As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 10,1997.
                                                   Registration No. 333-




                        SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                              Washington, D.C.   20549
                                     __________

                                      FORM S-8
                               REGISTRATION STATEMENT
                                       under
                            THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
                                     __________
                                 FM Properties Inc.
              (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

  Delaware                                                           72-1211572
(State or other jurisdiction                                   (I.R.S. Employer
of incorporation or organization)                           Identification No.)

                                   1615 Poydras Street
                              New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
                      (Address, including zip code, of registrant's
                              principal executive offices)


      FM  Properties Inc. 1996 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee Directors
                             (Full title of the plan)
                                    __________

                                  John G. Amato
                                 General Counsel
                                FM Properties Inc.
                               1615 Poydras Street
                           New Orleans, Louisiana 70112
                                 (504) 582-4000
            (Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number,
                    including area code, of agent for service)

                                    Copy to:

                               Margaret F. Murphy
          Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, L.L.P.
                             201 St. Charles Avenue
                       New Orleans, Louisiana 70170-5100

                        CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
Proposed maximum Proposed maximum Amount of Title of Amount to be offering price aggregate registration securities to be registered registered(1) per unit offering price fee ___________________________ _______________ _________________ ____________________ ________________ Common Stock (par value $.01 per share) 40,000 Shares $ 2.750(2) $ 110,000.00(2) $ 33.34(2) Common Stock (par value $.01 per share) 210,000 Shares $ 3.9375(3) $ 826,875.00(3) $ 250.57(3) Total Common Stock 250,000 Shares $ 936,875.00 $ 283.91
(1) Upon a stock split, stock dividend or similar transaction in the future and during the effectiveness of this Registration Statement involving Common Stock of the Company, the number of shares registered shall be automatically increased to cover the additional shares in accordance with Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act of 1933. (2) Computed in accordance with Rule 457(h)(1) under the Securities Act of 1933, based on the price at which such options may be exercised. (3) Estimated solely for the purpose of calculating the registration fee pursuant to Rule 457(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, based on the average of the high and low price per share of the Common Stock on The Nasdaq Stock Market on July 7, 1997. PART II INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT Item 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference. The following documents, which have been filed by FM Properties Inc. (the "Company") with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"), are incorporated herein by reference: (1) The Company's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended ecember 31, 1996 filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "Exchange Act"); (2) The Company's Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 1997 filed pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act; (3) All other reports filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13 of the Exchange Act since December 31, 1996; and (4) The description of the Company's Common Stock contained in the Company's Registration Statement on Form 10 dated March 25, 1992, filed under the Exchange Act, including any amendment thereto or report filed for the purpose of updating such description. All documents filed by the Company with the SEC pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall, except to the extent otherwise provided by Regulation S-K or any other rule promulgated by the SEC, be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Item 4. Description of Securities. Not applicable. Item 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel. Not applicable. Item 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers. Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of Delaware empowers the Company to indemnify, subject to the standards therein prescribed, any person in connection with any action, suit or proceeding brought or threatened by reason of the fact that such person is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or is or was serving as such with respect to another corporation or other entity at the request of the Company. Under the Company's Certificate of Incorporation, the Company is obligated to indemnify its directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law. The Company's Certificate of Incorporation makes such indemnification rights contract rights and entitles directors and officers to initiate legal action against the Company to enforce such indemnification rights. The Company's Certificate of Incorporation also provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, a director shall not be liable to the Company or its shareholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director. However, the Company's Certificate of Incorporation does not eliminate a director's liability for breach of the duty of loyalty, acts or omissions not in good faith, certain payments not permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law, or transactions in which the director derives an improper benefit. The Company's Certificate of Incorporation also authorizes the Company to enter into indemnification agreements with any such persons providing for indemnification rights to the maximum extent permitted by law. The Company has purchased from Reliance Insurance Company and Executive Risk Indemnity Inc. directors and officers liability policies with a combined annual aggregate limit of $15,000,000 to insure certain liabilities of its directors and officers. Item 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed. Not applicable. Item 8. Exhibits. 5 Opinion of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carrere & Denegre, L.L.P. 15 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP concerning unaudited interim financial information. 23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP. 23.2 Consent of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carerre & Denegre, L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5). 24 Powers of Attorney pursuant to which this Registration Statement has been signed on behalf of certain officers and directors of the Company. Item 9. Undertakings. (a) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes: (1) To file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this registration statement to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement. (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post- effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (3) To remove from registration by means of a post- effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering. (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant's annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan's annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceedings) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue. SIGNATURES The Registrant. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New Orleans, State of Louisiana, on July 10, 1997. FM Properties Inc. By: /s/ Richard C. Adkerson Richard C. Adkerson Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated. Signature Title Date /s/ Richard C. Adkerson Director, Chairman of the Board, July 10, 1997 Richard C. Adkerson and Chief Executive Officer (Principal Executive Officer) * President, Chief Operating Officer, July 10, 1997 William H. Armstrong, III and Chief Financial Officer (Principal Financial Officer) * Vice President and Controller July 10, 1997 William J. Blackwell (Principal Accounting Officer) * Director July 10, 1997 James C. Leslie * Director July 10, 1997 Michael D. Madden *By: /s/ Richard C. Adkerson Richard C. Adkerson Attorney-in-Fact EXHIBIT INDEX Sequentially Exhibit Numbered Number Description of Exhibits Page 5 Opinion of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carerre & Denegre, L.L.P. 15 Letter from Arthur Andersen LLP concerning unaudited interim financial information. 23.1 Consent of Arthur Andersen LLP. 23.2 Consent of Jones, Walker, Waechter, Poitevent, Carerre & Denegre, L.L.P. (included in Exhibit 5). 24 Powers of Attorney pursuant to which this Registration Statement has been signed on behalf of certain officers and directors of the Company.
                               Jones, Walker
                            Waechter, Poitevent
                         Carrere & Denegre, L.L.P.



                               July 10, 1997





FM Properties Inc.
1615 Poydras Street
New Orleans, Louisiana  70112

Gentlemen:

     We have acted as counsel for FM Properties Inc., a Delaware corporation 
(the "Company"), in connection with the preparation of a Registration 
Statement on Form S-8 (the "Registration Statement") to be filed by the 
Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission under the Securities 
Act of 1933, as amended, relating to the offering by the Company of 
250,000 shares (the "Shares") of common stock, $.01 par value for each 
share, pursuant to the terms of the 1996 Stock Option Plan for Non-Employee 
Directors (the "Plan") of the Company.

     Based upon the foregoing and upon our examination of such matters as 
we deem necessary to furnish this opinion, we are of the opinion that 
the Shares have been duly authorized and, when issued for at least par
value upon the terms described in the Plan and the Registration Statement, 
will be validly issued and outstanding, fully paid and nonassessable.

     We consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the 
Registration Statement.

                              Very truly yours,

                              JONES, WALKER, WAECHTER,
                                  POITEVENT, CARRERE & DENEGRE, L.L.P.



                              By:  /s/ Margaret F. Murphy
                                   Margaret F. Murphy, Partner








                   [Letterhead of Arthur Andersen LLP]



July 10, 1997



FM Properties Inc.
1615 Poydras St.
New Orleans, LA 70112

Gentlemen:

As  independent  public  accountants, we hereby acknowledge our
awareness of the incorporation  in  the  Registration Statement
(the "Registration Statement") on Form S-8  to  be  filed by FM
Properties  Inc.  (the  "Company")  in  July,  1997,  with  the
Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  (the  "SEC")  under  the
Securities  Act  of 1933, as amended (the "Act"), of our report
(the "Report") dated April 22, 1997, covering our review of the
unaudited interim  financial  statements of the Company and its
consolidated subsidiaries as of  March  31,  1997  and  for the
three-month periods ended March 31, 1997 and 1996, which Report
was included in the Quarterly Report of the Company on Form 10-
Q  for  the  quarter  ended  March  31, 1997.  Pursuant to Rule
436(c) promulgated by the SEC under the  Act, the Report is not
considered  a  part of the Registration Statement  prepared  or
certified by us  or a report prepared or certified by us within
the meaning of Sections 7 and 11 of the Act.

Very truly yours,


/s/ Arthur Andersen LLP
ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP








                  CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS
                  -----------------------------------------

As independent public accountants, we hereby consent to the incorporation
by reference in this registration statement of our report dated January 21,
1997 included in FM Properties Inc.'s Form 10-K for the year ended December
31, 1996 and to all references to our Firm included in this registration
statement.


                                                /s/ Arthur Andersen LLP
                                                ARTHUR ANDERSEN LLP

New Orleans, Louisiana
July 10, 1997

                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW  ALL  MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned, in
his capacity or capacities  as  an  officer  or a member of the
Board  of  Directors  or  both  of  FM  Properties  Inc.   (the
"Company"),  does  hereby make, constitute, and appoint RICHARD
C. ADKERSON, WILLIAM  H. ARMSTRONG, III, JOHN G. AMATO, WILLIAM
J. BLACKWELL, and MICHAEL  C. KILANOWSKI, JR., and each of them
acting  individually,  the true  and  lawful  attorney  of  the
undersigned with power to  act without the others and with full
power of substitution and resubstitution  to  execute, deliver,
and file, for and on behalf of the undersigned  and in the name
of  the  undersigned and in the capacity or capacities  of  the
undersigned  as  aforesaid,  a  Registration  Statement  of the
Company on Form S-8, or on such other Form as may be determined
to be applicable, providing for the registration under the  Act
of  shares of Company common stock that may be issued under the
1996  Stock  Option  Plan  for  Non-Employee  Directors  of the
Company,  and  any amendment or amendments to such Registration
Statement  and  any   other  document  in  support  thereof  or
supplemental thereto, and the undersigned hereby grants to said
attorneys and each of them  full  power and authority to do and
perform  each  and  every act and thing  whatsoever  that  said
attorney or attorneys  may deem necessary or advisable to carry
out fully the intent of  the foregoing as the undersigned might
or could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid, hereby ratifying and confirming all acts  and things
that said attorney or attorneys may do or cause to be  done  by
virtue of these presents.

     IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  undersigned  has executed this
power of attorney this 8th day of May, 1997.



                                   /s/ William H. Armstrong, III

                                   WILLIAM H. ARMSTRONG, III





                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that  the  undersigned, in
his  capacity  or capacities as an officer or a member  of  the
Board  of  Directors   or  both  of  FM  Properties  Inc.  (the
"Company"), does hereby  make,  constitute, and appoint RICHARD
C. ADKERSON, WILLIAM H. ARMSTRONG,  III, JOHN G. AMATO, WILLIAM
J. BLACKWELL, and MICHAEL C. KILANOWSKI,  JR., and each of them
acting  individually,  the  true  and  lawful attorney  of  the
undersigned with power to act without the  others and with full
power of substitution and resubstitution to  execute,  deliver,
and file, for and on behalf of the undersigned and in the  name
of  the  undersigned  and  in the capacity or capacities of the
undersigned  as  aforesaid, a  Registration  Statement  of  the
Company on Form S-8, or on such other Form as may be determined
to be applicable,  providing for the registration under the Act
of shares of Company  common stock that may be issued under the
1996  Stock  Option Plan  for  Non-Employee  Directors  of  the
Company, and any  amendment  or amendments to such Registration
Statement  and  any  other  document   in  support  thereof  or
supplemental thereto, and the undersigned hereby grants to said
attorneys and each of them full power and  authority  to do and
perform  each  and  every  act  and  thing whatsoever that said
attorney or attorneys may deem necessary  or advisable to carry
out fully the intent of the foregoing as the  undersigned might
or  could  do  personally  or in the capacity or capacities  as
aforesaid, hereby ratifying  and confirming all acts and things
that said attorney or attorneys  may  do or cause to be done by
virtue of these presents.

     IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF, the undersigned  has  executed  this
power of attorney this 8th day of May, 1997.



                                   /s/ William J. Blackwell

                                   WILLIAM J. BLACKWELL





                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW ALL MEN BY  THESE  PRESENTS, that the undersigned, in
his capacity or capacities as  an  officer  or  a member of the
Board  of  Directors  or  both  of  FM  Properties  Inc.   (the
"Company"),  does  hereby make, constitute, and appoint RICHARD
C. ADKERSON, WILLIAM  H. ARMSTRONG, III, JOHN G. AMATO, WILLIAM
J. BLACKWELL, and MICHAEL  C. KILANOWSKI, JR., and each of them
acting  individually,  the true  and  lawful  attorney  of  the
undersigned with power to  act without the others and with full
power of substitution and resubstitution  to  execute, deliver,
and file, for and on behalf of the undersigned  and in the name
of  the  undersigned and in the capacity or capacities  of  the
undersigned  as  aforesaid,  a  Registration  Statement  of the
Company on Form S-8, or on such other Form as may be determined
to be applicable, providing for the registration under the  Act
of  shares of Company common stock that may be issued under the
1996  Stock  Option  Plan  for  Non-Employee  Directors  of the
Company,  and  any amendment or amendments to such Registration
Statement  and  any   other  document  in  support  thereof  or
supplemental thereto, and the undersigned hereby grants to said
attorneys and each of them  full  power and authority to do and
perform  each  and  every act and thing  whatsoever  that  said
attorney or attorneys  may deem necessary or advisable to carry
out fully the intent of  the foregoing as the undersigned might
or could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid, hereby ratifying and confirming all acts  and things
that said attorney or attorneys may do or cause to be  done  by
virtue of these presents.

     IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  undersigned  has executed this
power of attorney this 8th day of May, 1997.



                                   /s/ James C. Leslie

                                   JAMES C. LESLIE




                        POWER OF ATTORNEY


     KNOW  ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that the undersigned,  in
his capacity  or  capacities  as  an officer or a member of the
Board  of  Directors  or  both  of  FM  Properties   Inc.  (the
"Company"),  does hereby make, constitute, and appoint  RICHARD
C. ADKERSON, WILLIAM  H. ARMSTRONG, III, JOHN G. AMATO, WILLIAM
J. BLACKWELL, and MICHAEL  C. KILANOWSKI, JR., and each of them
acting  individually,  the true  and  lawful  attorney  of  the
undersigned with power to  act without the others and with full
power of substitution and resubstitution  to  execute, deliver,
and file, for and on behalf of the undersigned  and in the name
of  the  undersigned and in the capacity or capacities  of  the
undersigned  as  aforesaid,  a  Registration  Statement  of the
Company on Form S-8, or on such other Form as may be determined
to be applicable, providing for the registration under the  Act
of  shares of Company common stock that may be issued under the
1996  Stock  Option  Plan  for  Non-Employee  Directors  of the
Company,  and  any amendment or amendments to such Registration
Statement  and  any   other  document  in  support  thereof  or
supplemental thereto, and the undersigned hereby grants to said
attorneys and each of them  full  power and authority to do and
perform  each  and  every act and thing  whatsoever  that  said
attorney or attorneys  may deem necessary or advisable to carry
out fully the intent of  the foregoing as the undersigned might
or could do personally or  in  the  capacity  or  capacities as
aforesaid, hereby ratifying and confirming all acts  and things
that said attorney or attorneys may do or cause to be  done  by
virtue of these presents.

     IN  WITNESS  WHEREOF,  the  undersigned  has executed this
power of attorney this 8th day of May, 1997.



                                   /s/ Michael D. Madden

                                   MICHAEL D. MADDEN