<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2005-05-26</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001187520</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>NEUBERGER BERMAN REAL ESTATE INCOME FUND INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>NRL</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001091477</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ERNEST HOREJSI TRUST NO 1B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3601 C STREET, SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ANCHORAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AK</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>99503</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001247992</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>LOLA BROWN TRUST 1B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3601 C STREET, SUITE 600</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ANCHORAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AK</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>99503</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001246903</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOREJSI STEWART R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>200 SOUTH SANTA FE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SALINA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KS</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>67401</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</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2005-05-26</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>4900</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>19.85</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>463200</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The Ernest Horejsi Trust No. 1B (the &quot;Ernest Trust&quot;) sold the 4,900 shares of the Fund it held directly on May 26, 2005.  Following this transaction, the Ernest Trust owns zero shares of the Fund.  The Lola Brown Trust No. 1B (the &quot;Lola Trust&quot;), a trust affiliated with the Ernest Trust, owns 463,200 shares of the Fund.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The trustees of the Lola Brown Trust No. 1B and the Ernest Brown Trust No. 1B (the &quot;Trusts&quot;) are Badlands Trust Company LLC (&quot;Badlands&quot;), Susan L. Ciciora and Larry L. Dunlap (collectively, the &quot;Trustees&quot;).  The Trustees may be deemed to control the Trusts and may be deemed to possess indirect beneficial ownership of the Shares held by the Trusts.  However, none of the Trustees, acting alone, can vote or exercise dispositive authority over Shares held by the Trusts.  Accordingly, the Trustees disclaim beneficial ownership of the Shares beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by the Trusts.

As a result of his advisory role with the Trusts, Mr. Horejsi may be deemed to have indirect beneficial ownership over the Shares directly beneficially owned by the Trusts.  However, Mr. Horejsi disclaims beneficial ownership of the Shares directly beneficially held by the Trusts.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Stephen C. Miller, President, Badlands Trust Company LLC, trustee of the Trusts</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-05-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Stewart R. Horejsi</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2005-05-27</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
