BestCRE’s ranking identifies the Arizona headquartered banks with the largest balances of construction, land development and other land loans. Western Alliance Bank leads with $4.1 billion, followed by Goldwater Bank, N.A. with $88.1 million and Southwest Heritage Bank with $66.5 million. The ranking is based on FDIC Call Reports as of June 30, 2026. It measures reported loan balances, not quoted terms, approval likelihood or the geographic location of every property financed. The table includes 11 banks with $4.3 billion in construction and land loans and $17.4 billion in total commercial real estate loans.
Construction and land lending is one part of a broader commercial real estate portfolio. The same banks report $770.6 million in multifamily loans, $2.0 billion in owner occupied loans and $10.3 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. Arizona headquartered banks reported a -1.7% year over year change in total CRE loans, while the top group accounted for 98.3% of state headquartered CRE balances. The main BestCRE Arizona bank ranking uses total CRE loans. This page instead orders banks by construction and land balances, helping borrowers identify institutions with reported exposure to development related lending.
Arizona banks ranked by construction and land loans
| Rank | Bank | Headquarters | Total CRE loans ($M) | Construction and land ($M) | Multifamily ($M) | Owner occupied ($M) | Change, 1 year | CRE share of loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Western Alliance Bank | Phoenix, AZ | $15,781 | $4,085 | $649 | $1,465 | -3.1% | 24.1% |
| 2 | Goldwater Bank, N.A. | Phoenix, AZ | $174 | $88.1 | $14.2 | $14.9 | +25.8% | 38.1% |
| 3 | Southwest Heritage Bank | Scottsdale, AZ | $559 | $66.5 | $47.2 | $152 | +8.7% | 79.1% |
| 4 | BNC National Bank | Glendale, AZ | $430 | $35.1 | $35.9 | $144 | +0.2% | 58.9% |
| 5 | Gateway Commercial Bank | Mesa, AZ | $97.8 | $22.7 | $3.5 | $53.1 | +11.1% | 64.4% |
| 6 | Gainey Business Bank | Scottsdale, AZ | $49.2 | $13.3 | $0.0 | $14.9 | +65.6% | 51.1% |
| 7 | Integro Bank | Phoenix, AZ | $115 | $10.4 | $11.9 | $73.7 | +93.6% | 70.3% |
| 8 | Zenith Bank & Trust | Scottsdale, AZ | $41.9 | $3.6 | $5.6 | $12.3 | +156.6% | 54.4% |
| 9 | Mission Bank | Kingman, AZ | $36.7 | $2.5 | $1.1 | $21.1 | -4.0% | 51.6% |
| 10 | Scottsdale Community Bank | Scottsdale, AZ | $26.8 | $2.4 | $1.5 | $7.2 | +67.8% | 26.3% |
| 11 | West Valley National Bank | Goodyear, AZ | $42.7 | $0.3 | $1.0 | $23.3 | +3.6% | 65.0% |
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.
Western Alliance Bank is the clear balance leader, reporting $4.1 billion in construction and land loans within a $15.8 billion CRE portfolio. Goldwater Bank, N.A. ranks next with $88.1 million, and construction and land represents a prominent part of its $174.3 million CRE book. Southwest Heritage Bank reports $66.5 million in construction and land loans, alongside $293.5 million in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans and $152.2 million in owner occupied loans. Growth varies widely. Zenith Bank & Trust reports a +156.6% year over year change in total CRE, Integro Bank reports +93.6%, and Western Alliance reports -3.1%. Concentration also differs. Southwest Heritage Bank’s investor CRE to equity ratio is 3.33x, high relative to the table, while Mission Bank’s 1.20x is lower. These measures describe reported portfolio size, mix and concentration, not current credit terms.
Out of state banks with branches in Arizona
| Bank | Headquarters state | Branches in Arizona | Deposits in Arizona ($M) | Total CRE loans, all states ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 186 | $50,163 | $179,847 |
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | South Dakota | 153 | $39,359 | $121,623 |
| Bank of America, N.A. | North Carolina | 104 | $35,468 | $79,906 |
| Zions Bancorporation, N.A. | Utah | 56 | $7,281 | $23,684 |
| PNC Bank, N.A. | Delaware | 75 | $6,425 | $47,133 |
| BMO Bank, N.A. | Illinois | 62 | $4,962 | $28,802 |
| U.S. Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 56 | $4,926 | $50,718 |
| MidFirst Bank | Oklahoma | 22 | $4,421 | $9,265 |
| UMB Bank, N.A. | Missouri | 13 | $3,695 | $15,713 |
| Bell Bank | North Dakota | 4 | $2,163 | $5,335 |
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Deposits and branches are for Arizona only; CRE loans are bank wide.
Portfolio size and growth help borrowers set a call list
A larger CRE book can indicate greater appetite and hold capacity, while the construction and land balance shows how active a bank has been in the category being ranked. Western Alliance Bank reports $15.8 billion in total CRE loans and $4.1 billion in construction and land loans. Goldwater Bank, N.A. has a smaller $174.3 million CRE portfolio, but $88.1 million is in construction and land. Borrowers can use those differences to identify banks whose reported portfolios resemble the financing need.
Growth adds another useful screen because it shows which banks are adding or reducing total CRE balances. Gainey Business Bank reports +65.6%, Gateway Commercial Bank reports +11.1%, and BNC National Bank reports +0.2%. Growth does not establish current approval standards or available capacity. Bank lending remains relationship driven and local, so a practical search should include direct conversations with multiple institutions about property type, location, sponsorship and the bank’s current interest.
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Tell Us About Your DealHow BestCRE Capital WorksLoan mix and concentration show where reported activity is centered
The portfolio columns distinguish construction and land lending from multifamily, owner occupied and investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. Western Alliance Bank reports $9.6 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans, compared with $4.1 billion in construction and land and $648.7 million in multifamily. BNC National Bank reports $143.7 million in owner occupied loans and $215.7 million in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans, compared with $35.1 million in construction and land. The mix helps borrowers see where each reported CRE book is concentrated.
CRE share of loans and investor CRE to equity provide additional context. Southwest Heritage Bank reports CRE equal to 79.1% of loans and an investor CRE to equity ratio of 3.33x, both high relative to several banks in the table. Western Alliance reports a 24.1% CRE share and a 1.80x ratio. A concentrated lender can still be active, but concentration can signal greater selectivity as the bank manages its existing exposure. These figures should therefore inform a call list rather than serve as a prediction of a credit decision.
Arizona borrowers have bank and nonbank alternatives
This ranking includes banks headquartered in Arizona. Banks based elsewhere can also lend in the state through local branches, but their FDIC Call Reports present loan balances across all states. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. has 186 Arizona branches, $50.2 billion in state deposits and $179.8 billion in total CRE loans across all states. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. has 153 branches, $39.4 billion in state deposits and $121.6 billion in total CRE loans across all states. Bank of America, N.A. has 104 branches and $35.5 billion in state deposits.
Other locally present institutions include Zions Bancorporation, N.A., PNC Bank, N.A., BMO Bank, N.A., U.S. Bank, N.A., MidFirst Bank, UMB Bank, N.A. and Bell Bank. Borrowers may also compare debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders. Those nonbank sources do not appear in bank call reports. Comparing multiple sources matters because lender type, portfolio mix and current capacity can affect whether a financing request fits, even when reported balances show substantial historical activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What loans are included in the Arizona construction lender ranking?
The ranking covers construction, land development and other land loans reported by banks headquartered in Arizona. These balances are one component of commercial real estate lending and are separate from multifamily, owner occupied and investor nonfarm nonresidential categories. The 11 ranked banks report $4.3 billion in construction and land loans within $17.4 billion of total CRE loans. The ranking reflects outstanding balances as of June 30, 2026. It does not measure loan originations, applications, approvals, quoted pricing or property locations.
Does a higher rank mean a bank is more likely to approve my loan?
No. Rank measures the reported balance of construction and land loans, not approval probability or current underwriting terms. Western Alliance Bank ranks first with $4.1 billion, showing a substantially larger outstanding balance than the other Arizona headquartered banks in the table. A large balance can indicate appetite and hold capacity, but it can also mean the bank is managing significant existing exposure. Borrowers should treat rank as a screening tool and confirm current interest directly because bank lending is relationship driven and local.
How is this ranking different from the main Arizona bank ranking?
This page ranks Arizona headquartered banks by construction, land development and other land loans. The main state page ranks the same type of institutions by total commercial real estate loans. The distinction can materially change how a bank appears. Southwest Heritage Bank has $559.5 million in total CRE loans but $66.5 million in construction and land loans. Goldwater Bank, N.A. has a smaller $174.3 million total CRE portfolio but ranks ahead with $88.1 million in construction and land loans. Each ranking answers a different borrower question.
What does year over year CRE growth tell a borrower?
Year over year growth shows whether a bank’s total reported CRE balance increased or decreased, but it does not explain the cause or guarantee continued lending. Integro Bank reports +93.6% growth, while Zenith Bank & Trust reports +156.6%. Western Alliance Bank reports -3.1%, and Mission Bank reports -4.0%. These figures can help identify institutions that have recently added CRE loans, but borrowers should consider them alongside portfolio size, loan mix and concentration. A high growth rate from a smaller base does not make the portfolio larger than the leading balance holders.
What data and market rates support this research?
BestCRE uses FDIC Call Reports, formally Reports of Condition and Income, including schedule RC-C, together with the FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Loan balances are as of June 30, 2026. Market benchmarks as of Oct 26, 2026 were a 7.00% Prime rate, 3.89% SOFR, 4.78% 5 year Treasury, 4.96% 10 year Treasury and 3.88% Fed funds rate. These are market reference points, not the rates offered by any bank in the ranking. Actual bank pricing and terms are not reported in these datasets.
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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.
