<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION EXTRACTED FROM THE AUDITED
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS AND IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.
</LEGEND>
<CIK> 0000946155
<NAME> TIAA REAL ESTATE ACCOUNT
<MULTIPLIER> 1

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          DEC-31-1999
<PERIOD-END>                               DEC-31-1999
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                    1,649,312,484
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                   1,686,782,355
<RECEIVABLES>                                        0
<ASSETS-OTHER>                              32,057,761
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                           617,599
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                           1,719,457,715
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                   23,975,287
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                         23,975,287
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                             0
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                       11,487,360
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                        8,833,911
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                              0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                             0
<NET-ASSETS>                             1,695,482,428
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                            7,814,816
<INTEREST-INCOME>                           17,117,917
<OTHER-INCOME>                              90,454,701
<EXPENSES-NET>                              (9,278,410)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                    106,109,024
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                     5,766,697
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                    4,068,046
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                      115,943,767
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                      2,653,449
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                          0
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                     499,115,541
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                            0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                        4,246,911
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                   0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                              9,278,410
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                     1,468,464,499
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                          132.172
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  9.632
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          1.164
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                            142.968
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   .630