SEC Info

Home

Search

My Interests

Help

Sign In

Please Sign In

  As Of               Filer                 Filing     As/For/On Docs:Pgs              Issuer               Agent

 5/01/08  Tiaa Real Estate Account          S-1/A                  5:433                                    Command Financial...Corp

Document/Exhibit                   Description                      Pages   Size 

 1: S-1/A       Pre-Effective Amendment to Registration Statement   HTML  3,133K 
                          (General Form)                                         
 2: EX-5        Opinion re: Legality                                HTML     10K 
 3: EX-23.(C)   Consent of Experts or Counsel                       HTML      5K 
 4: EX-23.(D)   Consent of Experts or Counsel                       HTML      6K 
 5: EX-23.(E)   Consent of Experts or Counsel                       HTML      6K 

          Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after the effective date of the registration statement.

          If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, check the following box: x

          If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: o

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: o

          If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering: o

          Pursuant to Rule 429 under the Securities Act, the prospectus contained herein also relates to and constitutes a post-effective amendment to Securities Act registration statements 33-92990, 333-13477, 333-22809, 333-59778, 333-83964, 333-113602, 333-121493, 333-132580 and 333-141513 (collectively, the “Prior Registration Statements”).

          Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or a smaller reporting company. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.

          Large accelerated filer o Accelerated filer o Non-accelerated filer x Smaller Reporting Company o

          The registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to Section 8(a), may determine.

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and we are not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

PROSPECTUS
________, 2008

TIAA REAL ESTATE ACCOUNT

A Tax-Deferred Variable Annuity Option Offered by Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America

This prospectus tells you about the TIAA Real Estate Account, an investment option offered through individual and group variable annuity contracts issued by TIAA. Please read it carefully before investing and keep it for future reference.

The Real Estate Account, which we refer to sometimes as “the Account” in this prospectus, invests primarily in real estate and real estate-related investments. TIAA, one of the largest and most experienced mortgage and real estate investors in the nation, manages the Account’s assets.

The value of your investment in the Real Estate Account will go up or down depending on how the Account performs and you could lose money. The Account’s performance depends mainly on the value of the Account’s real estate and other real estate-related investments, and the income generated by those investments. The Account’s returns could go down if, for example, real estate values or rental and occupancy rates, or the value of real estate related securities, decrease due to general economic conditions and/or a weak market for real estate generally. Property operating costs and government regulations, such as zoning or environmental laws, could also affect a property’s profitability. TIAA does not guarantee the investment performance of the Account, and you will bear the entire investment risk. For a detailed discussion of the specific risks of investing in the Account, see “Risks” on page 12.

We take deductions daily from the Account’s net assets for the Account’s operating and investment management expenses. The Account also pays TIAA for bearing mortality and expense risks and for providing a liquidity guarantee. The current estimated annual expense deductions from the Account’s net assets total 0.840%.

The Real Estate Account is designed as an option for retirement and tax-deferred savings plans for employees of nonprofit institutions. TIAA offers the Real Estate Account under the following annuity contracts:

Note that state regulatory approval may be pending for certain of these contracts and they may not currently be available in your state.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the adequacy of the information in this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

An investment in the Real Estate Account is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 ABOUT THE REAL ESTATE ACCOUNT AND TIAA

          The TIAA Real Estate Account was established in February 1995 as a separate account of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (TIAA). TIAA is a life insurance company founded in 1918 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. Its home office is at 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017-3206 and its telephone number is 212 490-9000. In addition to issuing variable annuities, whose returns depend upon the performance of certain specified investments, TIAA also offers traditional fixed annuities.

          With its 60 years in the real estate business and interests in properties located across the U.S. and internationally, TIAA is one of the nation’s largest and most experienced investors in mortgages and real estate equity interests. As of December 31, 2007, TIAA’s general account had a mortgage and real property portfolio of approximately $22.1 billion.

          TIAA is the companion organization of the College Retirement Equities Fund (CREF), the first company in the United States to issue a variable annuity. CREF is a nonprofit membership corporation established in New York State in 1952. Together, TIAA and CREF form the principal retirement system for the nation’s education and research communities and one of the largest pension systems in the U.S., based on assets under management. TIAA-CREF serves approximately 3.3 million people and over 15,000 institutions. As of December 31, 2007, TIAA’s assets were approximately $196.4 billion; the combined assets for TIAA and CREF totaled approximately $417.8 billion (although CREF does not stand behind TIAA’s guarantees).

          The Account offers individual and group accumulating annuity contracts (with contributions made on a pre-tax or after-tax basis), as well as individual lifetime and term-certain variable payout annuity contracts (including the payment of death benefits to beneficiaries). Investors are entitled to transfer funds to or from the Account under certain circumstances. Funds invested in the Account for each category of contract are expressed in terms of units, and unit values will fluctuate depending on the Account’s performance.

          More information about the Account may be obtained by writing us at 730 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017-3206, calling us at 877 518-9161 or visiting our website at www.tiaa-cref.org.

 THE ACCOUNT’S INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND STRATEGY

          Investment Objective: The Real Estate Account seeks favorable long-term returns primarily through rental income and appreciation of real estate investments owned by the Account. The Account also will invest in publicly traded securities and other investments that are easily converted to cash to make redemptions, purchase or improve properties or cover other expenses.

          Investment Strategy: The Account intends to invest between 75 percent and 85 percent of its assets directly in real estate or real estate-related investments.

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 3

The Account’s principal strategy is to purchase direct ownership interests in income-producing real estate, such as office, industrial, retail, and multi-family residential properties. The Account can also invest in other real estate or real estate-related investments through joint ventures, real estate partnerships or common or preferred stock or other equity securities of companies whose operations involve real estate (i.e., that primarily own or manage real estate). To a limited extent, the Account can also invest in conventional mortgage loans, participating mortgage loans, and collateralized mortgage obligations, including commercial mortgage-backed securities and other similar investments. The Account may also make foreign investments, which are expected to comprise no more than 25 percent of the Account’s total assets.

          The Account will invest the remaining portion of its assets in government and corporate debt securities, money market instruments and, at times, stock of companies that do not primarily own or manage real estate. In some circumstances, the Account can increase the portion of its assets invested in debt securities or money market instruments. This could happen if the Account receives a large inflow of money in a short period of time, there is a lack of attractive real estate investments available on the market, or the Account anticipates a need to have more cash available.

          The amount the Account invests in real estate and real estate-related investments at a given time will vary depending on market conditions and real estate prospects, among other factors. As of December 31, 2007, the Account’s net assets totaled $17,660,536,799. At December 31, 2007, the Account held a total of 111 real estate property investments (including its interests in 12 real estate-related joint ventures) and one remaining equity interest in a joint venture in which the Account sold its real estate investment during the third quarter of 2007, representing 77.91% of the Account’s total investment portfolio (“Total Investments”).

          As of that date, the Account also held investments in a mortgage loan receivable, representing 0.38% of Total Investments, real estate equity securities, representing 2.24% of Total Investments, real estate limited partnerships, representing 1.74% of Total Investments, commercial paper, representing 9.23% of Total Investments, certificates of deposit, representing 2.22% of Total Investments, variable notes, representing 0.26% of Total Investments, bankers acceptance, representing 0.20% of Total Investments, and government agency bonds, representing 5.82% of Total Investments.

          Risks: An investment in the Account is subject to the risks associated with real estate investing, including the risks of acquiring, owning and selling real property, interest rate risk, market risk, credit risk, and regulatory and environmental risks. Further risks include the risks associated with making mortgage loan investments and investing in mortgage-backed securities, liquid investments and foreign real estate investments. These risks, among others, are described in “Risks” beginning on page 12. You may lose money by investing in this Account.

4 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

 PAST PERFORMANCE

          The bar chart and performance table below helps illustrate some of the risks of investing in the Account, and how investment performance during the accumulation period varies. The bar chart shows the Account’s total return during the accumulation period over the last ten calendar years and the performance table shows the Account’s returns during the accumulation period for the one-, three-, five- and ten-year periods through December 31, 2007. How the Account has performed in the past is not necessarily an indication of how it will perform in the future.

Best quarter: 4.69%, for the quarter ended June 30, 2006.
Worst quarter: 0.72%, for the quarter ended December 31, 2002.

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN (AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2007)

 SUMMARY OF ACCOUNT’S EXPENSE DEDUCTIONS

          Expense deductions are made each Valuation Day from the net assets of the Account for various services to manage investments, administer the Account and the contracts, distribute the contracts and to cover certain risks borne by TIAA. Services are provided “at cost” by TIAA and TIAA-CREF Individual & Institutional Services, LLC (“Services”), a registered broker-dealer and wholly owned subsidiary of TIAA. Currently, TIAA provides investment management services and administration services for the Account, and Services provides distribution services for the Account. TIAA guarantees that in the aggregate, the expense charges will never be more than 2.50% of average net assets per year.

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 5

          The estimated annual expense deduction rate that appears in the expense table below reflects an estimate of the amount we currently expect to deduct to approximate the costs that the Account will incur from May 1, 2008 through April 30, 2009. Actual expenses may be higher or lower.

          Effective January 1, 2008, TIAA commenced performing administration functions previously performed for the Account by Services (which include receiving and allocating premiums, calculating and making annuity payments and providing recordkeeping and other services). Distribution services for the Account, which include, without limitation, distribution of the annuity contracts, advising existing annuity contract owners in connection with their accumulations and helping employers implement and manage retirement plans, continue to be performed by Services.

          TIAA and Services provide administration and distribution services, as applicable, on an at-cost basis. Since expenses are charged at cost, the expenses described are estimates for the year based on projected expense and asset levels. Administration charges include certain costs associated with the provision by TIAA entities of recordkeeping and other services for retirement plans and other pension products in addition to the Account. A portion of these expenses are allocated to the Account in accordance with applicable allocation procedures. Any differences between actual and estimated expenses are adjusted quarterly. The expenses identified in the table above do not include any fees which may be imposed by your employer under a plan maintained by your employer. For more information, see “Expense Deductions” on page 72.

          The following table shows you an example of the expenses you would incur on a hypothetical investment of $1,000 in the TIAA Real Estate Account over several

6 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

periods. The table assumes a 5% annual return on assets and an annual expense deduction equal to 0.840%. These figures do not represent actual expenses or investment performance, which may differ.

 ABOUT THE ACCOUNT’S INVESTMENTS — IN GENERAL

DIRECT INVESTMENTS IN REAL ESTATE

          Direct Purchase: The Account will generally buy direct ownership interests in existing or newly constructed income-producing properties, including office, industrial, retail, and multi-family residential properties. The Account will invest mainly in established properties with existing rent and expense schedules or in newly constructed properties with predictable cash flows or in which a seller agrees to provide certain minimum income levels. On occasion, the Account also might invest in real estate development projects.

          Purchase-Leaseback Transactions: Although it has not yet done so, the Account can enter into purchase-leaseback transactions (leasebacks) in which it would buy land and income-producing improvements on the land (such as buildings), and simultaneously lease the land and improvements to a third party (the lessee). Leasebacks are generally for very long terms. Usually, the lessee is responsible for operating the property and paying all operating costs, including taxes and mortgage debt. The Account can also give the lessee an option to buy the land and improvements.

          In some leasebacks, the Account may purchase only the land under an income-producing building and lease the land to the building owner. In those cases, the Account likely would seek to share (or “participate”) in any increase in property value from building improvements or in the lessee’s revenues from the building above a base amount. The Account can invest in leasebacks that are subordinated to other interests in the land, buildings, and improvements (e.g., first mortgages); in that case, the leaseback interest would be subject to greater risks.

INVESTMENTS IN MORTGAGES

          General: The Account can originate or acquire interests in mortgage loans, generally on the same types of properties it might otherwise buy. These mortgage loans may pay fixed or variable interest rates or have “participating” features (as described below). Normally the Account’s mortgage loans will be secured by properties that have income-producing potential. They usually will not be insured or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies or anyone else. They usually will be non-recourse, which means they won’t be the borrower’s personal obligations. Most will be first mortgage loans on existing income-producing property, with first-priority liens on the property. These loans may be amortized

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 7

(i.e., principal is paid over the course of the loan), or may provide for interest-only payments, with a balloon payment at maturity.

          Participating Mortgage Loans: The Account may make mortgage loans which permit the Account to share (have a “participation”) in the income from or appreciation of the underlying property. These participations let the Account receive additional interest, usually calculated as a percentage of the income the borrower receives from operating, selling or refinancing the property. The Account may also have an option to buy an interest in the property securing the participating loan.

          Managing Mortgage Loan Investments: TIAA can manage the Account’s mortgage loans in a variety of ways, including:

OTHER REAL ESTATE-RELATED INVESTMENTS

          Real Estate Investment Trusts: The Account may invest in real estate investment trusts (REITs), which are publicly owned entities that lease, manage, acquire, hold mortgages on, and develop real estate. Normally the Account will buy the common or preferred stock of a REIT, although at times it may purchase REIT debt securities. REITs seek to maximize share value and increase cash flows by acquiring and developing new real estate projects, upgrading existing properties or renegotiating existing arrangements to increase rental rates and occupancy levels. REITs must distribute at least 90% of their taxable income to shareholders in order to benefit from a special tax structure, which means they may pay high dividends. The value of a particular REIT can be affected by such factors as cash flow, the skill of its management team, and defaults by its lessees or borrowers.

          Stock of Companies Involved in Real Estate Activities: The Account can invest in common or preferred stock of companies whose business involves real estate. These stocks may be listed on U.S. or foreign stock exchanges or traded over-the-counter in the U.S. or abroad.

          Mortgage-Backed Securities: The Account can invest in mortgage-backed securities and other mortgage-related or asset-backed instruments, including commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBSs), residential mortgage-backed securities, mortgage-backed securities issued or guaranteed by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, non-agency mortgage instruments, and collateralized mortgage obligations that are fully collateralized by a portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-related securities. Mortgage-backed securities are instruments that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured

8 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

by and payable from, one or more mortgage loans secured by real estate. In most cases, mortgage-backed securities distribute principal and interest payments on the mortgages to investors. Interest rates on these instruments can be fixed or variable. Some classes of mortgage-backed securities may be entitled to receive mortgage prepayments before other classes do. Therefore, the prepayment risk for a particular instrument may be different than for other mortgage-related securities.

          Investment Vehicles Involved in Real Estate Activities: The Account can hold interests in limited partnerships, funds, and other commingled investment vehicles involved in real estate-related activities, including owning, financing, managing, or developing real estate.

NON-REAL ESTATE-RELATED INVESTMENTS

          The Account can also invest in:

FOREIGN REAL ESTATE AND OTHER FOREIGN INVESTMENTS

          The Account may invest in foreign real estate or real estate-related investments. It might also invest in securities or other instruments of foreign government or private issuers. While the percentage will vary, we expect that foreign investments will comprise no more than 25 percent of the Account’s total assets.

          Depending on investment opportunities, the Account’s foreign investments could at times be concentrated in one or two foreign countries. We will consider the special risks involved in foreign investing before investing in foreign real estate and won’t invest unless our standards are met.

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 9

 GENERAL INVESTMENT AND OPERATING POLICIES

STANDARDS FOR REAL ESTATE INVESTMENTS

          General Criteria for Buying Real Estate or Making Mortgage Loans: Before the Account purchases real estate or makes a mortgage loan, TIAA will consider such factors as:

          TIAA will analyze the fair market value of the underlying real estate, taking into account the property’s operating cash flow (based on the historical and projected levels of rental and occupancy rates and expenses), as well as the general economic conditions in the area where the property is located.

          Diversification: We haven’t placed percentage limitations on the type and location of properties that the Account can buy. However, the Account seeks to diversify its investments by type of property and geographic location. How much the Account diversifies will depend upon whether suitable investments are available and how much the Account has available to invest.

          Special Criteria for Making Mortgage Loans: Ordinarily, the Account will only make a mortgage loan if the loan, when added to any existing debt, will not exceed 85 percent of the appraised value of the mortgaged property when the loan is made, unless the Account is compensated for taking additional risk.

          Selling Real Estate Investments: The Account doesn’t intend to buy and sell its real estate investments simply to make short-term profits. Rather, the Account’s general strategy in selling real estate investments is to dispose of those assets which have either maximized in value, underperformed or represent properties needing significant capital infusions in the future. The Account will reinvest any sale proceeds that it doesn’t need to pay operating expenses or to meet redemption requests (e.g., cash withdrawals or transfers).

OTHER REAL ESTATE-RELATED POLICIES

          Appraisals: The Account will rely on TIAA’s own analysis, normally along with an independent external appraisal, in connection with the purchase of a property by the Account. The Account will normally receive an independent external appraisal performed by a third party appraisal firm at or before the time it buys a real estate asset, and the Account also generally obtains an independent appraisal when it makes mortgage loans. The Account’s properties and mortgage loans will then be appraised or valued once a year by an independent state-certified appraiser who is a member of a professional appraisal organization. In addition, TIAA’s appraisal staff will perform a valuation of each real estate property on a quarterly basis and on occasion, the Account will obtain independent appraisals on a quarterly basis. See “Valuing the Account’s Assets” on page 66.

10 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

          Borrowing: The Account may borrow money and assume or obtain a mortgage on a property — i.e., make leveraged real estate investments. In addition, to meet short-term cash needs, the Account may obtain a line of credit with terms requiring that the Account secure a loan with one or more of its properties. The Account’s total borrowings may not exceed 30% of the Account’s total net asset value at the time of incurrence. In calculating the 30% limit, we will include only the Account’s actual percentage interest in any borrowings and not that of any joint venture partner. The Account may only borrow up to 70% of the then current value of a property, although construction loans may be for 100% of costs incurred in developing the property. Except for construction loans, any mortgage loans on a property will be non-recourse, meaning that if the Account defaults on its loan, the lender will have recourse only to the property encumbered or the joint venture owning the property, and not to any other assets of the Account. When possible, the Account will seek to have loans mature at different times to limit the risks of borrowing.

          The Account will not obtain mortgage financing from TIAA or any of its affiliates. However, the Account may place an intra-company mortgage on an Account property held by a subsidiary for tax planning or other purposes. This type of mortgage will not be subject to the general limitations on borrowing described above.

          When the Account assumes or obtains a mortgage on a property, it will bear the expense of mortgage payments. It will also be exposed to certain additional risks, which are described in “Risks—Risks of Borrowing” on page 16.

          Joint Investments: The Account can hold property jointly through general or limited partnerships, joint ventures, leaseholds, tenancies-in-common, or other legal arrangements. However, the Account will not hold real property jointly with TIAA or its affiliates.

          Discretion to Evict or Foreclose: TIAA may, in its discretion, evict defaulting tenants or foreclose on defaulting borrowers to maintain the value of an investment, when it decides that it is in the Account’s best interests.

          Property Management and Leasing Services: The Account usually will hire a national or regional independent third party property management company to perform the day-to-day management services for each of the Account’s properties, including supervising any on-site personnel, negotiating maintenance and service contracts, and providing advice on major repairs and capital improvements. The property manager will also recommend changes in rent schedules and create marketing and advertising programs to attain and maintain high levels of occupancy by responsible tenants. The Account may also hire independent third party leasing companies to perform or coordinate leasing and marketing services to fill any vacancies. The fees paid to the property management company, along with any leasing commissions and expenses, will reduce the Account’s cash flow from a property.

          Insurance: We will try to arrange for, or require proof of, comprehensive insurance, including liability, fire, and extended coverage, for the Account’s real

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 11

property and properties securing mortgage loans or subject to purchase-leaseback transactions. The Account’s insurance policies on its properties currently include some coverage for earthquakes and terrorist acts, but we can’t assure you that it will be adequate to cover all losses. We also can’t assure you that we will be able to obtain coverage for earthquakes and terrorist acts at an acceptable cost, if at all, at the time a policy expires.

OTHER POLICIES

          Liquid Assets: At times, a significant percentage of the Account may be invested in liquid assets (which may or may not be real estate-related) while we look for suitable real property investments. The Account can temporarily increase the percentage of its liquid assets under some circumstances, including the rapid inflow of participants’ funds, lack of suitable real estate investments, or a need for greater liquidity.

          Investment Company Act of 1940: The Account has not registered, and we intend to operate the Account so that it will not have to register, as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act). This will require monitoring the Account’s portfolio so that it won’t have more than 40 percent of total assets, other than U.S. government securities and cash items, in investment securities. As a result, the Account may be unable to make some potentially profitable investments, it may be unable to sell assets it would otherwise want to sell or it may be forced to sell investments in investment securities before it would otherwise want to do so.

          Changing Operating Policies or Winding Down: Under the terms of the contracts and in accordance with applicable insurance law, TIAA can decide to change, in its sole discretion, the operating policies of the Account or to wind it down. If the Account is wound down, you may need to transfer your accumulations or annuity income to TIAA’s traditional annuity or any CREF account available under your employer’s plan. All investors in the Account will be notified in advance if we decide to change a significant policy or wind down the Account.

 RISKS

          The value of your investment in the Account will fluctuate based on the value of the Account’s assets and the income the assets generate. You can lose money by investing in the Account. The value of an investment in the Account will fluctuate based on the value of the Account’s assets and the income the assets generate. There is risk associated with an investor attempting to “time” an investment in the Account’s units, or effecting a redemption of an investor’s units. The Account’s assets and income can be affected by many factors, and you should consider the specific risks presented below before investing in the Account. Please refer to the section entitled “Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information,” which is contained in the section entitled “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”

12 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

RISKS OF REAL ESTATE INVESTING

          General Risks of Acquiring and Owning Real Property: The Account is subject to the risks inherent in acquiring and owning real property, including in particular the following:

          The incidence of some or all of these factors could reduce occupancy or rental rates and the market value of the Account’s real properties. Further, the Account may experience periods in which its investments are geographically concentrated, either regionally or in certain markets with similar demographics. Also, the Account may experience periods in which its tenant base is concentrated within a particular industry sector. In these events, the Account’s income and performance may be adversely impacted disproportionately by deteriorating economic conditions in those areas or industry sectors in which the Account’s investments are concentrated.

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 13

14 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

          General Risks of Selling Real Estate Investments: Among the risks of selling real estate investments are:

          Appraisal Risks: Real estate appraisals are estimates of property values based on a professional’s opinion and may not be accurate predictors of the amount the Account would actually receive if it sold a property. Appraisals can be subjective in certain respects and rely on a variety of assumptions and conditions at that property or in the market (including, without limitation, a potential lack of recent transaction activity in such market) in which the property is located, which may change materially after the appraisal is conducted. If an appraisal is too high, the Account’s value could go down upon reappraisal or if the property is sold for a lower price than the appraisal. If an appraisal is too low, those who redeem prior to an adjustment to the valuation or a property sale will have received less than their pro rata share of the value of the Account’s assets. Further, as the Account

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 15

generally obtains appraisals on a quarterly basis, there may be circumstances in the interim in which the true value of a property is not reflected in the Account’s daily net asset value calculation or in the Account’s periodic financial statements. This disparity may be more apparent when the commercial and/or residential real estate markets experience an overall and possibly dramatic decline in property values in a relatively short period of time between appraisals.

          Risks of Borrowing: The Account acquires some of its properties subject to existing financing or by borrowing new funds at the time of purchase, and may from time to time place new leverage on, or increase the leverage already placed on, existing properties the Account owns. The Account may borrow, in the aggregate, either directly or through its joint venture investments, an amount up to 30% of the Account’s Total Net Assets, and the Account may borrow up to 70% of the then-current value of a particular property. Among the risks of borrowing money and investing in a property subject to a mortgage are:

A general disruption in the credit markets, such as the credit markets have been recently experiencing, may aggravate some or all of these risks.

          Investment Risk Associated with Participant Transactions. The amount we have available to invest in new properties and other real estate related assets will depend, in large part, on the level of participant premiums coming into the

16 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

Account, as well as the level of net participant transfers into or out of the Account. If the amount of such premiums and/or net participant transfers into the Account were to experience a significant decline for a period of time, we may not have enough available funds to pursue, or consummate, every new investment opportunity presented to us that is otherwise attractive to the Account. This, in turn, could harm the Account’s returns.

          Regulatory Risks: Government regulation at the federal, state and local levels, including, without limitation, zoning laws, rent control or rent stabilization laws, laws regulating housing on the Account’s multifamily residential properties, the Americans with Disabilities Act, property taxes and fiscal, accounting, environmental or other government policies, could operate or change in a way that adversely affects the Account and its properties. For example, these regulations could raise the cost of owning, improving or maintaining properties, present barriers to otherwise desirable investment opportunities or make it harder to sell, rent, finance, or refinance properties either on economically desirable terms, or at all, due to the increased costs associated with regulatory compliance.

          Environmental Risks: The Account may be liable for damage to the environment or injury to individuals caused by hazardous substances used or found on its properties. Under various environmental regulations, the Account may also be liable, as a current or previous property owner or mortgagee, for the cost of removing or cleaning up hazardous substances found on a property, even if it didn’t know of and wasn’t responsible for the hazardous substances. If any hazardous substances are present or the Account doesn’t properly clean up any hazardous substances, or if the Account fails to comply with regulations requiring it to actively monitor the business activities on its premises, the Account may have difficulty selling or renting a property or be liable for monetary penalties. Further, environmental laws may impose restrictions on the manner in which a property may be used, the tenants which may be allowed, or the manner in which businesses may be operated, which may require the Account to expend funds, and such laws may also cause the most ideal use of the property to differ from that originally contemplated and as a result could impair the Account’s returns. The cost of any required cleanup relating to a single real estate investment (including remediating contaminated property) and the Account’s potential liability for environmental damage, including paying personal injury claims and performing under indemnification obligations to third parties, could exceed the value of the Account’s investment in a property, the property’s value, or in an extreme case, a significant portion of the Account’s assets.

          Uninsurable Losses: Certain catastrophic losses (e.g., from earthquakes, wars, terrorist acts, nuclear accidents, floods or environmental or industrial hazards or accidents) may be uninsurable or so expensive to insure against that it is economically disadvantageous to buy insurance for them. If a disaster that we haven’t insured against occurs, or if the insurance contains a high deductible, the Account could lose both its original investment and any future profits from the property affected. In addition, some leases may permit a tenant to terminate its

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus17

obligations in certain situations, regardless of whether those events are fully covered by insurance. In that case, the Account would not receive rental income from the property while that tenant’s space is vacant.

          Risks of Developing Real Estate or Buying Recently Constructed Properties: If the Account chooses to develop a property or buys a recently constructed property, it may face the following risks:

          Risks of Joint Ownership: Investing in joint venture partnerships or other forms of joint property ownership may involve special risks.

          Risks with Purchase-Leaseback Transactions: The major risk of purchase leaseback transactions is that the third party lessee will be unable to make required payments to the Account. If the leaseback interest is subordinate to other interests in the real property, such as a first mortgage or other lien, the risk to the Account increases because the lessee may have to pay the senior lienholder to prevent foreclosure before it pays the Account. If the lessee defaults or the leaseback is terminated prematurely, the Account might not recover its investment unless the property is sold or leased on favorable terms.

RISKS OF MAKING MORTGAGE LOAN INVESTMENTS

          General Risks of Mortgage Loans: The Account will be subject to the risks inherent in making mortgage loans, including:

18 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus19

RISKS OF INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (“REIT”) SECURITIES

          Investments in REIT securities are subject to many of the same general risks associated with direct real property ownership. In particular, equity REITs may be affected by changes in the value of the underlying property owned by the trust, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the quality of any credit extended. In addition to these risks, because REIT investments are securities, they may be exposed to market risk and potentially significant price volatility due to changing conditions in the financial markets and, in particular, changes in overall interest rates, regardless of the value of the underlying real estate such REIT may own.

          In addition, REITs are tax regulated entities established to invest in real estate-related assets. REITs do not pay federal income taxes if they distribute most of their earnings to their shareholders and meet other tax requirements. As a result, REITs are subject to tax risk in continuing to qualify as a REIT.

RISKS OF MORTGAGE-BACKED SECURITIES

          Mortgage-backed securities are subject to many of the same general risks inherent in real estate investing, making mortgage loans and investing in debt securities. In particular, these types of investments may be subject to prepayment risk or extension risk (i.e., the risk that borrowers will repay the loans earlier or later than anticipated). If the underlying mortgage assets experience faster than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Account could fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities, since the original price paid by the Account was based in part on assumptions regarding the receipt of interest payments. If the underlying mortgage assets are repaid later than anticipated, the Account could lose the opportunity to reinvest the anticipated cash flows at a time when interest rates might be rising. The rate of prepayments depends on a variety of geographic, social and other functions, including prevailing market interest rates and general economic factors. Further, the underlying mortgage loans may experience defaults with greater frequency than projected when such mortgages were underwritten, which would impact the values of these securities, and could hamper our ability to sell such securities.

          Importantly, the market value of these securities is also highly sensitive to changes in interest rates, liquidity of the secondary market and economic conditions impacting financial institutions and the credit markets generally. Note that the potential for appreciation, which could otherwise be expected to result from a decline in interest rates, may be limited by any increased prepayments. Further, volatility and disruption in the mortgage market and credit markets generally (such as has recently been the case) may cause there to be a very limited secondary market for these securities and they may be harder to sell than other securities.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST WITHIN TIAA

          TIAA and its affiliates (including Teachers Advisors, Inc., its wholly owned subsidiary) have interests in other real estate programs and accounts and also engage in other business activities and as such, they will have conflicts of interest in

20 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

RISKS OF U.S. GOVERNMENT AGENCY SECURITIES AND CORPORATE OBLIGATIONS

RISKS OF LIQUID INVESTMENTS

          The Account’s investments in marketable securities and mortgage loans receivable are subject to the following general risks:

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 21

          Further, to the extent that a significant portion of the Account’s net assets at any particular time are comprised of cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities, the Account’s returns may suffer as compared to the return that could have been generated by more profitable investments.

RISKS OF FOREIGN INVESTMENTS

          In addition to other investment risks noted above, foreign investments present the following special risks:

NO OPPORTUNITY FOR PRIOR REVIEW OF PURCHASE

          Investors do not have the opportunity to evaluate the economic or financial merit of the purchase of a property or other investment before the Account completes the purchase, so investors will need to rely solely on TIAA’s judgment and ability to select investments consistent with the Account’s investment objective and policies. Further, the Account may change its investment objective and pursue specific investments without the consent of the Account’s investors.

22 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

RISKS OF REGISTRATION UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

          The Account has not registered, and management intends to continue to operate the Account so that it will not have to register, as an “investment company” under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”). Generally, a company is an “investment company” and required to register under the Investment Company Act if, among other things, it holds itself out as being engaged primarily, or proposes to engage primarily, in the business of investing, reinvesting or trading in securities, or it is engaged or proposes to engage in the business of investing, reinvesting, owning, holding or trading in securities and owns or proposes to acquire investment securities having a value exceeding 40% of the value of such company’s total assets (exclusive of government securities and cash items) on an unconsolidated basis.

          If the Account were obligated to register as an investment company, the Account would have to comply with a variety of substantive requirements under the Investment Company Act that impose, among other things, limitations on capital structure, restrictions on certain investments, compliance with reporting, record keeping, voting and proxy disclosure requirements and other rules and regulations that could significantly increase its operating expenses and reduce its operating flexibility. To maintain compliance with the exemptions from the Investment Company Act, the Account may be unable to sell assets it would otherwise want to sell and may be unable to purchase securities it would otherwise want to purchase, which might materially adversely impact the Account’s performance.

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 23

 ESTABLISHING AND MANAGING THE ACCOUNT —
THE ROLE OF TIAA

ESTABLISHING THE ACCOUNT

          TIAA’s Board of Trustees established the Real Estate Account as a separate account of TIAA under New York law on February 22, 1995. The Account is regulated by the State of New York Insurance Department (NYID) and the insurance departments of some other jurisdictions in which the annuity contracts are offered. Although TIAA owns the assets of the Real Estate Account, and the Account’s obligations are obligations of TIAA, the Account’s income, investment gains, and investment losses are credited to or charged against the assets of the Account without regard to TIAA’s other income, gains, or losses. Under New York insurance law, we can’t charge the Account with liabilities incurred by any other TIAA business activities or any other TIAA separate account.

MANAGING THE ACCOUNT

          TIAA employees, under the direction and control of TIAA’s Board of Trustees and its Investment Committee, manage the investment of the Account’s assets, following investment management procedures TIAA adopted for the Account. The Account does not have officers, directors or employees. TIAA’s investment management responsibilities include:

          TIAA’s ERISA Fiduciary Status. To the extent that assets of a plan subject to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (ERISA) are allocated to the Account, TIAA will be acting as an “investment manager” and a fiduciary under ERISA with respect to those assets.

LIQUIDITY GUARANTEE

          TIAA provides the Account with a liquidity guarantee — i.e., TIAA ensures that the Account has funds available to meet participant transfer or cash withdrawal requests. If the Account can’t fund participant requests from the

24 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

          An independent fiduciary (described below) monitors the Account to ensure, among other things, that TIAA does not own too much of the Account and may require TIAA to redeem some of its liquidity units, particularly when the Account has uninvested cash or liquid investments available. The independent fiduciary may also propose properties for the Account to sell so that TIAA can redeem liquidity units. TIAA does not currently own liquidity units.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

          TIAA does not accept acquisition or placement fees for the services it provides to the Account. Employees of TIAA may also provide investment advice with respect to investments managed by Teachers Advisors, Inc. (“Advisors”), an indirect, wholly owned subsidiary of TIAA. In addition, TIAA and its affiliates offer (and may in the future offer) other investment products that are not managed under an “at cost” expense structure. Therefore, TIAA may at times face various conflicts of interest. For example, TIAA’s General Account, a privately offered core property investment fund (the “core property investment fund”), TIAA-CREF U.S. Real Estate Fund I, L.P. (the “U.S. Real Estate Fund” which, along with the core property investment fund, is managed by Advisors), may sometimes compete with the Real Estate Account in the purchase of investments. (Each of TIAA’s General Account, the Real Estate Account, the core property investment fund and the U.S. Real Estate Fund, together with any other real estate accounts or funds that may be established by TIAA or its affiliates in the future, are herein referred to as an “account.”)

          Allocation Procedure. TIAA and its affiliates allocate new investments among the accounts in accordance with a written allocation procedure as adopted by TIAA and modified from time to time. Generally, the portfolio managers for each of the accounts will identify acquisition opportunities which conform to the investment strategy of the account. If more than one account expresses an interest and an informal resolution cannot be reached, a special TIAA Allocation Committee, consisting primarily of senior TIAA real estate professionals (including the portfolio managers for each account), will seek to resolve any conflict by considering a number of factors, including the investment strategy of the bidding account, the relative capital available for investment by each account, liquidity requirements, portfolio diversification, whether the property would be at a competitive disadvantage to properties owned by another account in the subject

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 25

market and such other factors deemed relevant by the Allocation Committee (and subject to any investment limitations or other requirements in the account’s governing documents, Investment Guidelines or applicable laws or regulations (including ERISA and insurance laws)). If this analysis does not determine, by a unanimous vote of the Allocation Committee, which account should participate in a transaction, a strict rotation system will be used whereby the interested account highest on the list will be allowed to participate in the transaction, and then such account will drop to the bottom of the list thereafter. The secretary of the Allocation Committee will prepare a quarterly report describing the allocations made during the previous quarter based on this allocation procedure. This report will also be reviewed by a committee of senior TIAA executives which is separate from the Allocation Committee and which functions as an internal monitor of compliance with this allocation procedure.

          Many of the personnel of TIAA involved in performing services to the Real Estate Account will have competing demands on their time. The personnel will devote such time to the affairs of the Account as TIAA’s management determines, in its sole discretion exercising good faith, is necessary to properly service the Account. TIAA believes that it has sufficient personnel to discharge its responsibility to the Real Estate Account, the General Account, the core property investment fund and the U.S. Real Estate Fund to avoid conflicts of interest. TIAA or its affiliates may form other real estate investment vehicles in the future and we will take steps to assure that those vehicles are integrated into these conflict of interest policies.

INDEMNIFICATION

          The Account has agreed to indemnify TIAA and its affiliates, including its officers and trustees, against certain liabilities to the extent permitted by law, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933. The Account may make such indemnification out of its assets.

ROLE OF THE INDEPENDENT FIDUCIARY

          Because TIAA’s ability to purchase and sell liquidity units raises certain technical issues under ERISA, TIAA applied for and received a prohibited transaction exemption from the U.S. Department of Labor (PTE 96-76). In connection with the exemption, TIAA has appointed an independent fiduciary for

26 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

the Real Estate Account, with overall responsibility for reviewing Account transactions to determine whether they are in accordance with the Account’s investment guidelines.

          Real Estate Research Corporation, a real estate consulting firm whose principal offices are located in Chicago, Illinois, currently serves as the Account’s independent fiduciary. The independent fiduciary’s responsibilities include:

          The independent fiduciary also must monitor TIAA’s ownership in the Account and supervise any winding down of the Account’s operations. Its responsibilities include:

          A special subcommittee consisting of five (5) independent outside members of the Investment Committee of TIAA’s Board of Trustees appointed Real Estate Research Corporation as the independent fiduciary for a three-year term, starting March 1, 2006. This subcommittee may renew the independent fiduciary appointment, remove the independent fiduciary, or appoint its successor. The independent fiduciary can be removed for cause by the vote of three (3) out of the five (5) subcommittee members and will not be reappointed if two (2) of the

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 27

subcommittee members disapprove the reappointment. The independent fiduciary can resign after at least 180 days’ written notice.

          TIAA pays the independent fiduciary directly. The investment management charge paid to TIAA includes TIAA’s costs for retaining the independent fiduciary. The independent fiduciary will receive less than 5 percent of its annual income (including payment for its services to the Account) from TIAA and its affiliates.

          When you decide as a participant or plan fiduciary to invest in the Account, after TIAA has provided you with full and fair disclosure including the disclosure in this prospectus, you are also acknowledging that you approve and accept Real Estate Research Corporation or any successor to serve as the Account’s independent fiduciary.

 DESCRIPTION OF PROPERTIES

THE PROPERTIES — IN GENERAL

          As of December 31, 2007, the Account owned a total of 111 real estate property investments (99 of which were wholly owned and 12 of which were held in real estate related joint ventures and one remaining equity interest in a joint venture in which the Account sold its real estate holdings during the third quarter of 2007) representing 77.91% of the Account’s total investment portfolio. The real estate portfolio included:

          Of the 111 real estate property investments, 20 were subject to debt (including seven joint venture property investments).

          In the table immediately below you will find general information about each of the Account’s portfolio property investments as of December 31, 2007. The Account’s property investments include both properties that are wholly owned by the Account and properties owned by the Account’s joint venture investments. Certain property investments are comprised of a portfolio of properties.

28 Prospectus § TIAA Real Estate Account

TIAA Real Estate Account § Prospectus 29