EXHIBIT 10(iii)

                              EMPLOYMENT AGREEMENT

      THIS  EMPLOYMENT  AGREEMENT  ("Agreement"),  entered  into this 8th day of
December,   1998,  between  UNITED  DOMINION  REALTY  TRUST,  INC.,  a  Virginia
corporation (the "Company") and RICHARD A. GIANNOTTI (the "Executive"),  recites
and provides as follows:

                                R E C I T A L S:

      On  September  24,  1997,  the Company and the  Executive  entered into an
employment agreement (the "Employment Agreement"). The Company and the Executive
now  wish to  terminate  the  Employment  Agreement  and  replace  it with  this
Agreement.

                               A G R E E M E N T:

      NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, and the mutual promises
and  undertakings  hereinafter  set forth,  and the  payments  to be made to the
Executive hereunder, the parties hereto agree as follows:

1.    Position and Duties.

      a. The Company  hereby  agrees to and hereby  does  continue to employ the
Executive as an executive officer of the Company,  subject to the supervision of
the Chief Executive Officer of the Company,  or such other senior officer of the
Company  as may be  prescribed  by the Chief  Executive  Officer or the Board of
Directors of the Company (the "Board").  Currently, the Executive reports to the
Chief Executive  Officer and is responsible for Development for the Northern and
Southern Regions of the Company. The parties agree that the Employment Agreement
is hereby terminated and this Agreement is replaced in its stead.

      The Executive agrees that the description of the executive  position above
shall not limit the Company from  assigning to the  Executive  such other duties
and functions in addition to or in substitution of those described above.

      b. The  Executive  agrees to serve the  Company  as a full time  executive
officer with duties and  authority as set forth in the  Company's  by-laws or as
otherwise  prescribed by the Board, the Chief Executive  Officer,  or such other
senior  officer  prescribed  by the Chief  Executive  Officer or the Board.  The
Executive  shall  devote  such  time,  attention,  skill,  and  efforts  to  the
performance of his duties as a Company executive as shall be required therefore,
all under the  supervision  and  direction  of the  Board,  the Chief  Executive
Officer,  or such other senior  officer  prescribed by the Board.  The Executive
agrees  that  during  the  period of his  employment  he will not,  without  the
approval of a majority of the independent directors of the Board, have any other
(i) real estate  investment  trust or business  affiliations,  or (ii) corporate
affiliations  that conflict  with the business of the Company or interfere  with
the  ability of the  Executive  to perform  his duties for the Company or comply
with the covenants under this Agreement.

2.    Term of Agreement.

      This  Agreement will take effect as of the date of this Agreement and will
end on  December  31,  1998.  After  December  31,  1998,  this  Agreement  will
automatically  renew for successive one (1) year periods,  ending as of December
31 of each year, unless sooner terminated in accordance with Section 4.

3.    Compensation and Benefits.

      a. Base Salary.  The  Executive's  pay will not be less than  $175,000 per
year, payable in accordance with the Company's regular payroll practices, unless
the Executive consents to a lesser base salary in writing.

      b. Annual  Incentive  Compensation.  The Executive's  annual  compensation
shall also include an annual incentive where the Executive has an opportunity to
earn a bonus of at least forty five percent  (45%) of base salary based upon the
Executive and the Company  meeting certain  performance  goals and objectives as
determined  by the  Compensation  Committee  of  the  Board  (the  "Compensation
Committee").  The  Executive  acknowledges  that the  Board  or the  Compenstion
Committee,  as appropriate,  may elect to modify or terminate  annual  incentive
compensation for all executives at any time.

      c. Long Term Incentive  Compensation.  The Executive's  compensation shall
also include  participation (i) in the Company's 1982 Stock Option Plan; (ii) in
the  Company's  1991  Officers  Stock  Purchase  and Loan  Plan;  and  (iii) any
"shareholder  value  plan"  or other  long-term  compensation  plan  for  senior
officers of the Company adopted by the  Compensation  Committee or the Board, on
the same basis as similarly  situated  executive  officers of the  Company.  The
Executive  acknowledges  that  the  Board,  or the  Compensation  Committee,  as
appropriate,  may elect to  terminate or modify any or all  long-term  incentive
compensation at any time.

      d. Associate  Benefit Plans. The Executive will be eligible to participate
in any and all employee  benefit  plans,  medical  insurance  plans,  retirement
plans,  and other benefit plans in effect for employees in similar  positions at
the  Company  (the  "Company  Plans") or any other  plans  applicable  for other
officers or  executive  officers of the  Company.  Such  participation  shall be
subject  to the  terms  of the  applicable  plan  documents  and  the  Company's
generally applied  policies.  In addition,  the Executive  acknowledges that the
Company may elect to terminate or modify any or all Company Plans at any time.

      e. Travel. It is contemplated that the Executive will be required to incur
travel and  entertainment  expense in the interests and on behalf of the Company
and in  furtherance  of its business.  The  Executive  agrees to comply with the
travel and entertainment  guidelines of the Company,  which may be modified from
time to time (the "T&E Guidelines"). The Company at the end of each month during
the period of this  Agreement  will,  upon  submission of  appropriate  bills or
vouchers,  reimburse  expenses  incurred by the  Executive  during such month in
compliance with the T&E Guidelines.  The Executive  agrees to maintain  adequate
records,  in such detail as the Company may reasonably  request, of all expenses
to be reimbursed by the Company hereunder and to make such records available for
inspection as and when reasonably requested by the Company.

4. Employment Termination Outside of Change of Control.

      a. Incapacity;  Death. This Agreement may be terminated by the Company, by
delivery of a "Notice of Termination" (defined in Section 8) to the Executive or
his  personal  representative  given  at least  thirty  (30)  days  prior to the
effective  date  specified  therein,  in the event that the  Executive  shall be
unable  to  perform  his  duties  hereunder  for a  period  of more  than  three
consecutive  months as a result of illness or incapacity.  This Agreement  shall
terminate on the death of the Executive.

      b. Without Cause. This Agreement may be terminated by the Company, without
cause, by delivery of a "Notice of Termination"  (defined in Section 8) given to
the Executive ten (10) days prior to the effective date of such termination.

      c. Severance Compensation.  Upon termination of this Agreement pursuant to
Section 4 (a) or 4 (b),  the  Company  shall pay to the  Executive  or his legal
representative certain compensation (the "Severance Compensation") as follows:

(i) Base Salary. The Executive shall be paid fifty-two (52) weeks of base
salary, and the Company shall continue in effect for a period of fifty-two (52)
weeks after the effective date of the Executive's termination, all
health/life/disability insurance coverage provided to the Executive and his
immediate family on the day immediately prior to the date of notice of
termination or, if the Executive shall so elect, the Company shall pay to the
Executive an amount equal to the portion of the premium allocable to the
Executive for providing such coverage, provided, however, if such coverage
cannot be continued by the Company, the Company shall pay to the Executive an
amount sufficient for the Executive to obtain substantially similar coverage for
a period of fifty-two (52) weeks after the effective date of termination.

(ii) Incentive Compensation. The Executive shall also be entitled to annual
incentive compensation (i) actually earned by the Executive, if any, pursuant to
Section 3(b) of this Agreement for the Company's current fiscal year prorated
through the effective date of termination, which compensation shall be paid no
later than forty-five (45) days after the end of the Company's fiscal year and
(ii) an amount equal to the sum of the annual incentive compensation earned by
the Executive over the two calendar years prior to the effective date of
termination, divided by two ("Average Annual Incentive Compensation").
Compensation pursuant to paragraph 3(c) (long term incentive compensation) shall
be governed by the terms of the subject plans.

(iii) Severance Compensation Reduction. In the event termination is pursuant to
Section 4 (a) of this Agreement, the portion of Severance Compensation to be
paid pursuant to Section 4(i) and (ii) shall be reduced by the amount of any
life insurance proceeds paid by or through the Company or disability insurance
payments for one (1) year, as appropriate, payable to the Executive or his
personal representative or other beneficiary.

(iv) Timing. The Company, at its option, shall pay to the Executive or his legal
representative the sums payable to such Executive or his legal representative on
account of the portion of Severance Compensation consisting of (y) base salary
either in a lump sum or in monthly increments payable on the first day of each
month over the succeeding twelve (12) month period; and (z) the Average Annual
Incentive Compensation within thirty (30) days after the effective date of
termination.

(v) Life Insurance. The Executive shall also be entitled to direct the Company
to change the beneficiary of any non-group life insurance policy to another
person or group.

      d. By the  Executive.  This  Agreement may be terminated by the Executive,
upon delivery of a "Notice of Termination"  defined in Section 8) given at least
ninety (90) days before the effective  date of termination or for "Good Reason,"
which, for the purposes of this subsection, shall mean for the reasons set forth
in  subsections  5(d)(i) to (vi).  In such  event,  the  Executive  shall not be
entitled  to any  compensation  under this  Agreement  for any period not worked
after the termination  date,  other than  compensation to which the Executive is
entitled pursuant to Section 5.

      e. For Cause.  The  Company  may  terminate  this  Agreement  for cause by
providing  a "Notice of  Termination"  (as defined in Section 8). In such event,
the Executive shall not be entitled to any compensation under this Agreement for
the  period  after  the  termination  date,  and  any  compensation  paid to the
Executive  shall be net of any sums owed by the  Executive  to the  Company as a
result of the act for which the employment of the Executive was terminated.  The
circumstances  under which the Company will be deemed to have cause to terminate
this Agreement include, but are not limited to, the following:

(i) The Executive is convicted of or pleads nolo contendere to any crime, other
than a traffic offense or misdemeanor;

(ii) The Executive shall commit, with respect to the Company, an act of fraud or
embezzlement or shall have been grossly negligent in the performance of his
duties hereunder;

(iii) The Executive engages in gross dereliction of duties, refusal to perform
assigned duties consistent with his position, or repeated violation of the
Company's policies after written warning; or,

(iv) The Executive engages in drug abuse.

      f. Consulting Services. Upon termination of this Agreement,  the Executive
shall,  for a  period  of  up to  one  year  following  the  effective  date  of
termination,  render such advisory or  consulting  services to the Company as it
may reasonably  request,  taking into account the Executive's  health,  business
commitments,  geographical location and other relevant circumstances. The intent
of this  paragraph  is not to obligate the  Executive to perform any  day-to-day
duties for the  Company  following  termination  of his  employment  but only to
assist  management in effecting a smooth transition of the functions or projects
for which the Executive was responsible while an employee of the Company. Should
the  Executive  fail to render such advisory or  consulting  services,  after 30
days' prior  written  notice to the  Executive  and the  Executive's  failure to
commence the  rendering of such service,  the Company's  sole remedy shall be to
terminate payment of any remaining severance compensation.  If this Agreement is
terminated  pursuant to Section  4(d)(except  where the termination is for "Good
Reason") or 4(e) and no Severance  Compensation  is paid to the  Executive,  the
Executive  shall be paid on an  hourly  basis  to the  extent  requested  by the
Company to perform advisory or consulting  services,  based upon his base salary
prior to  termination  for the actual  time  spent for  advisory  or  consulting
services for the Company.

      g.  Return of Company  Property.  The parties  acknowledge  and agree that
records,  files,  reports,  manuals,  handbooks,  computer  diskettes,  computer
software,  customer files and  information,  documents,  equipment and the like,
relating to the Company's business or which are developed for or by the Company,
or which Executive shall develop,  create,  use, prepare or come into possession
of during his employment with the Company, shall remain the sole property of the
Company and Executive  covenants to promptly  deliver to the Company any and all
such  property  and  any  copies  thereof  no  later  than  the  termination  of
Executive's employment with the Company.

      h.    Covenants.  The  Executive  shall not be entitled to any  Severance
Compensation  or benefits for any period he is in violation of the Covenants in
Section 6.

5.    Change of Control.

      a. Change of Control. For purposes of this Agreement,  "Change of Control"
shall mean (i) the merger or  consolidation  of the Company  with any other real
estate  investment  trust,  corporation or other business  entity,  in which the
Company  is not the  survivor  (without  respect to the legal  structure  of the
transaction),  (ii)  the  transfer  or sale of all or  substantially  all of the
assets of the Company  other than to an affiliate or  subsidiary of the Company,
(iii) the  liquidation of the Company,  or (iv) the acquisition by any person or
by a group of persons  acting in  concert,  of more than 50% of the  outstanding
voting  securities of the Company,  which results in the resignation or addition
of fifty  percent  (50%) or more  members  of the  Board or the  resignation  or
addition of fifty percent (50%) or more independent members of the Board.

      b.  Compensation  Upon  Termination.  Following  a Change in Control  that
results in termination of the  Executive's  employment,  the Executive  shall be
entitled to the following  benefits unless such  termination is by the Executive
other than for "Good Reason" (as defined below):

(i) Compensation. The Company shall pay the Executive one hundred four (104)
weeks of base salary at the rate in effect at the time Notice of Termination is
given, and the equivalent of two years of annual incentive compensation based
upon the average annual incentive compensation earned by the Executive for the
two calendar years prior to the effective date of termination, plus all other
amounts to which the Executive is entitled under any compensation plan of the
Company.

(ii) Benefits. The Company shall provide the Executive with life, disability,
accident and health insurance coverage (including any dependent coverage)
substantially similar to the coverage the Executive is receiving immediately
prior to the Notice of Termination, for a twenty four (24) month period after
the Executive's termination. Benefits otherwise receivable by the Executive
pursuant to this subsection (ii) shall be reduced to the extent comparable
benefits are actually received by the Executive during the twenty-four (24)
month period following termination, and any such benefits actually received by
the Executive shall be reported to the Company.

(iii) Long-Term Incentive Compensation. All of the Executive's outstanding
options, stock appreciation rights and any other awards in the nature of rights
that may be exercised shall become fully vested and immediately exercisable; all
restrictions on any outstanding other awards held by the Executive (such as
awards of restricted stock) shall lapse; and the Executive's balance in any
deferred compensation plan or shareholder value plan shall become fully vested
and immediately payable; provided, however, that such acceleration will not
occur if, in the opinion of the Company's accountants, such acceleration would
preclude the use of "pooling of interest" accounting treatment for a Change of
Control transaction that (a) would otherwise qualify for such accounting
treatment, and (b) is contingent upon qualifying for such accounting treatment.

(iv) Timing. The Severance Payments shall be made no later than the thirtieth
(30th) business day following the effective date of termination. However, if the
amounts of the Severance Payments cannot be finally determined on or before such
day, the Company shall pay to the Executive on such day an estimate of the
minimum amount of such payments and shall pay the remainder of such payments as
soon as the amount thereof can be determined but in no event later than the
ninetieth (90th) day after the effective date of termination.

c.    Limitation of Benefits.

(i) Notwithstanding anything in this Agreement to the contrary, in the event it
shall be determined that any benefit, payment or distribution by the Company to
or for the benefit of Executive (whether payable or distributable pursuant to
the terms of this Agreement or otherwise)(such benefits, payments or
distributions are hereinafter referred to as "Payments") would, if paid, be
subject to the excise tax (the "Excise Tax") imposed by Section 4999 of the
Code, then the aggregate present value of the Payments shall be reduced (but not
below zero) to an amount expressed in present value that maximizes the aggregate
present value of the Payments without causing the Payments or any part thereof
to be subject to the Excise Tax and therefore nondeductible by the Company
because of Section 280G of the Code (the "Reduced Amount"). For purposes of this
Section, present value shall be determined in accordance with Section 280G(d)(4)
of the Code.

(ii) All determinations required to be made under this Section, including
whether an Excise Tax would otherwise be imposed, whether the Payments shall be
reduced, the amount of the Reduced Amount, and the assumptions to be utilized in
arriving at such determinations, shall be made by Ernst & Young, LLP or such
other certified public accounting firm acceptable to the Company, in its sole
discretion (the "Accounting Firm") which shall provide detailed supporting
calculations both to the Company and Executive within fifteen (15) business days
of the receipt of notice from Executive that a Payment is due to be made, or
such earlier time as is requested by the Company. All fees and expenses of the
Accounting Firm shall be borne solely by the Company. Any determination by the
Accounting Firm shall be binding upon the Company and Executive. As a result of
the uncertainty in the application of Section 4999 of the Code at the time of
the initial determination by the Accounting Firm hereunder, it is possible that
Payments hereunder will have been unnecessarily limited by this Section
("Underpayment"), consistent with the calculations required to be made
hereunder. The Accounting Firm shall determine the amount of the Underpayment
that has occurred and any such Underpayment shall be promptly paid by the
Company to or for the benefit of Executive.

      d.  Good  Reason.  The  Executive  shall be  entitled  to  terminate  this
Agreement  for Good Reason.  For purposes of this Section 5, "Good Reason" shall
mean the occurrence,  within two (2) years after a Change in Control,  of any of
the following circumstances:

(i) the assignment to the Executive of any duties inconsistent with the
Executive's position and status as Director of Development for the Northern and
Southern Regions or a substantial adverse alteration in the nature or status of
the Executive's responsibilities from those in effect immediately prior to the
Change in Control;

(ii) a ten percent (10%) or greater reduction by the Company in the Executive's
annual base salary as in effect on the date hereof or as the same may be
increased from time to time except for across-the-board salary reductions
affecting senior executives of the Company and senior executives of any person
directly or indirectly in control of the Company;

(iii) the Executive's relocation by the Company to a location not within fifty
miles of the Executive's present office or job location;

(iv) the failure by the Company to pay to the Executive any portion of the
Executive's current compensation, or to pay to the Executive any portion of an
installment of deferred compensation under any deferred compensation program of
the Company, within thirty (30) days of the date such compensation is due;

(v) the failure by the Company to continue in effect any annual or long-term
monetary incentive opportunity to which the Executive was entitled, or any
compensation plan in which the Executive participates immediately prior to the
Change in Control which constitutes more than ten percent (10%) of the
Executive's total compensation; provided, however, that the Company may modify
the monetary incentive opportunities so as to provide the Executive with the
same or similar monetary incentive opportunities;

(vi) the failure of the Company to obtain a satisfactory agreement from any
successor to assume and agree to perform this Agreement or a similar agreement
satisfactory to the Executive;

(vii) in the event the Executive terminates this Agreement for Good Reason
following a Change in Control as provided by this Section 5, the Executive shall
be entitled to the compensation provided by Section 5(b), reduced by the amount
of compensation received by the Executive following the Change in Control
through the effective date of termination.

      e.  Potential  Change  of  Control.  For  purposes  of this  Agreement,  a
"Potential  Change  in  Control"  shall be deemed  to have  occurred  if (i) the
Company enters into an agreement,  the consummation of which would result in the
occurrence  of a Change in  Control;  (ii) any person  (including  the  Company)
publicly  announces an intention to take or to consider  taking actions which if
consummated  would constitute a Change in Control;  (iii) any person,  who is or
becomes the  beneficial  owner,  directly or  indirectly,  of  securities of the
Company  representing 9.5% or more of the combined voting power of the Company's
then  outstanding   securities   increases  his  beneficial  ownership  of  such
securities by 5% or more over the percentage so owned by such person on the date
hereof;  or (iv) the Board  adopts a  resolution  to the  effect  that,  for the
purposes of this Agreement,  a Potential Change in Control has occurred.  In the
event of a Potential  Change in Control the Executive  will remain in the employ
of the Company until the earliest of (x) a date which is six (6) months from the
occurrence  of such  Potential  Change in Control,  or (y) the  occurrence  of a
Change in Control.

6.    Confidentiality; Non-Competition and Non-Solicitation Covenants.

      a. Basis for  Covenants.  The  Executive  acknowledges  that i) he will be
employed as an executive  officer in a managerial  capacity;  ii) his employment
with the Company gives him access to confidential  and  proprietary  information
concerning  the Company;  iii) the  agreements  and covenants  contained in this
Section 6 (the  "Covenants")  are  essential  to  protect  the  business  of the
Company;  and iv) the  Executive  is to receive  consideration  pursuant to this
Agreement.   Executive   recognizes  and  acknowledges   that  the  confidential
information described in Section 6(b) (the "Confidential  Information") which he
will acquire in the course of his  employment  is utilized by the Company in all
geographic areas in which the Company does business.  Further,  the Confidential
Information will also be utilized in all geographic areas into which the Company
expands its business.  Thus, Executive acknowledges that he will be a formidable
competitor  in all areas where the Company  conducts  business.  Executive  also
acknowledges that the Covenants serve to protect the Company's investment in the
Confidential Information.

b.    Confidentiality.

(i) The Executive acknowledges that he will be exposed to and learn a
substantial amount of information which is proprietary and confidential to the
Company, whether or not he develops or creates such information. The Executive
acknowledges that such proprietary and confidential information may include, but
is not limited to, trade secrets; acquisition or merger information; advertising
and promotional programs; resource or developmental projects; plans or
strategies for future business development; financial or statistical data;
customer information, including, but not limited to, customer lists, sales
records, account records, sales and marketing programs, pricing matters, and
strategies and reports; and any Company manuals, forms, techniques, and other
business procedures or methods, devices, computer software or matters of any
kind relating to or with respect to any confidential program or projects of the
Company, or any other information of a similar nature made available to the
Executive and not known in the trade in which the Company is engaged, which, if
misused or disclosed, could adversely affect the business or standing of the
Company. Confidential Information shall not include information that is
generally known or generally available to the public through no fault of the
Executive.

(ii) The Executive agrees that except as required by law, he will not at any
time divulge to any person, agency, institution, company or other entity any
information which he knows or has reason to believe is proprietary or
confidential to the Company, including but not limited to the types of
information described in Section 6(b)(i), or use such information to the
competitive disadvantage of the Company. The Executive agrees that his duties
and obligations under this Section 6 will continue for 12 months from the
termination of his employment or as long as the Confidential Information remains
proprietary or confidential to the Company.

      c. Non-Competition.  During the period of the Executive's employment,  the
Executive  agrees that he will not, on behalf of anyone  other than the Company,
engage in any managerial,  executive,  sales, or marketing activities related to
any business in which the Company is or becomes  engaged during the  Executive's
employment without the consent of the Board.

      d.  Non-Solicitation.  The  Executive  agrees that for a twelve (12) month
period  following the  termination  of his  employment  with the Company for any
reason  (including  the  Executive's  resignation),  the  Executive  shall  not,
directly or indirectly,  hire or solicit any employee of the Company employed at
the time of his  termination,  or  encourage  any such  employee  to leave  such
employment.

      e.    Scope of Covenants.

(i) Executive acknowledges that the Company intends to extend business
operations throughout the United States of America. Therefore, for a period of
twelve (12) months after termination of Executive's employment for any reason
(including Executive's resignation), Executive agrees that he shall not directly
or indirectly carry on or participate in the ownership or management of
apartment communities of the same class and quality of the communities owned by
the Company that directly competes with the Company anywhere within the United
States of America.

(ii) Independent of the preceding provision, Executive agrees that he shall not,
for a period of twelve (12) months after termination of Executive's employment,
directly or indirectly carry on or participate in the ownership or management of
apartment communities of the same class and quality of the apartment communities
owned by the Company that directly competes with the Company within any county
or city in which the Company conducts business.

(iii) These covenants shall not apply in the event the Executive is terminated
(i) by the Company without cause or as a result of a Change of Control, or (ii)
by the Executive (y) for Good Reason, which, for the purposes of this
subsection, shall mean any of the reasons set forth in subsections 5(d)(i) to
(iv), or (z) for a period of one (1) year following any change in the officer to
whom the Executive directly reports.

f.          Reasonableness of Covenants. The Executive agrees that the Covenants
            are  necessary  for the  reasonable  and  proper  protection  of the
            Company and that the Covenants are  reasonable in respect of subject
            matter,  length of time, and geographic scope. The Executive further
            acknowledges  that the Covenants will not unreasonably  restrict him
            from  earning  a  livelihood   following  the   termination  of  his
            employment with the Company.

g.          Governing Law; Public Policy.

(i) The parties agree that it is not their intention to violate any public
policy or statutory or common law. The parties intend that the provisions of
this Agreement be enforced to the fullest extent permissible under the laws and
public policies applied in each jurisdiction in which enforcement is sought. If
any provision of this Agreement is found by a court to be unenforceable, the
parties authorize the court to amend or modify the provision to make it
enforceable in the most restrictive fashion permitted by law.

(ii) The Executive and the Company are sophisticated parties and fully
understand (i) the ramifications of the non-competition, non-solicitation and
confidentiality restrictions of this Agreement and (ii) that the laws of each
state with respect to the enforceability of such provisions vary. The parties
are specifically selecting the internal laws of the Commonwealth of Virginia to
govern this Agreement in order that it be enforceable against all of them.

h. Outside Business. The Company acknowledges that the Executive's family is
engaged in seniors housing and land banking (the `Family Business') and that the
Executive is engaged in the Family Business. Sections 6(c) and 6(e) shall not
apply to the Executive's participation in the Family Business. The Company also
acknowledges that the Executive is involved in the "land bank" business
described in the attached memo dated January 8, 1999, (the "Land Bank
Business"). In the event the Company elects to participate in the Land Bank
Business or similar business in the future, Executives participation in the Land
Bank Business shall not be a violation of the covenants in Section 6(c) or 6(e).

      i. Separate  Agreement Upon Termination.  The provisions of this Section 6
so far as they relate to the period after the end of the term of this  Agreement
shall continue to have effect and shall operate as a separate  agreement between
the Company and the Executive.

7.    Successors and Assigns.

      a. The Executive acknowledges and agrees that this Agreement is a contract
for his  personal  services,  he is not  entitled  to  assign,  subcontract,  or
transfer  any of  the  obligations  imposed  or  benefits  provided  under  this
Agreement.

      b. This Agreement shall be binding on and will inure to the benefit of any
successors or assigns of the Company.

8. Definitions. The following terms shall have the following meanings:

      a. A "Notice of  Termination"  shall  mean a written  notice  which  shall
indicate the specific  termination  provision in this Agreement relied upon and,
if appropriate, shall set forth in reasonable detail the facts and circumstances
claimed to provide a basis for termination of the Executive's  employment  under
the provisions so indicated.

      b. "Code" shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended.

9.    Miscellaneous.

      a. Integration. This Agreement contains the complete agreement between the
Executive  and the Company with respect to its subject  matter.  This  Agreement
supersedes   all  previous   and   contemporaneous   agreements,   negotiations,
commitments, writings, and undertakings.

      b. Governing Law. This Agreement  shall be governed by and  interpreted in
accordance with the laws of the  Commonwealth of Virginia,  regardless of choice
of law rules.  Any dispute  arising  between the parties related to or involving
this  Agreement  will  be  litigated  in a  court  having  jurisdiction  in  the
Commonwealth of Virginia.

      c.  Modifications.  This  Agreement  may be  modified  or waived only by a
writing signed by both parties.

      d.    Waivers.  Any  waiver  of a  breach  of  this  Agreement  will  not
constitute a waiver of any future  breach,  whether of a similar or  dissimilar
nature.

      e. Severability.  The covenants in the various provisions of Section 6 are
separate   and   independent   contractual   provisions.   The   invalidity   or
unenforceability of any particular  restrictive  covenant or any other provision
of this  Agreement  shall not  affect  the  other  provisions  hereof,  and this
Agreement shall be construed in all respects as if such invalid or unenforceable
provision were omitted.






WE AGREE TO THIS:

UNITED DOMINION REALTY TRUST, INC.,
a Virginia corporation


By:  _______________________________

Its: ________________________________


EXECUTIVE



- - -----------------------------------
RICHARD A. GIANNOTTI