5.200% Senior Notes Due 2021



  
 Exhibit 4.1

 THIS NOTE IS A GLOBAL NOTE WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE INDENTURE HEREINAFTER REFERRED TO AND IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A DEPOSITARY
OR A NOMINEE THEREOF. THIS NOTE IS EXCHANGEABLE FOR NOTES REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF A PERSON OTHER THAN THE DEPOSITARY OR ITS NOMINEE ONLY IN THE LIMITED CIRCUMSTANCES DESCRIBED IN THE INDENTURE AND, UNLESS AND UNTIL IT IS EXCHANGED IN WHOLE OR IN
PART FOR NOTES IN DEFINITIVE FORM, THIS NOTE MAY NOT BE TRANSFERRED EXCEPT AS A WHOLE BY THE DEPOSITARY TO A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY A NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY TO THE DEPOSITARY OR ANOTHER NOMINEE OF THE DEPOSITARY OR BY THE DEPOSITARY OR
ANY SUCH NOMINEE TO A SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY OR A NOMINEE OF SUCH SUCCESSOR DEPOSITARY. 
 UNLESS THIS NOTE IS PRESENTED BY AN AUTHORIZED
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE DEPOSITARY TRUST COMPANY, A NEW YORK CORPORATION (“DTC”), TO THE COMPANY (AS DEFINED BELOW) OR ITS AGENT FOR REGISTRATION OF TRANSFER, EXCHANGE OR PAYMENT, AND ANY NOTE ISSUED IS REGISTERED IN THE NAME OF
CEDE & CO. OR IN SUCH OTHER NAME AS 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. 
  

			
	No.: 1	 	
	CUSIP No.: 05564E BL 9	 	Principal Amount: $300,000,000


BRE PROPERTIES, INC. 
 5.200% Notes due 2021 
 BRE Properties, Inc., a Maryland corporation (hereinafter
called the “Company,” which term includes any successor corporation under the Indenture referred to below), for value received, hereby promises to pay to Cede & Co., or registered assigns, the principal sum of THREE HUNDRED
MILLION DOLLARS ($300,000,000), on March 15, 2021, (the “Maturity Date”), and to pay interest thereon from September 22, 2010 or from the most recent date to which interest has been paid or duly provided for, semiannually on
March 15 and September 15 of each year (each an “Interest Payment Date”), commencing March 15, 2011, and at Maturity and any earlier Redemption Date (as defined herein), at the rate of 5.200% per annum, until the
principal hereof is paid or duly made available for payment. Interest on this Note shall be calculated on the basis of a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months. The interest so 







 
payable and punctually paid or duly provided for on any Interest Payment Date will, as provided in such Indenture, be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Debt
Securities) is registered at the close of business on the Regular Record Date for such interest, which shall be the March 1 or September 1 (whether or not a Business Day), as the case may be, next preceding such Interest Payment Date. Any
such interest which is payable, but is not punctually paid or duly provided for, on any Interest Payment Date shall forthwith cease to be payable to the registered Holder hereof on the relevant Regular Record Date by virtue of having been such
Holder, and may be paid to the Person in whose name this Note (or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities) 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 Note 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 the Notes may
be listed, and upon such notice as may be required by such exchange, all as more fully provided in such Indenture. 
 Payment of
the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Note will be made at the office or agency of the Company maintained for that purpose in the Borough of Manhattan, the City of New York, 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, interest may be paid by check mailed to the address of the Person entitled thereto as such address shall appear
in the Security Registrar or by transfer to an account maintained by the payee located in the United States. 
 This Note is one
of a duly authorized issue of Debt Securities of the Company (herein called the “Notes”) issued and to be issued in one or more series under an indenture dated as of June 23, 1997, as amended by a first supplemental indenture dated as
of April 23, 1998, a second supplemental indenture dated as of August 15, 2006 and a third supplemental indenture dated as of November 3, 2006, (herein called, together with all indentures supplemental thereto, the
“Indenture”) between the Company and The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N. A. (f/k/a The Bank of New York Trust Company, N.A., as successor in interest to the predecessor trustees), as trustee (herein called the
“Trustee,” which term includes any successor trustee under the Indenture), and reference is hereby made to the Indenture and the Officers’ Certificate dated September 22, 2010 pursuant to Sections 201, 301 and 303 of the
Indenture creating the series designated on the face hereof, for a statement of the respective rights, limitations of rights, duties and immunities thereunder of the Company, the Trustee and the Holders of the Notes, and the terms upon which the
Notes are, and are to be, authenticated and delivered. This Note is one of the series designated on the face hereof initially limited (subject to exceptions provided in the Indenture) in aggregate principal amount to $300,000,000; provided, however,
that the series may be reopened without the consent of the Holders for the issuance of additional Notes as may be authorized by the Company from time to time. 
 The Notes are redeemable, in whole or from time to time in part, at the option of the Company on any date (a “Redemption Date”), at a redemption price equal to the greater of (i) 100% of
the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed or (ii) the sum of the present values of the remaining scheduled payments of principal and interest thereon (exclusive of interest accrued to such Redemption Date) discounted to such Redemption
Date on a semiannual basis (assuming a 360-day year consisting of twelve 30-day months) at the Treasury Rate (as defined below) plus 

  
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37.5 basis points, plus, in either case, accrued and unpaid interest on the principal amount being redeemed to such Redemption Date; provided that, if the notes are redeemed on or after
December 15, 2020, we may redeem the notes at a redemption price equal to 100% of the principal amount of the Notes to be redeemed; and provided, further, that installments of interest on Notes which are due and payable on an Interest Payment
Date falling on or prior to the relevant Redemption Date shall be payable to the Holders of such Notes, or one or more Predecessor Debt Securities, registered as such at the close of business on the relevant Regular Record Date, according to their
terms and the provisions of the Indenture. Notice of redemption shall be given in the manner provided in the Indenture, not less than 30 days nor more than 60 days prior to the relevant Redemption Date, to each Holder of Notes to be redeemed. Any
redemption of Notes shall be made in accordance with the further terms and provisions set forth in the Indenture. 
 As used
herein, the following terms will have the meanings set forth below: 
 “Treasury Rate” means, with respect to any
Redemption Date for the Notes, (i) the yield, under the heading which represents the average for the immediately preceding week, appearing in the most recently published statistical release published by the Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System designated as “Statistical Release H.15(519)” or any successor publication which is published weekly by the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and which establishes yields on actively traded United States
Treasury securities adjusted to constant maturity under the caption “Treasury Constant Maturities,” for the maturity corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue (if no maturity is within three months before or after the Maturity Date,
yields for the two published maturities most closely corresponding to the Comparable Treasury Issue shall be determined and the Treasury Rate shall be interpolated or extrapolated from such yields on a straight line basis, rounding to the nearest
month), or (ii) if such release (or any successor release) is not published during the week preceding the calculation date or does not contain such yields, the rate per annum equal to the semi-annual equivalent yield to maturity of the
Comparable Treasury Issue, calculated using a price for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed as a percentage of its principal amount) equal to the Comparable Treasury Price for such Redemption Date. The Treasury Rate shall be calculated on the
third Business Day preceding the Redemption Date. 
 “Comparable Treasury Issue” means the United States Treasury
security selected by the Independent Investment Banker as having a maturity comparable to the remaining term of the Notes to be redeemed that would be utilized, at the time of selection and in accordance with customary financial practice, in pricing
new issues of corporate debt securities of comparable maturity to the remaining term of the Notes. 
 “Independent
Investment Banker” means RBS Securities Inc. or its successor, or if such firm is unwilling or unable to select the Comparable Treasury Issue, an independent investment banking institution of national standing appointed by the Company.

 “Comparable Treasury Price” means with respect to any Redemption Date for the Notes (i) the average of four
Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations for such Redemption Date, after excluding the highest and lowest such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, or (ii) if the 

  
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Company obtains fewer than four such Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations, the average of all such quotations. 
 “Reference Treasury Dealer” means each of RBS Securites Inc. and Deutsche Bank Securities Inc. or their successors and, at the Company’s option, up to two other primary U.S. Government
securities dealers in New York City (each, a “Primary Treasury Dealer”), provided, however, that if any of the foregoing shall cease to be a Primary Treasurer Dealer, the Company shall substitute therefor another Primary Treasury Dealer.

 “Reference Treasury Dealer Quotations” means, with respect to each Reference Treasury Dealer and any Redemption
Date, the average, as determined by the Company, of the bid and asked prices for the Comparable Treasury Issue (expressed in each case as a percentage of its principal amount) quoted in writing to the Company by such Reference Treasury Dealer at
5:00 p.m., New York City time, on the third Business Day preceding such Redemption Date. 
 If an Event of Default with respect
to the Notes shall occur and be continuing, the principal of the Notes may be declared due and payable in the manner and with the effect provided in the Indenture. 
 The Indenture permits, with certain exceptions as therein provided, the amendment thereof and the modification of the rights and obligations of the Company and rights of the Holders of the Debt Securities
of each series issued 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 aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities at the time Outstanding of each series affected
thereby. The Indenture also contains provisions permitting the Holders of specified percentages in aggregate principal amount of the Debt Securities of any series at the time Outstanding, on behalf of the Holders of all Debt 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 Note shall be conclusive and binding upon such
Holder and upon all future Holders of this Note and of any Notes 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 Note. 

No reference herein to the Indenture and no provision of this Note or of the Indenture shall alter or impair the obligation of the
Company, which is absolute and unconditional, to pay the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Note, at the time, place and rate, and in the coin or currency, herein and in the Indenture prescribed. 

As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set forth therein, the transfer of this Note may be registered on the
Security Register upon surrender of this Note for registration of transfer at the office or agency of the Company maintained for the purpose in any place where the principal of, premium, if any, and interest on this Note are payable, duly endorsed,
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 by his attorney duly authorized in writing, and thereupon one or more new Notes, of authorized
denominations and for the same aggregate principal amount, will be issued to the designated transferee or transferees. 

  
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 The Notes are issuable
only in registered form without coupons in the denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000. As provided in the Indenture and subject to certain limitations set forth therein, the Notes are exchangeable for a like aggregate principal
amount of Notes of authorized denominations as requested by the Holders 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, other than in certain cases provided in the Indenture.

 Prior to due presentment of this Note 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 Note is registered as owner hereof for all purposes, whether or not this Note be overdue, and neither the Company, the Trustee nor any such agent shall be affected by notice to the contrary.

 The Indenture contains provisions whereby (i) the Company may be discharged from its obligations with respect to the
Notes (subject to certain exceptions) or (ii) the Company may be released from its obligations under specified covenants and agreements in the Indenture, in each case if the Company irrevocably deposits with the Trustee money or Government
Obligations sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness of all Notes, and satisfies certain other conditions, all as more fully provided in the Indenture. 
 This Note shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the state of New York, without regard to conflict of law principles that would result in the application of any law other than
the laws of the state of New York. 
 All terms used in this Note which are defined in the Indenture shall have the meanings
assigned to them in the Indenture. 
 Unless the certificate of authentication hereon has been executed by or on behalf of the
Trustee under the Indenture by the manual signature of one of its authorized signatories, this Note shall not be entitled to any benefits under the Indenture or be valid or obligatory for any purpose. 

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 IN WITNESS WHEREOF,
the Company has caused this instrument to be duly executed under its corporate seal. 
  

							
	Dated: September 22, 2010	 		 	
			
	[Seal]	  		 	        BRE PROPERTIES, INC.
				
	Attest:	  	 /s/ Kerry Fanwick      
	 	                By:	 	 /s/ John A. Schissel      

		  	Kerry Fanwick	 		 	John A. Schissel
		  	 Executive Vice President,
 General Counsel and Secretary
	 		 	 Executive Vice President
 and Chief Financial Officer

			
	 TRUSTEE’S CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICATION
 This is one of the Debt Securities of the series designated therein referred to in the within-mentioned Indenture.
  

THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON TRUST COMPANY, N.A.,
 as Trustee
	 		 	


							
				
	By:	  	 /s/ Alex Briffett
	 		 	
		  	Authorized Signatory	 		 	








  
 ABBREVIATIONS

 The following abbreviations, when used in the inscription on the face of this instrument, shall be construed as though they
were written out in full according to applicable laws or regulations: 
  

					
	 TEN COM – as tenants in common
 TEN ENT – as tenants by the entireties

JT TEN – as joint tenants with right of survivorship and

  not as tenants in common
	  	UNIF GIFT MIN ACT –	  	
           Custodian           

 (Cust)               (Minor) Under Uniform Gifts to Minors Act
                  
                        (State)


 Additional abbreviations may also be used though not in the above list. 
  

 
 FOR VALUE RECEIVED, the
undersigned registered holder hereby sell(s), assign(s) and transfer(s) unto 
  

			
	 PLEASE INSERT SOCIAL SECURITY OR OTHER IDENTIFYING NUMBER OF ASSIGNEE	  	
	 	
	 	  	

  
  

 
 PLEASE PRINT OR TYPEWRITE NAME AND
ADDRESS OF ASSIGNEE 
  
  

 
 the within Note and all rights thereunder, hereby
irrevocably constituting and appointing 

                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
          Attorney to transfer said Note on the books of the Company with full power of substitution in the premises. 
 Dated:                                
                                         
                                         
                                         
                                         
                              

Notice: The signature(s) to this assignment must correspond with the name(s) as it/they appear(s) upon the face of the within Note in
every particular, without alteration or enlargement or any change whatever.