North Carolina is home to several of the country’s largest bank commercial real estate lenders. The banks in this table report $195.1 billion in total CRE loans, including $29.0 billion in construction and land loans, $21.9 billion in multifamily loans, $68.2 billion in owner occupied loans and $75.9 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. BestCRE ranks the institutions by total commercial real estate loans reported on schedule RC-C of their FDIC Call Reports as of June 30, 2026. Because call reports consolidate each bank’s lending across its operating footprint, these balances are not limited to loans secured by North Carolina properties.
The ranking covers banks headquartered in North Carolina. The state has 37 headquartered banks with $195.3 billion in combined CRE loans, up +5.2% year over year. The top five account for 93.0% of that balance, showing how strongly the state’s reported bank CRE lending is concentrated among its largest institutions. This is not a complete directory of capital available for a North Carolina property. Banks headquartered elsewhere may lend through branches in the state, while debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders do not appear in bank call reports. Borrowers should treat the table as a screening tool rather than a prediction of approval.
North Carolina banks ranked by total CRE loans
| Rank | Bank | Headquarters | Total CRE loans ($M) | Construction and land ($M) | Multifamily ($M) | Owner occupied ($M) | Change, 1 year | CRE share of loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bank of America, N.A. | Charlotte, NC | $79,906 | $9,681 | $8,465 | $24,700 | +6.1% | 6.6% |
| 2 | Truist Bank | Charlotte, NC | $51,018 | $7,610 | $8,652 | $17,780 | +4.9% | 15.4% |
| 3 | First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company | Raleigh, NC | $38,808 | $7,338 | $2,967 | $16,840 | +0.9% | 25.7% |
| 4 | Live Oak Banking Company | Wilmington, NC | $6,163 | $970 | $26.2 | $3,037 | +17.3% | 46.9% |
| 5 | First Bank | Southern Pines, NC | $5,765 | $848 | $619 | $1,358 | +12.7% | 64.0% |
| 6 | The Fidelity Bank | Fuquay Varina, NC | $2,139 | $474 | $84.9 | $958 | +5.7% | 73.1% |
| 7 | First Carolina Bank | Rocky Mount, NC | $2,071 | $325 | $433 | $271 | -1.7% | 75.5% |
| 8 | HomeTrust Bank | Asheville, NC | $1,922 | $374 | $131 | $528 | +2.9% | 51.4% |
| 9 | Southern Bank and Trust Company | Mount Olive, NC | $1,818 | $197 | $121 | $919 | +10.2% | 50.4% |
| 10 | Providence Bank | Rocky Mount, NC | $987 | $209 | $107 | $237 | +9.4% | 78.3% |
| 11 | Peoples Bank | Newton, NC | $731 | $134 | $46.0 | $267 | +11.3% | 57.1% |
| 12 | North State Bank | Raleigh, NC | $649 | $127 | $56.3 | $287 | -0.3% | 55.8% |
| 13 | KS Bank, Inc. | Smithfield, NC | $484 | $159 | $13.5 | $144 | +23.8% | 67.2% |
| 14 | Farmers & Merchants Bank | Granite Quarry, NC | $395 | $166 | $9.8 | $61.9 | +2.1% | 73.1% |
| 15 | Bank of Oak Ridge | Oak Ridge, NC | $353 | $34.0 | $30.3 | $154 | -3.7% | 67.5% |
| 16 | Uwharrie Bank | Albemarle, NC | $338 | $84.6 | $9.4 | $114 | +2.7% | 48.2% |
| 17 | Piedmont Federal Savings Bank | Winston Salem, NC | $328 | $90.5 | $33.8 | $96.3 | +31.7% | 35.7% |
| 18 | BlueHarbor Bank | Mooresville, NC | $295 | $67.2 | $9.1 | $81.2 | +17.6% | 55.0% |
| 19 | Triad Business Bank | Greensboro, NC | $274 | $51.2 | $7.2 | $111 | -1.3% | 66.7% |
| 20 | Mechanics & Farmers Bank | Durham, NC | $171 | $7.4 | $29.3 | $97.2 | -2.9% | 61.8% |
| 21 | Lumbee Guaranty Bank | Pembroke, NC | $113 | $12.8 | $21.1 | $43.4 | -0.5% | 46.7% |
| 22 | LifeStore Bank | West Jefferson, NC | $107 | $17.8 | $22.5 | $24.6 | +3.3% | 33.0% |
| 23 | American Bank of the Carolinas | Monroe, NC | $86.1 | $16.0 | $5.7 | $25.5 | +20.4% | 51.2% |
| 24 | Nantahala Bank & Trust Company | Franklin, NC | $79.3 | $21.6 | $5.9 | $27.1 | +7.1% | 40.7% |
| 25 | First Federal Bank | Dunn, NC | $66.5 | $18.8 | $2.3 | $20.4 | +14.4% | 32.8% |
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. Table shows the top 25 of 37 banks headquartered in North Carolina.
Bank of America, N.A., Truist Bank and First-Citizens Bank & Trust Company lead the table with $79.9 billion, $51.0 billion and $38.8 billion in CRE loans, respectively. Their portfolio mixes differ. Bank of America reports $37.1 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans, while Truist reports $8.7 billion in multifamily loans and First-Citizens reports $16.8 billion in owner occupied loans. Among the other leading banks, Live Oak Banking Company grew +17.3% year over year and First Bank grew +12.7%. Concentration also varies substantially. CRE represents 6.6% of loans at Bank of America, compared with 78.3% at Providence Bank. Providence Bank’s investor CRE to equity ratio is 4.02x, while Bank of America’s is 0.23x. These figures help distinguish portfolio scale, recent growth and balance sheet concentration, but they do not establish current loan availability or terms.
Out of state banks with branches in North Carolina
| Bank | Headquarters state | Branches in North Carolina | Deposits in North Carolina ($M) | Total CRE loans, all states ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | South Dakota | 217 | $50,972 | $121,623 |
| PNC Bank, N.A. | Delaware | 100 | $13,209 | $47,133 |
| First National Bank of Pennsylvania | Pennsylvania | 95 | $8,848 | $12,016 |
| Fifth Third Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 87 | $7,754 | $33,581 |
| Pinnacle Bank | Tennessee | 44 | $7,698 | $36,789 |
| Banc of California | California | 1 | $7,086 | $11,904 |
| First Horizon Bank | Tennessee | 78 | $6,763 | $22,518 |
| TowneBank | Virginia | 24 | $5,251 | $8,969 |
| United Community Bank | South Carolina | 37 | $3,668 | $9,988 |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 61 | $2,948 | $179,847 |
| United Bank | Virginia | 43 | $2,646 | $14,204 |
| Bank OZK | Arkansas | 26 | $2,322 | $18,141 |
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Deposits and branches are for North Carolina only; CRE loans are bank wide.
The ranking is a starting point for a loan search
Total CRE loans provide a measure of a bank’s demonstrated appetite and potential hold capacity. A larger portfolio can identify an institution that regularly carries commercial property exposure, but size alone does not show whether a particular request fits. Borrowers should also compare the property type columns, year over year change, CRE share of total loans and investor CRE to equity. For example, Bank of America reports $79.9 billion in total CRE loans and a 6.6% CRE share, while Live Oak Banking Company reports $6.2 billion and a 46.9% share. Both are significant within this ranking, but their balance sheet profiles are different.
Growth can help identify banks that are adding CRE loans. Piedmont Federal Savings Bank reports +31.7% year over year growth, KS Bank, Inc. reports +23.8%, and American Bank of the Carolinas reports +20.4%. A positive change does not mean that every property type or transaction is currently eligible. Bank lending remains relationship driven and local, so borrowers should use the table to build a call list and then confirm geographic coverage, property fit and current appetite directly. Comparing several institutions is important because reported portfolio size and growth describe outstanding balances as of June 30, 2026, not a commitment to originate a new loan.
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Tell Us About Your DealHow BestCRE Capital WorksLoan mix and concentration reveal different balance sheet profiles
The category columns show where reported CRE balances sit. Bank of America has $24.7 billion in owner occupied loans and $37.1 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. Truist has the table’s largest reported multifamily balance at $8.7 billion, alongside $7.6 billion in construction and land loans. First-Citizens reports $16.8 billion in owner occupied loans, compared with $11.7 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. Farther down the table, First Carolina Bank reports $1.0 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans and $270.8 million in owner occupied loans. These differences indicate where each bank’s existing portfolio is most active.
Concentration measures add context to raw balances. CRE equals 73.1% of total loans at The Fidelity Bank and 75.5% at First Carolina Bank, compared with 15.4% at Truist. Investor CRE to equity is 2.52x at The Fidelity Bank, 3.95x at First Carolina Bank and 0.53x at Truist. Providence Bank records the highest ratio among these examples at 4.02x. A high ratio relative to other banks in the table can signal that an institution will be selective as it manages its balance sheet. It should not be read as a loan decision, credit judgment or statement about a bank’s current underwriting terms.
Other bank and nonbank sources broaden the lender search
Banks headquartered outside North Carolina also maintain substantial local operations. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., headquartered in South Dakota, has 217 North Carolina branches and $51.0 billion in deposits in the state. Its $121.6 billion of total CRE loans covers all states. PNC Bank, N.A., headquartered in Delaware, has 100 branches, $13.2 billion in North Carolina deposits and $47.1 billion in total CRE loans across all states. First National Bank of Pennsylvania has 95 branches, $8.8 billion in state deposits and $12.0 billion in total CRE loans. These institutions are omitted from the headquarters ranking but may still be relevant to a local borrower.
Other branch based options include Fifth Third Bank, N.A., with 87 branches and $7.8 billion in North Carolina deposits, and Pinnacle Bank, with 44 branches and $7.7 billion. Their total CRE portfolios across all states are $33.6 billion and $36.8 billion, respectively. Borrowers can also compare debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders, none of which appear in FDIC bank call reports. Different capital sources may serve different property types and transaction structures. Comparing several bank and nonbank sources helps a borrower test current availability and fit instead of relying solely on the size of an institution’s reported portfolio.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which bank is the largest commercial real estate lender headquartered in North Carolina?
Bank of America, N.A., headquartered in Charlotte, ranks first with $79.9 billion in total CRE loans as of June 30, 2026. Its portfolio includes $9.7 billion in construction and land loans, $8.5 billion in multifamily loans, $24.7 billion in owner occupied loans and $37.1 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. CRE represents 6.6% of its total loans, and its investor CRE to equity ratio is 0.23x. The bank ranks 3 nationally by total CRE loans. These are consolidated bank balances and are not limited to properties located in North Carolina.
Which North Carolina banks have the fastest CRE loan growth?
Piedmont Federal Savings Bank reports the highest year over year increase in the table at +31.7%, followed by KS Bank, Inc. at +23.8% and American Bank of the Carolinas at +20.4%. BlueHarbor Bank grew +17.6%, while Live Oak Banking Company grew +17.3%. Growth measures the change in outstanding CRE balances and can help identify banks that have recently added loans. It does not identify the property types behind every change or confirm that a bank is currently accepting a particular request. Borrowers should compare growth with portfolio mix, concentration and direct confirmation of current appetite.
What interest rate benchmarks should a CRE borrower compare?
As of Oct 26, 2026, the Prime rate is 7.00%, SOFR is 3.89%, the 5 year Treasury is 4.78%, the 10 year Treasury is 4.96% and Fed funds is 3.88%. These benchmarks provide market context when borrowers evaluate financing, but the ranking does not report bank loan pricing or terms. FDIC Call Reports show outstanding balances rather than quoted rates for new transactions. A borrower should ask each prospective lender which benchmark applies to the requested structure and compare the complete economics directly. The figures on this page should not be interpreted as offers from any ranked institution.
Does a high CRE concentration mean a bank will approve my loan?
No. CRE concentration describes the importance of commercial real estate within a bank’s existing balance sheet, not the likelihood of approval. Providence Bank reports CRE equal to 78.3% of total loans and an investor CRE to equity ratio of 4.02x. First Carolina Bank reports a 75.5% CRE share and a 3.95x ratio. By comparison, Bank of America reports a 6.6% CRE share and a 0.23x ratio. A high concentration relative to other banks in the table can signal selectivity. Actual availability still depends on the bank’s current appetite, relationship and assessment of the specific transaction.
How complete is the North Carolina CRE bank ranking?
The table includes 25 banks headquartered in North Carolina, while the state has 37 headquartered banks. The ranked institutions report $195.1 billion in total CRE loans, compared with $195.3 billion for all banks headquartered in the state. The broader national universe contains 4,167 banks with $3.07 trillion in CRE loans. The ranking does not include out of state banks merely because they operate North Carolina branches, and it does not include debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency or SBA lenders. It is therefore a focused view of North Carolina headquartered bank portfolios, not a complete list of every lender available to a borrower.
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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.