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                                                                    EXHIBIT 4.3


UNLESS THIS SECURITY IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE
DEPOSITORY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION ("DTC"), 55 WATER STREET, NEW
YORK, NEW YORK, TO THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION
OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY CERTIFICATE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN
THE NAME OF CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC (AND ANY PAYMENT IS MADE TO CEDE & CO. OR TO SUCH OTHER
ENTITY AS IS REQUESTED BY AN AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF DTC), ANY TRANSFER,
PLEDGE, OR OTHER USE HEREOF FOR VALUE OR OTHERWISE BY OR TO ANY PERSON IS
WRONGFUL INASMUCH AS THE REGISTERED OWNER HEREOF, CEDE & CO., HAS AN INTEREST
HEREIN.

THIS SECURITY IS A GLOBAL SECURITY WITHIN THE MEANING SET FORTH IN THE INDENTURE
HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF DTC OR A NOMINEE OF
DTC. THIS SECURITY IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR SECURITIES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A
PERSON OTHER THAN DTC OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED
IN THE INDENTURE, AND MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY DTC TO A
NOMINEE OF DTC OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF DTC OR BY DTC OR ITS NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR
DEPOSITORY OR ITS NOMINEE.


                         BAY APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, INC.
                           6.250% SENIOR NOTE DUE 2003


Registered No.  1                                               PRINCIPAL AMOUNT
CUSIP No.:  072012 AA 5                                            $50,000,000


      BAY APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, INC., a corporation duly organized and existing
under the laws of the State of Maryland (herein referred to as the "Company"
which term shall include any successor corporation under the Indenture
hereinafter referred to), for value received, hereby promises to pay to CEDE &
CO., or registered assigns, upon presentation, the principal sum of $50,000,000
on January 15, 2003 and to pay interest on the outstanding principal amount
thereon from January 15, 1998, or from the immediately preceding Interest
Payment Date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semi-annually
in arrears on January 15 and July 15 in each year, commencing July 15, 1998, at
the


                                       
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rate of 6.250% per annum, until the entire principal hereof is paid or made
available for payment. The interest so payable and punctually paid or duly
provided for on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in the Indenture, be
paid to the Holder in whose name this Security is registered at the close of
business on the Regular Record Date for such interest which shall be December 31
or June 30 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding
such Interest Payment Date. Any such interest not so punctually paid or duly
provided for shall forthwith cease to be payable to the Holder on such Regular
Record Date, and may either be paid to the Holder in whose name this Security is
registered at the close of business on a Special Record Date for the payment of
such Defaulted Interest to be fixed by the Trustee, notice whereof shall be
given to the Holder of this Security not more than 15 days and not less than 10
days prior to such Special Record Date, or may be paid at any time in any other
lawful manner not inconsistent with the requirements of any securities exchange
on which this Security may be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by
such exchange, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. Payment of the
principal of and interest on this Security will be made at the office or agency
maintained for that purpose in the City of New York, New York, or elsewhere as
provided in the Indenture, in such coin or currency of the United States of
America as at the time of payment is legal tender for payment of public and
private debts; provided, however, that at the option of the Company payments of
principal and interest on the Notes (other than payments of principal and
interest due at Maturity) may be made (i) by check mailed to the address of the
Holder entitled thereto as such address shall appear in the Security Register or
(ii) by wire transfer to an account of the Holder entitled thereto located
within the United States.

      Securities of this series are one of a duly authorized issue of securities
of the Company (herein called the "Securities"), issued and to be issued in one
or more series under an Indenture, dated as of January 16, 1998, as supplemented
by the First Supplemental Indenture, dated as of January 20, 1998 (as so
supplemented, herein called the "Indenture"), between the Company and State
Street Bank and Trust Company (herein called the "Trustee," which term includes
any successor trustee under the Indenture), to which Indenture and all
indentures supplemental thereto reference is hereby made for a statement of the
respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of
the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Securities and of the terms upon
which the Securities are authenticated and delivered. This Security is one of
the series designated in the first page hereof, limited in aggregate principal
amount to $50,000,000.

      Securities of this series may be redeemed at any time at the option of the
Company, in whole or in part, upon notice of not more than 60 nor less than 30
days prior to the Redemption Date, at a redemption price equal to the sum of (i)
the principal amount of the Securities being redeemed plus accrued interest
thereon to the Redemption Date and (ii) the Make-Whole Amount, if any, with
respect to such Securities.


                                       
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      The Indenture contains provisions for defeasance at any time of (a) the
entire indebtedness of the Company on this Security and (b) certain restrictive
covenants and the related defaults and Events of Default applicable to the
Company, in each case, upon compliance by the Company with certain conditions
set forth in the Indenture, which provisions apply to this Security.

      If an Event of Default with respect to the Securities shall occur and be
continuing, the principal of the Securities may be declared due and payable in
the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture.

      As provided in and subject to the provisions of the Indenture, the Holder
of this Security shall not have the right to institute any proceeding with
respect to the Indenture or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee or for
any other remedy thereunder, unless such Holder shall have previously given
written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to
the Securities, the Holders of not less than 25% in principal amount of the
Securities of this series at the time outstanding shall have made written
request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of
Default as Trustee and offered the Trustee reasonable indemnity and the Trustee
shall not have received from the Holders of a majority in principal amount of
the Securities of this series at the time outstanding a direction inconsistent
with such request, and shall have failed to institute any such proceeding, for
60 days after receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity. The
foregoing shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Holder of this Security
for the enforcement of any payment of principal hereof or any interest on or
after the respective due dates expressed herein.

      The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the
amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the
Company and the rights of the Holders of the Securities of each series to be
affected under the Indenture at any time by the Company and the Trustee with the
consent of the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of all
outstanding Securities. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the
Holders of specified percentages in principal amount of the Securities of each
series at the time outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Securities of
such series, to waive compliance by the Company with certain provisions of the
Indenture and certain past defaults under the Indenture and their consequences.
Any such consent or waiver by the Holder of this Security shall be conclusive
and binding upon such Holder and upon all future Holders of this Security and of
any Security issued upon the registration of transfer hereof or in exchange
herefor or in lieu hereof, whether or not notation of such consent or waiver is
made upon this Security.

      No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Security or
of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the Company, which is
absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of (and Make-Whole Amount, if
any) and interest on this Security at the times, place and rate, and in the coin
or currency, herein prescribed.


                                       
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      As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein
set forth, the transfer of this Security is registrable in the Security
Register, upon surrender of this Security for registration of transfer at the
office or agency of the Company in any Place of Payment where the principal of
(and Make-Whole Amount, if any) and interest on this Security are payable, duly
endorsed by, or accompanied by a written instrument of transfer in form
satisfactory to the Company and the Security Registrar duly executed by the
Holder hereof or his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or
more new Securities of this series, of authorized denominations and for the same
aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or
transferees.

      The Securities of this series are issuable only in registered form without
coupons in denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof. As
provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations therein set forth,
Securities of this series are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal amount
of Securities of this series of a different authorized denomination, as
requested by the Holder surrendering the same.

      No service charge shall be made for any such registration of transfer or
exchange, but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any
tax or other governmental charge payable in connection therewith.

      Prior to due presentment of this Security for registration of transfer,
the Company, the Trustee and any agent of the Company or the Trustee may treat
the Person in whose name this Security is registered as the owner hereof for all
purposes, whether or not this Security be overdue, and neither the Company, the
Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

      No recourse under or upon any obligation, covenant or agreement contained
in the Indenture or in this Security, or because of any indebtedness evidenced
hereby or thereby, shall be had against any promoter, as such, or against any
past, present or future shareholder, officer or director, as such, of the
Company or of any successor, either directly or through the Company or any
successor, under any rule of law, statute or constitutional provision or by the
enforcement of any assessment or by any legal or equitable proceeding or
otherwise, all such liability being expressly waived and released by the
acceptance of this Security by the Holder thereof and as part of the
consideration for the issue of the Securities of this series.

      All capitalized terms used in this Security which are defined in the
Indenture shall have the meanings assigned to them in the Indenture.

      THE INDENTURE AND THE SECURITIES, INCLUDING THIS SECURITY, SHALL BE
GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK.


                                       
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      Pursuant to a recommendation promulgated by the Committee on Uniform
Security Identification Procedures, the Company has caused "CUSIP" numbers to be
printed on the Securities of this series as a convenience to the Holders of such
Securities. No representation is made as to the correctness or accuracy of such
CUSIP numbers as printed on the Securities, and reliance may be placed only on
the other identification numbers printed hereon.

      Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or on
behalf of the Trustee by manual signature, this Security shall not be entitled
to any benefit under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose.


                                       
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      IN WITNESS WHEREOF, BAY APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, INC. has caused this
instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal.

Dated:

                              BAY APARTMENT COMMUNITIES, INC.

                                  /S/ Gilbert M. Meyer
                              By:_______________________________________________
                                 Name:  Gilbert M. Meyer
                                 Title: Chairman of the Board,  President and
                                        Chief Executive Officer


[Corporate Seal]


Attest:

/S/ Jeffrey B. Van Horn
____________________________
Secretary


TRUSTEE'S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION:

      This is one of the Securities of the series designated therein referred to
in the within-mentioned Indenture.

                              STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY,
                                 as Trustee

                                  /s/ Robert J. Dunn
                              By:_______________________________________________
                                 Name:  Robert J. Dunn
                                 Title: Vice President


                                       
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                                 ASSIGNMENT FORM

                   FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the undersigned hereby
                        sells, assigns and transfers unto

  PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL
  SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING
  NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE

                                    ..................................



  ...........................................................................
              (Please Print or Typewrite Name and Address including
                              Zip Code of Assignee)


 ........................................................................... the
within Security of Bay Apartment Communities, Inc. and hereby does irrevocably
constitute and appoint

 .................................................................. Attorney to
transfer said Security on the books of the within-named Company with full power
of substitution in the premises.

Dated:  ..............  ...................................................

                        ...................................................



NOTICE: The signature to this assignment must correspond with the name as it
appears on the first page of the within Security in every particular, without
alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.