<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-08-27</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001013794</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>ARDEN REALTY INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ari</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001191421</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SOBEL ANDREW J</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>11601 WILSHIRE BOULEVARD</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>4TH FLOOR</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>LOS ANGELES</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>90025-1740</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>0</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>Exec VP-Strategic Plan. &amp; Ops</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-08-27</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>S</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>5000</value></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>27.3008</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>137732</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ Andres Gavinet
By: Andres Gavinet POA for Andrew J. Sobel</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-08-27</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

