<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001267710-14-000001.txt : 20140729
<SEC-HEADER>0001267710-14-000001.hdr.sgml : 20140729
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20140729112123
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001267710-14-000001
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20140717
FILED AS OF DATE:		20140729
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20140729

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			AMERICAN REALTY INVESTORS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001102238
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	REAL ESTATE OPERATORS (NO DEVELOPERS) & LESSORS [6510]
		IRS NUMBER:				752847135
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NV
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1603 LBJ FREEWAY
		STREET 2:		SUITE 800
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75234
		BUSINESS PHONE:		4695224200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1603 LBJ FREEWAY
		STREET 2:		SUITE 800
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75234

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			REALTY ADVISORS INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001267710
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NV
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0630

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-15663
		FILM NUMBER:		14998696

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1603 LBJ FREEWAY
		STREET 2:		SUITE 300
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75234
		BUSINESS PHONE:		469-522-4200

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		1603 LBJ FREEWAY
		STREET 2:		SUITE 300
		CITY:			DALLAS
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			75234
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>primary_doc.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0306</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2014-07-17</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001102238</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN REALTY INVESTORS INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ARL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001267710</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>REALTY ADVISORS INC</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>1603 LBJ FREEWAY</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>SUITE 300</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>DALLAS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>75234</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2014-07-17</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>C</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2502230</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.07</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2502230</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $0.01 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>9249336</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>through subsidiary, Realty Advisors. LLC</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">On July 17, 2014, the holder surrendered for conversion 890,797 shares of Series A Cumulative Convertible Preferred Stock of ARL into Common Stock with accumulated dividends which, upon conversion in accordance with the conversion price in the Articles of Incorporation, as amended, yielded 2,502,230 shares of Common Stock.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Gene S. Bertcher, Vice President</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2014-07-19</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
