<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001179110-13-016070.txt : 20131104
<SEC-HEADER>0001179110-13-016070.hdr.sgml : 20131104
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20131104175405
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001179110-13-016070
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20131101
FILED AS OF DATE:		20131104
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20131104

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			ISTAR FINANCIAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001095651
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS [6798]
		IRS NUMBER:				956881527
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1114 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
		STREET 2:		39TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10036
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2129309400

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1114 AVENUE OF THE AMERICAS
		STREET 2:		39TH FLOOR
		CITY:			NEW YORK
		STATE:			NY
		ZIP:			10036

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	STARWOOD FINANCIAL INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19990923

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			REISS DALE ANN
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001438802

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15371
		FILM NUMBER:		131190302

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		589 KINZIE ISLAND COURT
		CITY:			SANIBEL
		STATE:			FL
		ZIP:			33957
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4 -
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2013-11-01</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001095651</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ISTAR FINANCIAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>SFI</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001438802</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>REISS DALE ANN</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>589 KINZIE ISLAND COURT</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SANIBEL</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>FL</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>33957</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle></officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series F Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-11-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>500</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.87</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1925</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By IRA</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series F Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2013-11-04</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>P</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>450</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>22.78</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>1925</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By IRA</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series E Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2293</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Family Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series E Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>475</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Spouse's IRA</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Series F Preferred Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2217</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>By Family Trust</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.001 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>17343</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On November 1, 2013, the Reporting Person acquired beneficial ownership of 500 shares of iStar Series F Preferred Stock through an open market purchase made in her Individual Retirement Account at a price of $22.87 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">On November 4, 2013, the Reporting Person acquired beneficial ownership of 450 shares of iStar Series F Preferred Stock through an open market purchase made in her Individual Retirement Account at a price of $22.78 per share.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">Following these transactions, the Reporting Person is the indirect beneficial owner of 2,768 shares of iStar Series E Preferred Stock and 4,142 shares of iStar Series F Preferred Stock, the direct beneficial owner of 17,343 shares of iStar Common Stock (11,485 of which are vested) awarded pursuant to the iStar Non-Employee Directors' Deferral Plan, and the holder of total of 43,591 Common Stock Equivalents, or CSEs (all of which are vested) awarded pursuant to the iStar Non-Employee Directors' Deferral Plan.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Dale Anne Reiss</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2013-11-04</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
