SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM N-8A

           NOTIFICATION OF REGISTRATION FILED PURSUANT TO SECTION 8(a)
                      OF THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

     The undersigned investment company hereby notifies the Securities and
Exchange Commission that it registers under and pursuant to the provisions of
Section 8(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and in connection with such
notification of registration submits the following information:

Name:   Nuveen Real Estate Income Fund

Address of Principal Business Office (No. & Street, City, State, Zip Code):
        333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606

Telephone Number (including area code):  (800) 257-8787

Name and address of agent for service of process: Gifford R. Zimmerman, Esq.,
Vice President and Secretary, Nuveen Real Estate Income Fund, 333 West Wacker
Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606 with copies to Stacy H. Winick, Bell, Boyd &
Lloyd LLC, Three First National Plaza, Suite 3300, Chicago, Illinois 60602 and
Eric Fess, Chapman and Cutler, 111 W. Monroe, Chicago, Illinois 60603.

Check Appropriate Box:

Registrant is filing a Registration Statement pursuant to Section 8(b) of the
Investment Company Act of 1940 concurrently with the filing of Form N-8A:
[X] Yes   [_] No



Pursuant to the requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the
registrant has caused this notification of registration to be duly signed on its
behalf in Chicago, Illinois on September 5, 2001.

                      NUVEEN REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND


                      /s/ Larry W. Martin
                      -------------------------------------------------------
                      Larry W. Martin, Vice President and Assistant Secretary



                      /s/ Gifford R. Zimmerman
                      -------------------------------------------------------
                      Gifford R. Zimmerman, Vice President and Secretary



Attest:  /s/ Virginia L. O'Neal
         ----------------------
         Virginia L. O'Neal