EXHIBIT 31.1


              FORM OF SARBANES-OXLEY SECTION 302(a) CERTIFICATION


I, H. Kerr Taylor, Chief Executive Officer, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this annual report on Form 10-KSB of AmREIT;

2. Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make
the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements
were made, not misleading with respect to the period covered by this annual
report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material
respects the consolidated financial condition, results of operations and cash
flows of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this annual
report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officer and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Exchange Act Rules 13a-15 and 15d-15) for the registrant and we have:

     i.   designed  such  disclosure  controls  and  procedures  to ensure that
          material  information  relating  to  the  registrant,  including  its
          consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
          entities,  particularly during the period in which this annual report
          is being prepared;

     ii.  evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's  disclosure  controls
          and  procedures  as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date
          of this annual report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

     iii. presented   in  this  annual   report  our   conclusions   about  the
          effectiveness of the disclosure  controls and procedures based on our
          evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our
most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit committee of
registrant's board of trust managers (or persons performing the equivalent
functions):

     i.   all  significant  deficiencies in the design or operation of internal
          controls  which could  aversely  affect the  registrant's  ability to
          record,  process,  summarize  and  report  financial  data  and  have
          identified for the registrant's  auditors any material  weaknesses in
          internal controls; and

     ii.  any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
          employees who have a significant  role in the  registrant's  internal
          controls; and

6. The registrant's other certifying officer and I have indicated in this
annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal controls
subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including any corrective
actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material weaknesses.


Date:       March 30, 2004          By: /s/  H. Kerr Taylor
                                       _______________________________________
                                       H. Kerr Taylor, Chief Executive Officer