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Fastest Growing CRE Bank Lenders 2026: Banks Adding Commercial Real Estate Loans

BestCRE ranks banks adding commercial real estate loans through June 30, 2026, with loan growth, portfolio mix, concentration and borrower context data.

Quick answerBestCRE ranks Beacon Bank and Trust first, with $9.6 billion of CRE loans and growth of +229.8%. Sunflower Bank, N.A. follows at +152.4% on $5.1 billion, while Pinnacle Bank ranks third at +123.7% on $36.8 billion. The Huntington National Bank and Fifth Third Bank, N.A. complete the leading group at +109.8% and +104.4%. The ranking measures year over year change in total commercial real estate loans among banks with at least $1 billion of CRE loans as of June 30, 2026.

BestCRE ranked banks by the year over year change in total commercial real estate loans from June 30, 2025 to June 30, 2026. The universe is limited to banks reporting at least $1 billion of CRE loans. The resulting table contains 50 banks with a combined $315.3 billion of CRE loans. That compares with $3.07 trillion across 4,167 banks. Growth identifies institutions adding CRE balances, but it does not establish the cause. Reported changes can include acquisitions of other banks, so borrowers should read the growth rate alongside the current size and composition of each loan book.

The table separates CRE balances into construction and land, multifamily, owner occupied, and investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. Across the ranked banks, those categories total $44.4 billion, $63.1 billion, $84.0 billion, and $123.8 billion, respectively. These figures help borrowers identify institutions with meaningful exposure to a particular property or loan type. CRE share of loans adds context about portfolio concentration, while investor CRE to equity provides another measure of concentration. Headquarters indicate a bank’s home market, although lending availability remains dependent on local coverage, borrower relationships, property location, and the bank’s current credit process.

Prime rate 7.00%SOFR 3.89%5 year Treasury 4.78%10 year Treasury 4.96%Fed funds 3.88%Benchmarks as of Oct 26, 2026

Banks ranked by one year growth in CRE loans

RankBankHeadquartersTotal CRE loans ($M)Construction and land ($M)Multifamily ($M)Owner occupied ($M)Change, 1 yearCRE share of loans
1Beacon Bank and TrustBoston, MA$9,595$379$2,239$1,785+229.8%53.8%
2Sunflower Bank, N.A.Dallas, TX$5,082$323$2,613$951+152.4%43.4%
3Pinnacle BankNashville, TN$36,789$5,890$4,865$9,453+123.7%41.5%
4The Huntington National BankColumbus, OH$37,932$5,322$4,884$13,331+109.8%19.8%
5Fifth Third Bank, N.A.Cincinnati, OH$33,581$7,971$4,143$11,997+104.4%18.7%
6Vallant BankElberton, GA$1,688$383$92.6$565+95.5%56.6%
7Newtek Bank, N.A.Miami, FL$1,040$106$155$569+90.5%50.7%
8Nicolet National BankGreen Bay, WI$4,900$732$737$1,675+89.8%43.5%
9Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, S.a.NEW YORK CITY, NY$2,576$2,268$308$0.0+84.1%6.6%
10Metro City BankDoraville, GA$1,514$69.3$21.9$735+83.8%38.2%
11OceanFirst Bank, N.A.Toms River, NJ$10,244$739$2,361$1,612+74.7%62.9%
12Mechanics BankWalnut Creek, CA$7,498$350$5,074$461+55.3%55.2%
13Equity BankAndover, KS$2,532$711$248$558+55.0%46.8%
14Community West BankFresno, CA$2,243$224$230$531+49.7%63.3%
15Plumas BankQuincy, CA$1,063$34.9$150$451+48.7%70.1%
16QNB BankQuakertown, PA$1,085$142$211$258+47.5%63.2%
17Burke & Herbert Bank & Trust CompanyAlexandria, VA$5,504$453$785$1,153+47.4%68.8%
18The Farmers National Bank of CanfieldCanfield, OH$2,064$202$218$632+47.2%43.2%
19The Park National BankNewark, OH$3,839$614$356$1,034+43.7%39.5%
20Citizens Business Bank, N.A.Ontario, CA$9,149$214$1,235$2,823+43.6%76.1%
21Needham BankNeedham, MA$3,444$760$567$816+42.7%53.1%
22Wayne BankHonesdale, PA$1,012$130$85.6$446+42.6%44.7%
23Forbright BankPotomac, MD$2,829$331$225$1,473+41.1%46.4%
24FirstBankNashville, TN$7,096$1,158$768$2,153+39.1%54.3%
25Beal Bank USALas Vegas, NV$1,730$400$0.7$35.3+38.5%43.9%
26Heartland Bank and Trust CompanyBloomington, IL$2,732$430$667$507+37.4%57.4%
27Columbia BankRoseburg, OR$26,361$2,030$10,274$6,893+36.5%55.8%
28Rockland Trust CompanyRockland, MA$10,387$1,490$2,165$2,213+32.2%56.4%
29First Bank of the LakeOsage Beach, MO$1,170$106$0.0$1,060+32.1%53.8%
30NBH BankGreenwood Village, CO$4,089$698$300$1,221+31.9%41.7%
31First Community BankLexington, SC$1,120$167$47.6$371+31.9%70.5%
32Regent BankTulsa, OK$1,002$290$72.1$295+31.4%53.6%
33First Merchants BankMuncie, IN$5,523$881$767$1,369+30.5%35.4%
34CNB BankClearfield, PA$3,090$473$625$648+30.4%47.5%
35Georgia Banking CompanyAtlanta, GA$1,228$270$70.4$267+29.8%47.4%
36Third Coast BankHumble, TX$2,463$888$59.0$584+29.3%45.3%
37First County BankStamford, CT$1,110$125$339$233+29.0%58.0%
38Optum Bank, Inc.Draper, UT$6,412$88.0$2,048$49.0+28.3%64.4%
39Celtic BankSalt Lake City, UT$1,976$87.6$0.0$1,875+27.3%43.2%
40Eastern BankBoston, MA$9,932$516$3,534$1,634+27.1%42.6%
41The Bank of MissouriPerryville, MO$1,073$288$113$325+26.1%33.7%
42City BankLubbock, TX$2,007$484$230$530+26.0%53.1%
43Associated Bank, N.A.Green Bay, WI$10,594$2,546$2,463$1,575+25.8%29.0%
44Amalgamated BankNew York, NY$2,314$16.7$1,862$41.2+25.2%44.9%
45Heritage BankOlympia, WA$3,863$397$529$1,225+24.8%67.2%
46Bank First, N.A.Manitowoc, WI$2,227$242$452$828+24.8%49.2%
47Bank of TennesseeKingsport, TN$1,101$180$176$247+24.8%60.5%
48Capitol Federal Savings BankTopeka, KS$2,071$258$235$174+24.7%25.3%
49TowneBankPortsmouth, VA$8,969$1,321$865$2,496+22.8%57.9%
50Customers BankMalvern, PA$6,436$193$2,661$1,871+22.7%35.7%

Source: FDIC Call Reports as of June 30, 2026 (schedule RC-C). Dollar figures in millions. Change, 1 year compares total CRE loans with June 30, 2025. Bank names link to each bank’s FDIC record.

The leaders combine very different portfolio sizes and mixes. Beacon Bank and Trust grew +229.8% to $9.6 billion, with $5.2 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. Sunflower Bank, N.A. grew +152.4% to $5.1 billion, including $2.6 billion of multifamily loans. Pinnacle Bank reached $36.8 billion after growth of +123.7%, while The Huntington National Bank reached $37.9 billion after +109.8%. Concentration also varies considerably. OceanFirst Bank, N.A. reports a 62.9% CRE share of loans and a 3.18x investor CRE to equity ratio. Fifth Third Bank, N.A. reports an 18.7% CRE share and a 0.57x ratio. Several smaller institutions have high CRE shares, including Citizens Business Bank, N.A. at 76.1% and Plumas Bank at 70.1%. The data shows where balances sit and how they changed, not the lending decisions behind those changes.

Use growth, size, mix and concentration together

Growth is a useful starting point for a loan search because it identifies banks that added CRE balances during the measurement period. It should not be treated as a promise that a bank is accepting every property type or transaction. A larger CRE book can indicate greater appetite and hold capacity, while a smaller but rapidly growing book may merit a closer look. Pinnacle Bank, for example, reports $36.8 billion of CRE loans and +123.7% growth. Vallant Bank reports $1.7 billion and +95.5% growth. Both rank highly, but their reported portfolios differ substantially in scale.

Borrowers can use the category columns to narrow the initial call list. A multifamily borrower might note Columbia Bank’s $10.3 billion multifamily balance, while a construction borrower might examine Fifth Third Bank, N.A. and its $8.0 billion construction and land balance. Owner occupied borrowers can compare banks such as The Huntington National Bank, with $13.3 billion in that category. Concentration should remain part of the review because a bank with substantial CRE exposure may be selective about additional commitments. The ranking is best used to identify possible lenders before confirming geography, relationship requirements and current interest directly with each bank.

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Portfolio mix shows where reported CRE balances are concentrated

Loan mix distinguishes banks with similar growth rates. Mechanics Bank reports $7.5 billion of total CRE loans, including $5.1 billion of multifamily loans. FirstBank reports $7.1 billion, with $1.2 billion in construction and land, $767.5 million in multifamily, $2.2 billion in owner occupied loans, and $3.0 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. Banco Bilbao Vizcaya, S.a. reports $2.6 billion of CRE loans, including $2.3 billion in construction and land. These balances show where each reported portfolio is most active without establishing current underwriting preferences.

CRE share of loans and investor CRE to equity provide different views of concentration. Citizens Business Bank, N.A. has a 76.1% CRE share of loans and a 2.03x investor CRE to equity ratio. First County Bank reports a 58.0% CRE share and a 4.59x ratio, which is high relative to the other banks in the table. Celtic Bank reports a 43.2% CRE share and a 0.11x ratio, which is low relative to the table. Borrowers should treat concentration as context: a bank can have a large relevant portfolio while still being selective about property type, market or relationship fit.

Compare banks with other capital sources

A borrower should not limit a search to institutions headquartered in the property’s state. Out of state banks may be relevant when they maintain local branches or lending coverage, although the table identifies headquarters rather than every market served. Bank lending is relationship driven and local, so reported growth does not confirm that a bank will pursue a particular transaction. Comparing several banks can clarify which institutions currently have the geographic coverage, balance sheet capacity and portfolio fit required for the request. Direct contact remains necessary because call reports describe existing balances, not future commitments.

Nonbank lenders are another part of the comparison. Debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders do not appear in bank call reports. Their presence matters because a transaction that does not fit a bank’s portfolio, concentration position or relationship model may still fit another capital source. The bank ranking provides evidence about reported CRE holdings and recent growth, while a broader loan search tests availability outside that reporting universe. Borrowers should compare several sources on the terms relevant to the property and transaction after using the table to create an initial list of banks.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which banks are adding the most commercial real estate loans?

Beacon Bank and Trust ranks first by year over year CRE loan growth at +229.8%, followed by Sunflower Bank, N.A. at +152.4% and Pinnacle Bank at +123.7%. The Huntington National Bank ranks fourth at +109.8%, and Fifth Third Bank, N.A. ranks fifth at +104.4%. These percentages measure the change in total CRE loans from June 30, 2025 to June 30, 2026. They show which qualifying banks added balances most rapidly, but they do not show whether growth came from newly originated loans, acquired portfolios, or acquisitions of other banks.

How does BestCRE define a commercial real estate lender for this ranking?

BestCRE includes banks with at least $1 billion of total CRE loans and ranks them by year over year change in those loans. Total CRE consists of reported construction and land, multifamily, owner occupied, and investor nonfarm nonresidential balances. The table contains 50 banks with $315.3 billion of CRE loans. It is drawn from a broader banking universe of 4,167 institutions holding $3.07 trillion of CRE loans. The ranking therefore focuses on qualifying banks with positive growth rather than presenting every bank or every source of commercial property financing.

Can rapid CRE loan growth result from a bank acquisition?

Yes. The measured growth is the change in total CRE loans from June 30, 2025 to June 30, 2026, and it can include acquisitions of other banks. That limitation is important when interpreting increases such as Beacon Bank and Trust’s +229.8% or The Huntington National Bank’s +109.8%. The call report totals establish the change in reported balances, but the ranking does not assign a cause to that change. Borrowers should use growth as evidence that the reported CRE book expanded, then assess current lending interest and local availability directly with the institution.

What data sources support the bank lender ranking?

The ranking uses FDIC Call Reports, formally Reports of Condition and Income, including schedule RC-C, together with the FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. The loan data is as of June 30, 2026. Call reports provide standardized balance sheet categories that allow CRE holdings and portfolio mix to be compared across banks. Summary of Deposits data supports the geographic context. Because the table is based on reported balances at a specific date, it should be treated as a factual portfolio snapshot rather than a statement about a bank’s present approval criteria or future lending volume.

What interest rate context applies to this ranking?

The loan balances are dated June 30, 2026, while the benchmark rates are as of Oct 26, 2026. At that later date, the Prime rate was 7.00%, SOFR was 3.89%, the 5 year Treasury was 4.78%, the 10 year Treasury was 4.96%, and Fed funds was 3.88%. These benchmarks provide market context but are not bank quotes and do not describe the rates offered by any institution in the table. Borrowers need current proposals because actual pricing and structure depend on the lender, property, borrower, market and transaction at the time of application.

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BestCRE rankings are editorially independent and built only from public regulatory filings; no bank pays for placement. Call report figures describe loans held on each bank’s balance sheet and do not show loan terms, rates or current appetite. BestCRE is not a lender and does not make loans. Benchmark rates are informational, not quotes. See our Legal Disclaimer and Compensation Disclosure.

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PRIME 7.00%FED FUNDS 3.88%5-YR UST 4.84% ▲10-YR UST 5.00%SOFR 30D 3.90%Updated Oct 28, 2026
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