the pro forma financial statements and
         related notes thereto  included in the  Prospectus  present  fairly the
         information  shown  therein,  have been prepared in accordance with the
         Commission's  rules and guidelines  with respect to pro forma financial
         statements and have been  properly  compiled  on the bases  described

                                       7


         therein,  and the  assumptions  used in the  preparation thereof are
         reasonable and the  adjustments  used therein are  appropriate  to give
         effect to the  transactions  and circumstances referred to therein;

(n)      The Company and its subsidiaries  have good and marketable title to, or
         valid and enforceable  leasehold estates in, all items of real and
         personal  property  referred to in the  Prospectus  as owned or leased
         by them,  in each case free and clear of all liens,  encumbrances,
         claims, security interests and defects, other than those referred to in
         the  Prospectus  or which are not  material  in amount.  Each lease of
         real  property  by the  Company or any of its subsidiaries  as lessor
         requiring  annual  lease  payments in excess of  $100,000  is the
         legal,  valid and binding obligation  of the  lessee in  accordance
         with its  terms  (except  that the  remedy of  specific  performance
         and injunctive  and other forms of equitable  relief may be subject to
         equitable  defenses and to the  discretion of the court  before  which
         any  proceeding  therefor  may be brought  and to the  Bankruptcy  Act)
         and the rents  which at present have remained due and unpaid for more
         than 30 days are not payable  under leases such that,  were no further
         rental  payments to be received under such leases,  the financial
         condition or results of operations of the Company and its  subsidiaries
         would be materially  adversely  affected  thereby.  The Company has no
         reason to believe that the lessee under any lease  (excluding  leases
         for which rent  payments due for the remainder of such lease are less
         than  $500,000)  calling for annual lease  payments in excess of
         $500,000 is not  financially  capable of performing its obligations
         thereunder;

(o)      The Company has filed all Federal, local and foreign income tax returns
         which have been  required to be filed or has filed  extensions  and has
         paid all taxes indicated by said returns and all  assessments  received
         by it to the extent  that such taxes have  become due and are not being
         contested in good faith;

(p)      The Company and each of its  subsidiaries  hold all material  licenses,
         certificates  and  permits  from  governmental  authorities  which  are
         necessary to the conduct of their  respective  businesses;  and neither
         the Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  has  infringed  any  patents,
         patent   rights,   trade  names,   trademarks  or   copyrights,   which
         infringement  is material to the  business of the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries;

(q)      With respect to all tax periods  regarding  which the Internal  Revenue
         Service is or will be entitled to assert any claim, the Company has met
         the  requirements for  qualification as a real estate  investment trust
         under Sections 856 through 860 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as
         amended  (the  "Code"),  and the  Company's  present  and  contemplated
         operations, assets and income continue to meet such requirements;

(r)      The conditions for use of registration statements on Form S-3 set forth
         in the General  Instructions  on Form S-3 have been  satisfied  and the
         Company is entitled to use such form for the  transaction  contemplated
         herein;

(s)      The Company has no knowledge of (a) the unlawful presence of any
         hazardous  substances,  hazardous materials,  toxic substances or waste
         materials  (collectively,  "Hazardous Materials") on any of the

                                       8

         properties owned by it or any of its subsidiaries,  or of (b) any
         unlawful spills, releases,  discharges or disposal of Hazardous
         Materials that have occurred or are presently  occurring off such
         properties as a result of any  construction on or operation and use of
         such  properties  which  presence or  occurrence  would  materially
         adversely  affect the  condition,  financial or otherwise,  or the
         earnings,  business affairs or business  prospects of the Company or
         any of its subsidiaries.  In connection  with the  construction  on or
         operation  and use of the  properties  owned by the Company or any of
         its subsidiaries,  the  Company  represents  that it has no  knowledge
         of any  material  failure  to  comply  with  all applicable local,
         state and federal  environmental  laws,  regulations,  ordinances and
         administrative and judicial orders  relating to the  generation,
         recycling,  reuse,  sale,  storage,  handling,  transport  and disposal
         of any Hazardous Materials;

(t)      The Company is not and, after giving effect to the offering and sale of
         the  Securities,  will  not be an  "investment  company"  or an  entity
         "controlled" by an "investment  company",  as such terms are defined in
         the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "Investment Company
         Act");

(u)      Ernst & Young LLP, who have certified certain  financial  statements of
         the Company and its subsidiaries,  and each other accounting firm which
         has  certified  any other  financial  statements  which are included or
         incorporated  by  reference  in the  Prospectus,  are each  independent
         public accountants as required by the Act and the rules and regulations
         of the Commission thereunder;

(v)      At the date of the Pricing  Agreement  with  respect to the  applicable
         Designated  Securities,  such Pricing Agreement and this Agreement will
         have been duly  authorized,  executed and  delivered by the Company and
         the Operating Entities;

(w)      Nothing has come to the attention of the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries  as a result of (a) its  negotiation of the Agreement and
         Plan of Merger dated September 10, 1998 (as the same may be amended or
         supplemented  from time to time,  and  including  all  schedules  and
         attachments  thereto,  the "Merger  Agreement")  between the Company
         and American Apartment  Communities II, Inc., a Maryland corporation
         ("AAC", which term includes its subsidiaries),  (b) its review of the
         AAC Disclosure  Letter (as defined in the Merger  Agreement) or any
         other documents or information provided by AAC, (c) its  investigation
         of the business and properties of AAC, or (d) otherwise,  that would
         lead it to believe that any of the  representations  and warranties of
         AAC set forth in the Merger Agreement  (including the AAC  Disclosure
         Letter) are not true,  complete and correct;  and the failure to
         consummate  the merger with AAC as contemplated  by the Merger
         Agreement will not have a material  adverse effect on the Company and
         its  subsidiaries taken as a whole; and such merger,  if consummated on
         the terms set forth in the Merger  Agreement,  will qualify as a
         tax-free reorganization under Section 368(a) of the Code;

(x)      The total real estate owned of the Operating  Entities and the Company,
         in each case excluding any of their respective  subsidiaries other than

                                       9


         the Operating  Entities,  determined on a consolidated basis, are equal
         to at least  69% of the total  consolidated  real  estate  owned of the
         Company;  the total net operating income of the Operating  Entities and
         the Company for the nine months ended  September 30, 1998, in each case
         excluding any of their respective subsidiaries other than the Operating
         Entities,  determined on a consolidated  basis,  were equal to at least
         70% of the total  consolidated  net operating income of the Company for
         the nine months ended September 30, 1998.

3. Upon the  execution of the Pricing  Agreement  applicable  to any  Designated
Securities  and  authorization  by the  Representatives  of the  release of such
Designated Securities, the several Underwriters propose to offer such Designated
Securities for sale upon the terms and conditions set forth in the Prospectus as
amended or supplemented.

4.

(a)      Designated  Securities to be purchased by each Underwriter  pursuant to
         the Pricing  Agreement  relating thereto or, if such Pricing Agreement
         grants the Underwriters  named therein the right to purchase
         Additional  Securities,  the Firm Securities to be purchased by each
         Underwriter  pursuant to such Pricing  Agreement,  in the form
         specified in such Pricing  Agreement,  and in such authorized
         denominations and registered in such names as the  Representatives may
         request upon at least  twenty-four  hours'  prior  notice to the
         Company,  shall be delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the
         Representatives  for the account of such Underwriter,  against payment
         by such Underwriter or on its behalf of the purchase price therefor in
         the funds  specified in such Pricing  Agreement,  all in the manner and
         at the place and time and date  specified in such Pricing  Agreement or
         at such other place and time and date as the Representatives  and the
         Company  may agree upon in writing,  such time and date being  herein
         called the "Time of Delivery" for such Securities.

(b)      If the Pricing Agreement grants the Underwriters  named therein the
         right to purchase  Additional  Securities and if the  Representatives,
         on behalf of the  Underwriters,  shall elect to  exercise  such  right,
         then the  Additional Securities to be purchased by each  Underwriter
         pursuant to such Pricing  Agreement,  in the form specified in such
         Pricing  Agreement,  and in such authorized  denominations and
         registered in such names as the  Representatives  may request  upon at
         least  twenty-four  hours prior  notice to the  Company,  shall be
         delivered by or on behalf of the Company to the  Representatives  for
         the account of such  Underwriter  against payment by such Underwriter
         or on its behalf of the purchase price  therefor in the funds specified
         in such Pricing  Agreement,  all in the manner and at the time and
         place and date  specified  in or pursuant to such Pricing  Agreement
         or at such other place,  time and date as the  Representatives  and the
         Company  may agree  upon in  writing,  such time and date  being
         hereinafter called, with respect to such Additional Securities, the
         "Option Closing Date".

5. The Company and the Operating  Entities,  jointly and  severally,  agree with
each of the Underwriters of any Designated Securities that:

                                       10


(a)      If the Company does not elect to rely on Rule 434 under the Act,
         immediately  following  execution  and delivery of the applicable
         Pricing  Agreement,  the Company will prepare the Prospectus as amended
         or  supplemented in relation to the applicable  Designated  Securities
         in a form approved by the  Representatives  and will file such
         Prospectus pursuant  to Rule  424(b)  under the Act not later than the
         Commission's  close of  business  on the  business  day following the
         execution and delivery of the Pricing Agreement relating to the
         applicable  Designated  Securities or, if  applicable,  such earlier
         time as may be required by Rule 424(b),  or if the Company  elects to
         rely on Rule 434 under the Act,  immediately  following execution and
         delivery of the applicable Pricing Agreement,  the Company will prepare
         an abbreviated  term sheet relating to the Designated  Securities in a
         form approved by the  Representatives that  complies  with the
         requirements  of Rule 434 under  the Act and will  file  such form of
         Rule 434  Prospectus complying  with Rule  434(c)(2)  of the Act
         pursuant to Rule 424(b)  under the Act not later than the  Commission's
         close of business on the business day  following the  execution  and
         delivery of the Pricing  Agreement  relating to the  applicable
         Designated  Securities or if applicable,  such earlier time as may be
         required by Rule 424(b);  the Company will make no further  amendment
         or any supplement to the Registration  Statement or Prospectus as
         amended or supplemented  after the date of the Pricing Agreement
         relating to such Securities and prior to the Time of Delivery for such
         Securities  (or, if the applicable  Pricing  Agreement  grants the
         Underwriters  the right to purchase any Additional  Securities,  the
         Company will make no such further  amendment or any such  supplement
         after the date of such  Pricing  Agreement  and  prior  to  the  Option
         Closing  Date  for  such  Additional  Securities  unless  the
         Representatives  shall  have  failed  to  exercise  such  right on or
         prior to the 30th day  after  the date of such Pricing  Agreement,  in
         which case the Company will make no such further  amendment or any such
         supplement after the date of such Pricing  Agreement and prior to the
         31st day following the date of such Pricing  Agreement) which shall be
         disapproved by the  Representatives  for such Securities  promptly
         after reasonable  notice thereof;  the Company will advise the
         Representatives  promptly of any such  amendment or supplement  after
         such Time of Delivery (and if any Additional  Securities are purchased,
         after the Option Closing Date) and will furnish the Representatives
         with copies  thereof;  the Company will file  promptly all reports and
         any  definitive  proxy or  information  statements required  to be
         filed by the  Company  with the  Commission  pursuant to Section
         13(a),  13(c),  14 or 15(d) of the Exchange  Act for so long as the
         delivery of a prospectus  is required in  connection  with the offering
         or sale of such  Securities,  and during such same period will advise
         the  Representatives,  promptly after it receives  notice thereof,  of
         the time when any amendment to the  Registration  Statement has been
         filed or becomes  effective or any supplement to the Prospectus or any
         amended  Prospectus has been filed with the  Commission,  of the
         issuance by the Commission  of any stop order or of any order
         preventing or suspending  the use of any  prospectus  relating to the
         Securities,  of the suspension of the qualification of such Securities
         for offering or sale in any jurisdiction,  of the initiation or
         threatening  of any proceeding for any such purpose,  or of any request
         by the Commission for the amending or  supplementing of the
         Registration  Statement or Prospectus or for additional  information;
         and, in the event of the  issuance  of any  such  stop  order  or of
         any such  order  preventing  or  suspending  the use of any prospectus

                                       11


         relating to the Securities or suspending any such  qualification,  the
         Company will promptly use its best efforts to obtain the withdrawal of
         such order;

(b)      If  necessary,  promptly  from time to time the Company  will take such
         action as the  Representatives  may reasonably  request to qualify such
         Securities  for  offering  and sale under the  securities  laws of such
         jurisdictions as the  Representatives  may request and will comply with
         such laws so as to permit the continuance of sales and dealings therein
         in such  jurisdictions  for as long as may be necessary to complete the
         distribution of such Securities,  provided that in connection therewith
         the Company  shall not be required to qualify as a foreign  corporation
         or to file a general consent to service of process in any jurisdiction;

(c)      Prior to 10:00 a.m.  New York City time on the New York  business  day
         next  succeeding  the date of the  applicable Pricing  Agreement and
         from time to time,  the Company will furnish the  Underwriters  with
         copies of the Prospectus as amended or supplemented in New York City in
         such quantities as the Representatives  may reasonably request,  and,
         if the delivery of a prospectus  is required at any time in connection
         with the offering or sale of the  Securities and if at such  time any
         event  shall  have  occurred  as a result  of which  the  Prospectus
         as then  amended  or supplemented  would include an untrue  statement
         of a material fact or omit to state any material fact  necessary in
         order to make the  statements  therein,  in the light of the
         circumstances  under which they were made or when such Prospectus is
         delivered,  not misleading,  or, if for any other reason it shall be
         necessary during such same period to amend or supplement  the
         Prospectus or to file under the Exchange Act any document  incorporated
         by reference in the  Prospectus  in order to comply with the Act,  the
         Exchange  Act or the Trust  Indenture  Act, the Company will notify the
         Representatives  and upon their  request will file such  document  and
         will prepare and furnish  without charge to each  Underwriter and to
         any dealer in securities as many copies as the  Representatives  may
         from time to time  reasonably  request of an amended  Prospectus  or a
         supplement  to the  Prospectus  which will  correct  such statement or
         omission or effect such compliance;

(d)      The Company will make  generally  available to its  securityholders  as
         soon as  practicable,  but in any event not later than eighteen  months
         after the effective date of the  Registration  Statement (as defined in
         Rule 158(c)  under the Act),  an earnings  statement of the Company and
         its  subsidiaries  (which need not be audited)  complying  with Section
         11(a)  of the Act and  the  rules  and  regulations  of the  Commission
         thereunder (including, at the option of the Company, Rule 158);

(e)      The Company  will not,  without the prior  written  consent of Morgan
         Stanley & Co.  Incorporated  on behalf of the Underwriters,  during the
         period  ending  30 days  after the date of the  Pricing  Agreement  for
         such  Designated Securities (a) offer, issue, pledge,  sell, contract
         to sell, sell any option or contract to purchase,  purchase any option
         or contract to sell, grant any option,  right or warrant to purchase,

                                       12


         lend or otherwise  transfer or dispose of,  directly or  indirectly,
         any  Designated  Securities  or any other debt  securities  of the
         Company  that are substantially  similar  to the  Designated Securities
         (other  than  the  Designated  Securities  to be sold to the
         Underwriters) or (b) enter into any swap or other  arrangement  that
         transfers to another,  in whole or in part, any of the economic
         consequences of ownership of any Designated  Securities or any other
         debt securities of the Company which are substantially similar to the
         Designated  Securities,  whether any such transaction described in
         clause (a) or (b) of this  sentence  is to be settled by  delivery  of
         Designated  Securities,  other  securities,  in cash or otherwise;

(f)      The Company will use the net  proceeds  received by it from the sale of
         the  Securities  in the manner  specified in the  Prospectus  under the
         caption "Use of Proceeds"; and

(g)      The  Company  will  continue  to elect  to  qualify  as a "real  estate
         investment  trust"  under the Code,  and will use its best  efforts  to
         continue  to  meet  the  requirements  to  qualify  as a  "real  estate
         investment trust".

6. The Company and the Operating Entities,  jointly and severally,  covenant and
agree with the several  Underwriters  that they will pay or cause to be paid the
following:  (i) the reasonable fees, disbursements and expenses of the Company's
counsel and  accountants in connection  with the  registration of the Securities
under  the Act and all  other  expenses  in  connection  with  the  preparation,
printing and filing of the Registration  Statement,  any Preliminary  Prospectus
and the  Prospectus  and  amendments and  supplements  thereto  (including  each
abbreviated  term sheet delivered by the Company  pursuant to Rule 434 under the
Act) and the mailing and  delivering of copies thereof to the  Underwriters  and
dealers;   (ii)  the  cost  of  printing  or  producing  any   Agreement   among
Underwriters, this Agreement, any Pricing Agreement, any Indenture, any Blue Sky
and Legal  Investment  Surveys,  closing  documents  (including any  compilation
thereof) and any other documents in connection with the offering, purchase, sale
and delivery of the Securities;  (iii) all expenses,  if any, in connection with
the qualification of the Securities for offering and sale under state securities
laws as provided in Section 5(b) hereof, including the fees and disbursements of
counsel  for the  Underwriters  in  connection  with such  qualification  and in
connection with the Blue Sky and Legal Investment Surveys; (iv) any fees charged
by securities  rating  services for rating the  Securities;  (v) any filing fees
incident to, and the fees and  disbursements  of counsel for the Underwriters in
connection  with, any required review by the National  Association of Securities
Dealers,  Inc.  of the  terms  of the sale of the  Securities;  (vi) the cost of
preparing  the  Securities;  (vii) the fees and  expenses of any Trustee and any
agent of any Trustee and the fees and  disbursements  of counsel for any Trustee
in connection with any Indenture and the Securities;  and (viii) all other costs
and reasonable expenses incident to the performance of its obligations hereunder
which  are  not  otherwise  specifically  provided  for in this  Section.  It is
understood,  however,  that, except as provided in this Section,  and Sections 8
and 10 hereof,  the  Underwriters  will pay all of their own costs and expenses,
including  the fees of their  counsel,  transfer  taxes on  resale of any of the
Securities by them, and any advertising  expenses connected with any offers they
may make.

                                       13


7. The obligations of the  Underwriters of any Designated  Securities  under the
Pricing Agreement  relating to such Designated  Securities shall be subject,  in
the discretion of the Representatives, to the condition that all representations
and warranties and other statements of the Company and the Operating Entities in
or  incorporated  by  reference  in  the  Pricing  Agreement  relating  to  such
Designated Securities are, at and as of the Time of Delivery for such Designated
Securities,  true and correct,  the condition that the Company and the Operating
Entities shall have performed all of their obligations  hereunder theretofore to
be performed, and the following additional conditions:

(a)      The Prospectus as amended or supplemented in relation to the applicable
         Designated  Securities  shall  have  been  filed  with  the  Commission
         pursuant to Rule 424(b) within the  applicable  time period  prescribed
         for such  filing  by the  rules  and  regulations  under the Act and in
         accordance  with  Section  5(a) hereof;  no stop order  suspending  the
         effectiveness of the  Registration  Statement or any part thereof shall
         have been issued and no  proceeding  for that  purpose  shall have been
         initiated  or  threatened  by the  Commission;  and  all  requests  for
         additional  information on the part of the  Commission  shall have been
         complied with to the Representatives' reasonable satisfaction;

(b)      Brown & Wood llp,  counsel  for the  Underwriters,  shall have
         furnished  to the  Representatives  such  opinion or opinions,  dated
         the Time of  Delivery  for such  Designated  Securities,  with  respect
         to the  matters  covered in paragraphs (i), (vi),  (vii),  (viii), (xi)
         and (xiv) of subsection (c) below as well as such other related matters
         as the Representatives  may reasonably request,  and such counsel shall
         have received such papers and information as they may  reasonably
         request to enable them to pass upon such matters.  In rendering  their
         opinion,  Brown & Wood llp may rely,  as to all  matters  governed by
         or arising  under the laws of the  Commonwealth  of Virginia  and the
         States of Maryland  and North  Carolina,  on the  opinion of Hunton &
         Williams  delivered  pursuant to Section  7(c) below;

(c)      Hunton & Williams, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the
         Representatives  their written opinion,  dated the Time of Delivery for
         such Designated  Securities,  in form and substance satisfactory to the
         Representatives,  to the effect set forth below (such  opinion shall be
         rendered to the Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so
         state  therein  and shall  further  state  that  Brown & Wood  llp,  in
         rendering this opinion pursuant to Section 7(b) above, may rely on such
         opinion of Hunton & Williams as to all  matters  governed by or arising
         under  the laws of the  Commonwealth  of  Virginia  and the  States  of
         Maryland and North Carolina):

(i)               The Company has been duly organized and is validly existing as
                  a  corporation   in  good  standing  under  the  laws  of  the
                  Commonwealth  of Virginia,  with corporate power and authority
                  to own its properties and conduct its business as described in
                  the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;

(ii)              The Company has an authorized  capitalization  as set forth in
                  the  Prospectus  as  amended  or  supplemented  and all of the

                                       14


                  issued  shares of capital  stock of the Company have been duly
                  and  validly  authorized  and  issued  and are fully  paid and
                  non-assessable;

(iii)             The  Company is duly  qualified  to  transact  business in all
                  jurisdictions  in which the conduct of its  business  requires
                  such  qualification,  or in which the failure to qualify would
                  have a  materially  adverse  effect  upon the  business of the
                  Company;

(iv)              Each subsidiary of the Company has been duly organized and is
                  validly existing as a corporation,  limited  liability
                  company,  limited  partnership  or real  estate  investment
                  trust in good  standing  under the laws of the jurisdiction of
                  its  incorporation or organization,  with power and authority
                  to own, lease and operate its properties and conduct its
                  business as described in the Prospectus as amended or
                  supplemented,  and is duly qualified to transact  business in
                  all  jurisdictions  in which the conduct of its business
                  requires  such qualification  except where the failure to so
                  be in good standing would not have a material  adverse effect
                  on the condition,  financial or otherwise,  or the earnings,
                  business affairs or business prospects of the Company and its
                  subsidiaries,  considered as one  enterprise;  each such
                  subsidiary is duly  qualified to transact business in all
                  jurisdictions in which the conduct of its business  requires
                  such  qualification, or in which the  failure to qualify would
                  have a  materially  adverse  effect  upon the  business  of
                  such subsidiary;  all of the issued and  outstanding  shares
                  of capital stock of each such corporate  subsidiary and all of
                  the issued and  outstanding  shares of beneficial  interest of
                  each such real estate  investment trust subsidiary have been
                  duly authorized and validly issued,  are fully paid and
                  non-assessable  and are owned by the Company or by a
                  subsidiary of the Company, free and clear of any security
                  interest,  mortgage, pledge,  lien,  encumbrance,  claim or
                  equity; all of the issued and outstanding  partnership
                  interests of each such partnership  subsidiary and all of the
                  issued and outstanding limited liability company interests of
                  each such limited liability company  subsidiary have been duly
                  authorized and validly issued,  are fully paid and (except in
                  the case of general  partnership  interests)  non-assessable
                  and,  except as otherwise disclosed in the Prospectus,  are
                  owned by the Company and/or one or more subsidiaries of the
                  Company, free and clear of any security interest, mortgage,
                  pledge, lien, encumbrance,  claim or equity; and the Company,
                  and/or such  subsidiaries of the Company are the only members
                  or general partners of the Company's  limited liability
                  company or limited  partnership  subsidiaries,  as applicable,
                  and own the entire membership or general  partnership interest
                  in each such subsidiary free and clear of any security
                  interest,  mortgage, pledge, lien, encumbrance, claim or
                  equity;

(v)               To the best of such counsel's  knowledge and other than as set
                  forth in the  Prospectus as amended or  supplemented, there
                  are no legal or governmental  proceedings  pending to which
                  the Company or any of its subsidiaries is a party or of which

                                       15


                  any  property  of the  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is
                  the  subject  which,  if determined  adversely to the Company
                  or any of its  subsidiaries,  would  individually  or in the
                  aggregate have a material  adverse effect on the current or
                  future  consolidated  financial  position,  shareholders'
                  equity or results of operations  of the Company and its
                  subsidiaries;  and, to the best of such  counsel's knowledge,
                  no such proceedings are threatened or contemplated by
                  governmental  authorities or threatened by others;

(vi)              This  Agreement and the Pricing  Agreement with respect to the
                  Designated Securities have been duly authorized,  executed and
                  delivered by the Company and the Operating Entities;

(vii)             The  Designated  Securities  have  been  duly  authorized  and
                  executed by the Company and,  when duly  authenticated  by the
                  Trustee in accordance  with the Indenture and delivered to the
                  Underwriters against payment of the consideration  therefor in
                  accordance with the Pricing  Agreement,  will constitute valid
                  and binding  obligations of the Company,  enforceable  against
                  the Company in  accordance  with their terms,  subject,  as to
                  enforcement,  to bankruptcy,  insolvency,  reorganization  and
                  other laws of general  applicability  relating to or affecting
                  creditors'  rights and to general equity  principles,  whether
                  considered  at law or in equity,  and will be  entitled to the
                  benefits of the Indenture;

(viii)            The Indenture has been duly authorized, executed and delivered
                  by the Company and  constitutes a valid and binding  agreement
                  of the Company,  enforceable against the Company in accordance
                  with its terms,  subject,  as to  enforcement,  to bankruptcy,
                  insolvency,   reorganization   and  other   laws  of   general
                  applicability  relating to or affecting  creditors' rights and
                  to general equity principles,  whether considered at law or in
                  equity;  and the Indenture has been duly  qualified  under the
                  Trust Indenture Act;

(ix)              The issue and sale of the Designated  Securities  being
                  delivered on the date of such opinion and the compliance by
                  the Company and the  Operating  Entities  with all of the
                  provisions  of the  Designated  Securities,  the Indenture,
                  this  Agreement and the Pricing  Agreement  with respect to
                  the  Designated  Securities and the consummation  of the
                  transactions  herein and therein  contemplated  will not
                  conflict with or result in a breach or violation of any of the
                  terms or provisions  of, or constitute a default  under,  any
                  indenture, mortgage,  deed of trust,  loan agreement or other
                  agreement or instrument  known to such counsel to which the
                  Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is a party or by which
                  the Company or any of its  subsidiaries  is bound or to which
                  any of the property or assets of the Company or any of its
                  subsidiaries is subject,  nor will such actions result in any
                  violation of the provisions of the Articles of  Incorporation
                  or By-laws of the Company,  Residential or Investment or the
                  certificate of limited  partnership or limited  partnership
                  agreement of the Operating  Partnership or the operating
                  agreement of North Carolina or any statute or any order,  rule

                                       16


                  or  regulation  known to such  counsel  of any court or
                  governmental  agency  or body  having jurisdiction over the
                  Company or any of its subsidiaries or any of their properties;

(x)               No consent,  approval,  authorization,  order, registration or
                  qualification of or with any such court or governmental agency
                  or body is required  for the issue and sale of the  Designated
                  Securities  being delivered on the date of such opinion or the
                  consummation  by the Company or the Operating  Entities of the
                  transactions  contemplated by this  Agreement,  or the Pricing
                  Agreement or the Indenture,  except such as have been obtained
                  under the Act and the Trust  Indenture Act and such  consents,
                  approvals,    authorizations,    orders,    registrations   or
                  qualifications  as may be required  under state  securities or
                  Blue Sky laws in connection with the purchase and distribution
                  of the Designated Securities by the Underwriters;

(xi)              The statements set forth in the Prospectus  under the captions
                  "Description  of  Debt  Securities"  and  "Description  of the
                  Offered Securities" (or under any similar caption), insofar as
                  they  constitute a summary of the  Indenture,  the  Designated
                  Securities,  or any other  documents  referred  to  therein or
                  matters of law are accurate summaries and fairly and correctly
                  present  the  information  called  for  with  respect  to such
                  documents and matters;

(xii)             The Company is not required to be registered under the
                  Investment  Company Act;

(xiii)            The  documents  incorporated  by reference in the  Prospectus
                  as amended or  supplemented  (other than the financial
                  statements  and related  schedules  therein,  as to which such
                  counsel need express no opinion),  when they became  effective
                  or were  filed  with the  Commission,  as the case  may be,
                  complied  as to form in all material  respects with the
                  requirements of the Act or the Exchange Act, as applicable,
                  and the rules and regulations  of the  Commission  thereunder;
                  and although  they do not assume any  responsibility  for the
                  accuracy,  completeness  or fairness of the statements
                  therein,  nothing has come to their attention which leads them
                  to believe  that any  documents  incorporated  by  reference
                  in the  Prospectus  as amended or supplemented  (other than
                  the financial  statements and related schedules therein, as to
                  which such counsel need express no opinion),  when they became
                  effective or were so filed, as the case may be,  contained,
                  in the case of a  registration  statement  which  became
                  effective  under the Act, an untrue  statement  of a material
                  fact or omitted to state a material  fact  required to be
                  stated  therein or necessary to make the statements  therein
                  not  misleading,  or, in the case of other  documents which
                  were filed under the Act or the  Exchange  Act with the
                  Commission,  an untrue  statement  of a  material  fact or
                  omitted to state a material fact necessary in order to make
                  the statements  therein,  in the light of the circumstances
                  under which they were made when such documents were so filed,
                  not misleading; and

                                       17


(xiv)             The  Registration  Statement  and the  Prospectus  as  amended
                  or  supplemented  and  any  further  amendments  and
                  supplements  thereto made by the Company on or prior to the
                  date of such opinion  (other than the financial statements and
                  related  schedules  therein,  as to which such counsel need
                  express no opinion) comply as to form in all material respects
                  with the  requirements  of the Act and the Trust Indenture Act
                  and the rules and  regulations  thereunder;  if applicable,
                  the Rule 434 Prospectus  complies as to form in all material
                  respects with the  requirements of Rule 434 under the Act;
                  although they do not assume any  responsibility for the
                  accuracy,  completeness or fairness of the statements
                  contained in the  Registration  Statement or the  Prospectus,
                  except for those  referred to in the opinion in  subsection
                  (xi) of this  Section  7(c), nothing  has come to their
                  attention  which  leads  them to believe  that,  as of its
                  effective  date the Registration  Statement  or any further
                  amendment  thereto  made by the Company on or prior to the
                  date of such opinion (other than the financial  statements and
                  related schedules therein,  as to which such counsel need
                  express no opinion)  contained an untrue  statement of a
                  material  fact or omitted to state a material fact required to
                  be stated therein or necessary to make the  statements
                  therein not misleading or that, as of the date of the
                  applicable Pricing  Agreement,  the Prospectus as amended or
                  supplemented or any further amendment or  supplement  thereto
                  made by the Company on or prior to the date of such opinion
                  (other than the financial  statements and related schedules
                  therein,  as to which such counsel need express no opinion)
                  contained an untrue  statement of a material fact or omitted
                  to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
                  therein,  in the light of the circumstances under which they
                  were made, not misleading or that, as of the date of such
                  opinion,  either  the  Registration  Statement  or the
                  Prospectus  as  amended  or supplemented or any further
                  amendment or supplement  thereto made by the Company on or
                  prior to the date of such opinion (other than the financial
                  statements and related schedules therein,  as to which such
                  counsel need express no opinion)  contains an untrue statement
                  of a material fact or omits to state a material fact necessary
                  to make the statements  therein,  in the light of the
                  circumstances  under which they were made, not misleading; and
                  they do not know of any amendment to the Registration
                  Statement  required to be filed or of any  contracts  or other
                  documents  of a  character  required  to be  filed  as an
                  exhibit  to the Registration  Statement or required to be
                  incorporated  by  reference  into the  Prospectus  as amended
                  or supplemented  or required to be described in the
                  Registration  Statement or the  Prospectus  as amended or
                  supplemented which are not filed or incorporated by reference
                  or described as required;

(d)      Hunton & Williams, counsel for the Company, shall have furnished to the
         Representatives  their written  opinion (which shall be rendered to the
         Underwriters at the request of the Company and shall so state therein),
         dated the Time of Delivery for such Designated Securities,  in form and
         substance  satisfactory to the Representatives,  to the effect that the
         Company has  qualified  to be taxed as a real estate  investment  trust
         pursuant to Sections 856 through 860 of the Code for its most  recently
         ended fiscal year and for the four fiscal years  immediately  preceding

                                       18


         such year, and the Company's  organization and  contemplated  method of
         operation  are such as to enable it to  continue  to so qualify for its
         current fiscal year;

(e)      On the date of the Pricing Agreement for such Designated Securities and
         at  the  Time  of  Delivery  for  such   Designated   Securities,   the
         Underwriters  shall have  received,  a letter dated the date hereof and
         the Time of Delivery,  respectively, in form and substance satisfactory
         to the Underwriters, from each of Ernst & Young LLP and Arthur Andersen
         LLP,   independent  public  accountants,   containing   statements  and
         information of the type ordinarily  included in  accountants'  "comfort
         letters" to underwriters  with respect to the financial  statements and
         certain financial information  contained in the Registration  Statement
         and the Prospectus as amended or supplemented.

(f)      (i) Neither  the  Company nor any of its  subsidiaries  shall have
         sustained  since the date of the latest  audited financial  statements
         included or  incorporated  by reference in the Prospectus as amended
         prior to the date of the Pricing  Agreement  relating to the Designated
         Securities  any loss or  interference  with its business from fire,
         explosion,  flood or other  calamity,  whether or not covered by
         insurance,  or from any labor  dispute or court or governmental action,
         order or decree,  otherwise  than as set forth or  contemplated  in the
         Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the Pricing  Agreement
         relating to the Designated  Securities,  and (ii)  since the respective
         dates as of which  information  is given in the  Prospectus  as amended
         prior to the date of the Pricing  Agreement relating to the Designated
         Securities  there shall not have been any change in the capital  stock,
         total assets or long-term debt of the Company or any of its
         subsidiaries or any change,  or any development  involving a
         prospective change, in or affecting the general affairs,  management,
         financial  position,  shareholders'  equity or results of operations of
         the Company and its  subsidiaries,  otherwise than as set forth or
         contemplated  in the Prospectus as amended prior to the date of the
         Pricing Agreement  relating to the Designated  Securities,  the effect
         of which, in any such case  described in Clause (i) or (ii),  is in the
         judgment of the  Representatives  so material and adverse as to make it
         impracticable  or inadvisable  to proceed with the public  offering or
         the delivery of the Designated Securities on the terms and in the
         manner  contemplated in the Prospectus as first amended or supplemented
         relating to the Designated Securities;

(g)      On or  after  the  date  of  the  Pricing  Agreement  relating  to  the
         Designated  Securities  (i) no  downgrading  shall have occurred in the
         rating accorded the Company's debt securities or preferred stock by any
         "nationally recognized  statistical rating organization",  as that term
         is defined by the Commission  for purposes of Rule 436(g)(2)  under the
         Act, and (ii) no such organization  shall have publicly  announced that
         it  has  under   surveillance   or  review,   with  possible   negative
         implications,  its rating of any of the  Company's  debt  securities or
         preferred stock;

(h)      On or after the date of the Pricing  Agreement  relating to the
         Designated  Securities there shall not have occurred any of the

                                       19


         following:  (i) a suspension or material  limitation in trading in
         securities  generally on the New York Stock  Exchange;  (ii) a
         suspension or material  limitation in trading in the Company's
         securities on the New York Stock Exchange;  (iii) a general  moratorium
         on commercial banking activities in New York declared by either Federal
         or New York State  authorities;  or (iv) the outbreak or escalation of
         hostilities,  the occurrence of any change in financial  markets  or,
         the  occurrence  of any  calamity  or crisis or the  declaration  by
         the United  States of a national  emergency or war, if the effect of
         any such event  specified in this Clause (iv) in the judgment of Morgan
         Stanley & Co.  Incorporated  makes it  impracticable  or  inadvisable
         to proceed  with the public  offering  or the delivery of the
         Designated  Securities on the terms and in the manner  contemplated  in
         the Prospectus as amended or supplemented;

(i)      The Company and the  Operating  Entities  shall have  complied with the
         provisions  of Section  5(c) hereof with respect to the  furnishing  of
         prospectuses  on the New York business day next  succeeding the date of
         the applicable Pricing Agreement; and

(j)      The Company and the Operating  Entities  shall have  furnished or
         caused to be furnished to the  Representatives  at the Time of Delivery
         for the  Designated  Securities  a  certificate  or  certificates  of
         officers of the Company, Residential and Investment and of the general
         partner of the Operating  Partnership and of the sole member of North
         Carolina  satisfactory  to the  Representatives  as to the accuracy of
         the  representations  and  warranties  of the Company and the Operating
         Entities herein at and as of such Time of Delivery,  as to the
         performance by the Company and the  Operating  Entities  of all of
         their  obligations  hereunder  to be  performed  at or prior to such
         Time of Delivery,  as to the matters set forth in  subsections  (a) and
         (f) of this Section and as to such other  matters as the
         Representatives may reasonably request.

(k)      In the event  that the  applicable  Pricing  Agreement  shall  grant
         the  Underwriters  named  therein  the right to purchase Additional
         Securities and if the Representatives,  on behalf of the Underwriters,
         shall elect to exercise such right,  then the obligations of the
         Underwriters of any such Additional  Securities  shall be subject,  in
         the discretion of the  Representatives,  to the condition that all
         representations  and warranties and other statements of the Company and
         the Operating  Entities in or incorporated by reference in such Pricing
         Agreement are, at and as of the Option Closing Date for such Additional
         Securities,  true and correct, to the condition that the Company and
         the Operating Entities shall have performed all of their obligations
         hereunder  theretofore to be performed,  to the condition  that the
         conditions  set forth in  Sections  7(a),  7(f),  7(g),  7(h) and 7(i)
         hereof  shall have been satisfied at and as of the time of delivery of
         and payment for such  Additional  Securities  on such Option  Closing
         Date, and to the further condition that, on such Option Closing Date,
         the Representatives shall have received:

(i)               The  favorable  opinion of Brown & Wood LLP,  counsel  for the
                  Underwriters,  dated such Option Closing Date, relating to the

                                       20


                  Additional  Securities to be purchased on such Option  Closing
                  Date and otherwise to the same effect as the opinion  required
                  by Section 7(b) hereof;

(ii)              The  favorable  opinion of Hunton & Williams,  counsel for the
                  Company,   in  form   and   substance   satisfactory   to  the
                  Representatives,  dated such Option Closing Date,  relating to
                  the  Additional  Securities  to be  purchased  on such  Option
                  Closing Date and  otherwise to the same effect as the opinions
                  required by Section 7(c) and 7(d) hereof;

(iii)             A letter  from each of Ernst & Young llp and  Arthur  Andersen
                  llp, in form and substance satisfactory to the Representatives
                  and dated such Option Closing Date,  substantially in the same
                  form  and   substance   as  the  letters   furnished   to  the
                  Representatives pursuant to Section 7(e) hereof at the Time of
                  Delivery,  except  that the  "specified  date" in the  letters
                  furnished  pursuant to this paragraph shall be a date not more
                  than five days prior to such Option Closing Date; and

(iv)              A  certificate  or  certificates  of officers of the  Company,
                  Residential  and Investment and of the general  partner of the
                  Operating Partnership and of the sole member of North Carolina
                  satisfactory to the Representatives,  dated the Option Closing
                  Date to the same effect as the certificate or certificates, as
                  the case may be, delivered at the Time of Delivery pursuant to
                  Section 7(j) hereof.

(l)      Termination  of Agreement.  If any condition  specified in this Section
         shall not have been  fulfilled  when and as required  to be  fulfilled,
         this  Agreement,  or, in the case of any  condition  to the purchase of
         Additional Securities on an Option Closing Date which is after the Time
         of Delivery for the related Firm  Securities,  the  obligations  of the
         several  Underwriters  to purchase such Additional  Securities,  may be
         terminated by the  Representatives by notice to the Company at any time
         at or prior to the Time of Delivery or such Option Closing Date, as the
         case may be, and such  termination  shall be without  liability  of any
         party to any other  party  except  that  Sections  2, 6, 8 and 10 shall
         survive any such termination and remain in full force and effect.

8.

(a)      The  Company  and the  Operating  Entities,  jointly  and  severally,
         agree to  indemnify  and hold  harmless  each Underwriter  and each
         person,  if any, who controls any  Underwriter  within the meaning of
         either Section 15 of the Act or Section  20 of the  Exchange  Act from
         and  against  any and all  losses,  claims,  damages  and  liabilities
         (including,  without  limitation,  any legal or other expenses
         reasonably  incurred by any  Underwriter or any such controlling person
         in connection  with  defending or  investigating  any such action or
         claim) caused by any untrue statement or alleged untrue  statement of a
         material fact contained in the Registration  Statement,  any
         Preliminary Prospectus,  any  preliminary  prospectus  supplement,  the
         Prospectus  as  amended  or  supplemented  or any other prospectus
         relating to the  Securities,  or any amendment or supplement to any of

                                       21


         the  foregoing,  or caused by any omission or alleged  omission to
         state therein a material  fact  required to be stated  therein or
         necessary to make the statements therein not misleading,  except
         insofar as such losses,  claims, damages or liabilities are caused by
         any such untrue  statement or omission or alleged untrue  statement or
         omission based upon  information  relating to any Underwriter furnished
         to the Company in writing by such Underwriter through the
         Representatives  expressly for use therein in connection with the
         offering of the Designated Securities.

(b)      Each Underwriter agrees,  severally and not jointly, to indemnify and
         hold harmless the Company, its directors,  its officers who sign the
         Registration  Statement and each person,  if any, who controls the
         Company within the meaning of either  Section 15 of the Act or Section
         20 of the  Exchange  Act to the same extent as the  foregoing
         indemnity from the  Company  to such  Underwriter,  but only  with
         reference  to  information  relating  to such  Underwriter furnished to
         the  Company in  writing by such  Underwriter  through  the
         Representatives  in  connection  with the offering of the Designated
         Securities expressly for use in the Registration  Statement,  any
         Preliminary Prospectus, any preliminary  prospectus  supplement,  the
         Prospectus as amended or supplemented or any other prospectus relating
         to the Designated Securities or any amendment or supplement to any of
         the foregoing.

(c)      In case any  proceeding  (including  any  governmental  investigation)
         shall be instituted  involving any person in respect of which indemnity
         may be sought  pursuant to either  paragraph  (a) or (b) of this
         Section 8, such person (the  "indemnified  party")  shall  promptly
         notify the  person  against  whom such  indemnity  may be sought  (the
         "indemnifying  party") in writing and the indemnifying  party, upon
         request of the indemnified  party,  shall retain counsel  reasonably
         satisfactory  to the indemnified  party to represent the  indemnified
         party and any others the indemnifying  party may  designate  in such
         proceeding  and shall pay the fees and  disbursements  of such  counsel
         related to such  proceeding.  In any such proceeding,  any indemnified
         party shall have the right to retain its own counsel,  but the fees and
         expenses of such  counsel  shall be at the expense of such  indemnified
         party unless (i) the  indemnifying  party and the  indemnified  party
         shall have mutually  agreed to the retention of such counsel or (ii)
         the named parties to any such  proceeding  (including  any  impleaded
         parties)  include both the  indemnifying party and the indemnified
         party and  representation  of both parties by the same counsel would be
         inappropriate due to actual or potential  differing  interests  between
         them. It is understood that the indemnifying  party shall not, in
         respect of the legal expenses of any indemnified  party in connection
         with any proceeding or related  proceedings in the same  jurisdiction,
         be liable for the fees and expenses of more than one  separate  firm
         (in addition to any local  counsel) for all such  indemnified  parties
         and that all such fees and expenses  shall be  reimbursed as they are
         incurred.  Such firm shall be  designated  in  writing by Morgan
         Stanley &  Co.  Incorporated,  in the case of parties  indemnified
         pursuant  to  paragraph  (a) above,  and by the  Company,  in the case
         of parties  indemnified pursuant to paragraph (b) above.  The
         indemnifying  party shall not be liable for any  settlement of any
         proceeding effected  without its written  consent,  but if settled with
         such  consent or if there be a final  judgment for the plaintiff,  the
         indemnifying  party agrees to indemnify the indemnified party from and
         against any loss or liability by reason of such  settlement or
         judgment.  Notwithstanding  the foregoing  sentence,  if at any time an
         indemnified party shall have  requested  an  indemnifying  party to
         reimburse  the  indemnified  party for fees and expenses of counsel as

                                       22


         contemplated by the second and third sentences of this paragraph,  the
         indemnifying  party agrees that it shall be liable for any settlement
         of any proceeding  effected  without its written  consent if (i) such
         settlement is entered into more than 30 days after receipt by such
         indemnifying  party of the aforesaid  request and (ii) such
         indemnifying  party shall not have  reimbursed the  indemnified  party
         in accordance  with such request prior to the date of such settlement.
         No indemnifying  party shall,  without the prior written consent of the
         indemnified party, effect any  settlement  of any pending or threatened
         proceeding  in respect of which any  indemnified  party is or could
         have been a party and  indemnity  could have been sought  hereunder  by
         such  indemnified  party,  unless such settlement  includes an
         unconditional  release of such  indemnified  party from all liability
         on claims that are the subject matter of such  proceeding.  The
         obligations of the Company and the Operating  Entities under this
         paragraph (c) are joint and several.

(d)      To the extent the  indemnification  provided for in paragraph  (a) or
         (b) of this  Section 8  is  unavailable  to an indemnified  party or
         insufficient  in respect of any losses,  claims,  damages or
         liabilities  referred to therein, then each  indemnifying  party under
         such paragraph,  in lieu of indemnifying  such  indemnified  party
         thereunder, shall  contribute  to the amount  paid or  payable by such
         indemnified  party as a result of such  losses,  claims, damages or
         liabilities  (i) in such  proportion as is appropriate to reflect the
         relative  benefits  received by the Company and the Operating  Entities
         on the one hand and the  Underwriters of the Designated  Securities on
         the other hand from the offering of the Designated  Securities or (ii)
         if the  allocation  provided by clause (i) above is not permitted  by
         applicable  law, in such  proportion  as is  appropriate  to reflect
         not only the  relative  benefits referred to in clause (i) above but
         also the  relative  fault of the Company and the  Operating  Entities
         on the one hand and of the  Underwriters  of the Designated  Securities
         on the other hand in connection  with the statements or omissions that
         resulted in such losses,  claims,  damages or  liabilities,  as well as
         any other relevant  equitable considerations.  The relative  benefits
         received by the Company and the Operating  Entities on the one hand and
         the Underwriters  of the  Designated  Securities  on the other hand in
         connection  with the offering of the  Designated Securities  shall be
         deemed to be in the same  respective  proportions as the net proceeds
         from the offering of such Designated  Securities (before deducting
         expenses) received by the Company and the total underwriting  discounts
         and commissions  received by the  Underwriters of the Designated
         Securities,  in each case as set forth in the table on the cover of the
         Prospectus  as amended or  supplemented  with respect to the
         Designated  Securities,  bear to the aggregate  public offering price
         of the Designated  Securities.  The relative fault of the Company and
         the Operating Entities on the one hand and the  Underwriters  on the
         other hand shall be  determined  by reference to, among other things,
         whether the untrue or alleged  untrue  statement of a material fact or
         the omission or alleged  omission to state a material fact relates to
         information  supplied by the Company or the Operating  Entities on the
         one hand or by the  Underwriters  on the other hand and the parties'
         relative  intent,  knowledge,  access to  information  and opportunity

                                       23


         to  correct or prevent  such  statement  or  omission.  The
         Underwriters'  respective  obligations  to contribute  pursuant to this
         Section 8 are several in proportion to the respective  principal
         amounts of Designated Securities  they have  purchased  hereunder,  and
         not  joint.  The  obligations  of the  Company  and the  Operating
         Entities to contribute pursuant to this Section 8 are joint and
         several.

(e)      The  Company,  the  Operating  Entities  and the  Underwriters  agree
         that it  would  not be just or  equitable  if contribution  pursuant to
         this Section 8 were  determined  by pro rata  allocation  (even if the
         Underwriters  were treated as one entity for such  purpose)  or by any
         other  method of  allocation  that does not take  account of the
         equitable  considerations  referred  to in  paragraph  (d) of this
         Section  8. The  amount  paid or  payable  by an indemnified  party as
         a result of the  losses,  claims,  damages  and  liabilities  referred
         to in the  immediately preceding  paragraph  shall be deemed to
         include,  subject to the  limitations  set forth above,  any legal or
         other expenses  reasonably  incurred by such  indemnified  party in
         connection  with  investigating  or defending any such action or claim.
         Notwithstanding  the provisions of this Section 8, no Underwriter
         shall be required to contribute any amount in excess of the amount by
         which the total price at which the Designated  Securities  underwritten
         by it and  distributed  to the public were offered to the public
         exceeds the amount of any damages that such  Underwriter has  otherwise
         been  required to pay by reason of such untrue or alleged  untrue
         statement  or omission or alleged omission.  No person guilty of
         fraudulent  misrepresentation  (within the meaning of Section 11(f) of
         the Act) shall be entitled to contribution  from any person who was not
         guilty of such fraudulent  misrepresentation.  The remedies provided
         for in this Section 8 are not exclusive  and shall not limit any rights
         or remedies  which may otherwise be available to any indemnified party
         at law or in equity.

(f)      The indemnity and contribution  provisions  contained in this Section 8
         and the representations, warranties and other statements of the Company
         and the Operating  Entities  contained in this  Agreement  shall remain
         operative  and  in  full  force  and  effect   regardless  of  (i)  any
         termination of this  Agreement,  (ii) any  investigation  made by or on
         behalf of any Underwriter or any person  controlling any Underwriter or
         the Company,  its officers or directors or any person  controlling  the
         Company or any Operating Entity,  its officers or directors (if any) or
         any  person  controlling  any  of  the  Operating  Entities  and  (iii)
         acceptance of and payment for any of the Designated Securities.

9.

(a)      If, at the  applicable  Time of Delivery  or any Option  Closing  Date,
         as the case may be, any  Underwriter  shall default in its obligation
         to purchase the Designated  Securities  which it has agreed to purchase
         on such date under the Pricing Agreement relating to such Designated
         Securities,  the  Representatives may in their discretion arrange for
         themselves  or another party or other parties to purchase  such

                                       24


         Designated  Securities on the terms  contained herein.  If within
         thirty-six  hours after such default by any Underwriter the
         Representatives  do not arrange for the purchase of such  Designated
         Securities,  then the Company shall be entitled to a further  period of
         thirty-six hours within which to procure another party or other parties
         satisfactory to the  Representatives  to purchase such Designated
         Securities  on  such  terms.  In  the  event  that,  within  the
         respective   prescribed  period,  the Representatives  notify the
         Company that they have so arranged for the purchase of such  Designated
         Securities,  or the Company  notifies the  Representatives  that it has
         so arranged for the purchase of such Designated  Securities, the
         Representatives  or the  Company  shall have the right to postpone  the
         Time of Delivery or the Option  Closing Date,  as the case may be, for
         such  Designated  Securities  for a period of not more than seven
         days,  in order to effect  whatever  changes may thereby be made
         necessary in the  Registration  Statement or the Prospectus as amended
         or  supplemented,  or in any  other  documents  or  arrangements,  and
         the  Company  agrees  to file  promptly  any amendments  or supplements
         to  the  Registration  Statement  or  the  Prospectus  which  in  the
         opinion  of  the Representatives  may thereby be made necessary.  The
         term  "Underwriter" as used in this Agreement shall include any person
         substituted  under  this  Section  with like  effect as if such  person
         had  originally  been a party to the Pricing Agreement with respect to
         such Designated Securities.

(b)      If,  after  giving  effect to any  arrangements  for the  purchase  of
         the  Designated  Securities  of a  defaulting Underwriter  or
         Underwriters  by the  Representatives  and the  Company as provided in
         subsection  (a) above,  the aggregate  principal amount of such
         Designated  Securities which remains  unpurchased at the Time of
         Delivery or the Option  Closing Date, as the case may be, does not
         exceed  one-eleventh  of the  aggregate  principal  amount of the
         Designated  Securities  to be  purchased  on such  date,  then the
         Company  shall  have the right to  require  each non-defaulting
         Underwriter to purchase the principal amount of Designated  Securities
         which such Underwriter agreed to purchase on such date under the
         Pricing  Agreement  relating to such Designated  Securities and, in
         addition,  to require  each  non-defaulting  Underwriter  to  purchase
         its pro rata  share  (based  on the  principal  amount  of Designated
         Securities set forth opposite the name of such  Underwriter in Schedule
         I to such Pricing  Agreement) of the Designated  Securities of such
         defaulting  Underwriter or Underwriters for which such arrangements
         have not been made; but nothing herein shall relieve a defaulting
         Underwriter from liability for its default.

(c)      If,  after  giving  effect to any  arrangements  for the  purchase  of
         the  Designated  Securities  of a  defaulting Underwriter  or
         Underwriters  by the  Representatives  and the  Company as provided in
         subsection  (a) above,  the aggregate  principal  amount of  Designated
         Securities  which  remains  unpurchased  at the Time of Delivery or the
         Option Closing Date, as the case may be, exceeds  one-eleventh of the
         aggregate  principal  amount of the Designated Securities  to be
         purchased  on such date,  as referred to in  subsection  (b) above,  or
         if the Company  shall not exercise the right described in subsection
         (b) above to require  non-defaulting  Underwriters to purchase

                                       25


         Designated Securities of a defaulting  Underwriter or  Underwriters,
         then the Pricing  Agreement  relating to such  Designated Securities
         or, in the case of a default  which occurs on an Option  Closing Date
         which is after the related Time of Delivery,  the obligation of the
         several  Underwriters to purchase and the Company to sell the Option
         Securities to be purchased and sold on such Option Closing Date, shall
         thereupon  terminate,  without liability on the part of any
         non-defaulting  Underwriter,  the  Company or the  Operating  Entities,
         except for the  expenses to be borne by the Company,  the  Operating
         Entities  and the  Underwriters  as  provided  in Section 6 hereof and
         the  indemnity  and contribution  agreements  in Section 8 hereof and
         the  provisions  of Section 10  hereof;  but nothing  herein shall
         relieve a defaulting Underwriter from liability for its default.

10. If any Pricing  Agreement shall be terminated  pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
or if the obligations of the several Underwriters to purchase and the Company to
sell any Additional Securities shall be terminated pursuant to Section 9 hereof,
the Company and the Operating  Entities shall not then be under any liability to
any  Underwriter  with  respect  to the  Designated  Securities  covered by such
Pricing Agreement or such Additional  Securities,  as the case may be, except as
provided  in  Section  6 and  Section  8 hereof;  but,  if for any other  reason
Designated Securities (including, without limitation, any Additional Securities)
are not delivered by or on behalf of the Company as provided herein, the Company
and  the  Operating  Entities  will,   jointly  and  severally,   reimburse  the
Underwriters through the Representatives for all out-of-pocket expenses approved
in writing by the Representatives,  including fees and disbursements of counsel,
reasonably incurred by the Underwriters in making preparations for the purchase,
sale  and  delivery  of such  Designated  Securities,  but the  Company  and the
Operating  Entities shall then be under no further  liability to any Underwriter
with respect to such Designated  Securities except as provided in Sections 6 and
8 hereof.

11. In all  dealings  hereunder,  the  Representatives  of the  Underwriters  of
Designated Securities shall act on behalf of each of such Underwriters,  and the
parties  hereto shall be entitled to act and rely upon any  statement,  request,
notice  or  agreement  on  behalf  of any  Underwriter  made  or  given  by such
Representatives  jointly or by such of the  Representatives,  if any,  as may be
designated for such purpose in the Pricing Agreement.

         All statements,  requests, notices and agreements hereunder shall be in
writing, and if to the Underwriters shall be delivered or sent by mail, telex or
facsimile transmission to the address of the Representatives as set forth in the
Pricing  Agreement;  and if to the Company or the  Operating  Entities  shall be
delivered or sent by mail, telex or facsimile transmission to the address of the
Company set forth in the Registration Statement: Attention: Secretary; provided,
however, that any notice to an Underwriter pursuant to Section 8(c) hereof shall
be  delivered  or  sent  by  mail,  telex  or  facsimile  transmission  to  such
Underwriter  at its address  set forth in its  Underwriters'  Questionnaire,  or
telex  constituting  such  Questionnaire,  which address will be supplied to the
Company by the  Representatives  upon request.  Any such  statements,  requests,
notices or agreements shall take effect upon receipt thereof.

12. This Agreement and each Pricing  Agreement  shall be binding upon, and inure
solely to the benefit of, the Underwriters,  the Company, the Operating Entities
and, to the extent  provided in Section 8 hereof,  the officers and directors of

                                       26


the Company and each  person who  controls  the  Company,  any of the  Operating
Entities  or  any   Underwriter,   and  their   respective   heirs,   executors,
administrators,  successors  and assigns,  and no other person shall  acquire or
have any  right  under  or by  virtue  of this  Agreement  or any  such  Pricing
Agreement.  No purchaser of any of the Securities from any Underwriter  shall be
deemed a successor or assign by reason merely of such purchase.

13.  Time shall be of the essence of each  Pricing  Agreement.  As used  herein,
"business  day" shall mean any day when the  Commission's  office in Washington,
D.C. is open for business.

14. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement shall be governed by and construed
in accordance with the laws of the State of New York.

15. This Agreement and each Pricing Agreement may be executed by any one or more
of the parties hereto and thereto in any number of  counterparts,  each of which
shall be deemed to be an original,  but all such respective  counterparts  shall
together constitute one and the same instrument.

                                       27






         If the foregoing is in accordance with your understanding,  please sign
and return to us six counterparts hereof.

                                Very truly yours,

                                United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc.


                                By: /s/ James Dolphin
                                   ------------------------------------
                                      Name: James Dolphin
                                     Title: Executive Vice President


                                United Dominion Realty, L.P.

                                By: United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc.,
                                    its General Partner


                                By: /s/ James Dolphin                   
                                   ------------------------------------ 
                                      Name: James Dolphin               
                                     Title: Executive Vice President    
                                

                                UDR Western Residential, Inc.


                                By: /s/ James Dolphin                   
                                   ------------------------------------ 
                                      Name: James Dolphin               
                                     Title: Executive Vice President    
                                

                                UDRT  of  North   Carolina, L.L.C.

                                By: United Dominion Realty Trust, Inc.,
                                    its sole member


                                By: /s/ James Dolphin                   
                                   ------------------------------------    
                                      Name: James Dolphin                  
                                     Title: Executive Vice President       
                                
                                       28


                                ASR Investments Corporation


                                By: /s/ James Dolphin
                                   ------------------------------------
                                      Name: James Dolphin
                                     Title: Executive Vice President

Accepted as of the date hereof:

Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated
A.G. Edwards & Sons, Inc.
PaineWebber Incorporated
NationsBanc Montgomery Securities LLC
Wheat First Securities, Inc.
Acting severally on behalf of themselves and the other several
Underwriters

By:  Morgan Stanley & Co. Incorporated


By: /s/ Mike Fusco
    -----------------------------------
      Name: Mike Fusco
      Title: Vice President