Georgia has 122 headquartered banks with $33.9 billion in total commercial real estate loans. BestCRE ranks the leading institutions by total CRE loans reported as of June 30, 2026. The 25 banks in the table hold $25.5 billion, including $4.8 billion in construction and land loans, $2.8 billion in multifamily loans, $6.9 billion in owner occupied loans, and $11.1 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. The ranking uses FDIC Call Reports, formally Reports of Condition and Income, schedule RC-C, together with the FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026.
The table is a starting point for identifying banks with demonstrated CRE exposure, not a statement that every institution will pursue every transaction. Ameris Bank is substantially larger in CRE lending than the other Georgia headquartered banks shown, while the rest of the table includes institutions with different property mixes, growth rates, and concentrations. Across all 4,167 banks, commercial real estate loans total $3.07 trillion. Georgia headquartered banks recorded +16.1% year over year CRE growth, and the top five account for 49.4% of CRE loans held by banks headquartered in the state.
Georgia banks ranked by total CRE loans
| Rank | Bank | Headquarters | Total CRE loans ($M) | Construction and land ($M) | Multifamily ($M) | Owner occupied ($M) | Change, 1 year | CRE share of loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ameris Bank | Atlanta, GA | $10,821 | $1,703 | $2,010 | $1,895 | +5.6% | 47.8% |
| 2 | Vallant Bank | Elberton, GA | $1,688 | $383 | $92.6 | $565 | +95.5% | 56.6% |
| 3 | Metro City Bank | Doraville, GA | $1,514 | $69.3 | $21.9 | $735 | +83.8% | 38.2% |
| 4 | Colony Bank | Fitzgerald, GA | $1,506 | $287 | $119 | $439 | +21.7% | 60.5% |
| 5 | Georgia Banking Company | Atlanta, GA | $1,228 | $270 | $70.4 | $267 | +29.8% | 47.4% |
| 6 | Thomasville National Bank | Thomasville, GA | $790 | $277 | $74.5 | $213 | +17.1% | 42.6% |
| 7 | Queensborough National Bank & Trust Company | Louisville, GA | $702 | $138 | $12.2 | $355 | +6.1% | 50.1% |
| 8 | PrimeSouth Bank | Blackshear, GA | $660 | $210 | $39.8 | $271 | +21.7% | 50.1% |
| 9 | American Pride Bank | Macon, GA | $629 | $72.7 | $16.3 | $89.8 | +86.3% | 87.2% |
| 10 | BankSouth | Greensboro, GA | $533 | $175 | $52.3 | $97.7 | +8.3% | 42.9% |
| 11 | United Bank | Zebulon, GA | $504 | $201 | $12.2 | $142 | +4.2% | 53.3% |
| 12 | First American Bank and Trust Company | Athens, GA | $499 | $120 | $49.9 | $125 | +15.5% | 70.4% |
| 13 | Barwick Banking Company | Barwick, GA | $442 | $76.3 | $16.3 | $218 | +28.1% | 63.1% |
| 14 | PeoplesSouth Bank | Colquitt, GA | $421 | $142 | $23.1 | $90.8 | +8.1% | 48.2% |
| 15 | Affinity Bank, N.A. | COVINGTON, GA | $406 | $76.5 | $4.1 | $158 | +0.9% | 54.3% |
| 16 | Oconee State Bank | Watkinsville, GA | $382 | $34.1 | $29.3 | $185 | +19.8% | 70.2% |
| 17 | Community Bank of Pickens County | Jasper, GA | $366 | $132 | $8.2 | $173 | +8.2% | 74.9% |
| 18 | First National Community Bank | Chatsworth, GA | $366 | $87.3 | $18.1 | $151 | -0.8% | 67.8% |
| 19 | PromiseOne Bank | Duluth, GA | $332 | $2.1 | $15.5 | $72.3 | +13.7% | 53.6% |
| 20 | American Commerce Bank, N.A. | Bremen, GA | $331 | $40.3 | $25.2 | $101 | +3.1% | 80.8% |
| 21 | Farmers and Merchants Bank | Lakeland, GA | $320 | $133 | $11.0 | $86.0 | +17.7% | 51.6% |
| 22 | Peach State Bank & Trust | GAINESVILLE, GA | $298 | $103 | $24.9 | $81.7 | +7.4% | 56.9% |
| 23 | Touchmark National Bank | Alpharetta, GA | $283 | $0.1 | $0.0 | $68.4 | -4.5% | 89.0% |
| 24 | First Port City Bank | Bainbridge, GA | $263 | $65.0 | $14.6 | $130 | +10.3% | 53.8% |
| 25 | FNB SOUTH | Alma, GA | $252 | $26.6 | $15.8 | $141 | +9.5% | 50.7% |
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. Table shows the top 25 of 122 banks headquartered in Georgia.
Ameris Bank leads with $10.8 billion in CRE loans and a national rank of 44. Its $5.2 billion investor nonfarm nonresidential portfolio is the largest component of its CRE book, followed by $2.0 billion of multifamily loans. Vallant Bank ranks second at $1.7 billion after +95.5% year over year growth. Metro City Bank follows at $1.5 billion, with $735.2 million in owner occupied loans and +83.8% growth. Colony Bank also reports $1.5 billion, but its 60.5% CRE share of loans is higher than Metro City Bank’s 38.2%. Concentration varies sharply. American Pride Bank reports an 87.2% CRE share and a 4.34x investor CRE to equity ratio, both high relative to the table. FNB SOUTH reports a 0.95x ratio, low relative to the other ranked banks.
Out of state banks with branches in Georgia
| Bank | Headquarters state | Branches in Georgia | Deposits in Georgia ($M) | Total CRE loans, all states ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Truist Bank | North Carolina | 203 | $68,680 | $51,018 |
| Bank of America, N.A. | North Carolina | 130 | $55,882 | $79,906 |
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | South Dakota | 179 | $46,018 | $121,623 |
| Pinnacle Bank | Tennessee | 102 | $29,937 | $36,789 |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 118 | $13,750 | $179,847 |
| United Community Bank | South Carolina | 62 | $11,510 | $9,988 |
| Regions Bank | Alabama | 117 | $10,648 | $16,257 |
| Bank OZK | Arkansas | 70 | $9,621 | $18,141 |
| SouthState Bank, N.A. | Florida | 44 | $8,754 | $28,266 |
| Renasant Bank | Mississippi | 71 | $5,955 | $11,354 |
| PNC Bank, N.A. | Delaware | 60 | $4,395 | $47,133 |
| The Huntington National Bank | Ohio | 38 | $4,140 | $37,932 |
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Deposits and branches are for Georgia only; CRE loans are bank wide.
The ranking helps borrowers build a focused bank list
Total CRE loans indicate the size of a bank’s existing commercial real estate book and can help borrowers assess demonstrated appetite and potential hold capacity. The category columns then show where that exposure sits. A borrower seeking construction financing can compare construction and land balances, while an investor or owner occupant can examine the corresponding loan category. For example, Thomasville National Bank reports $276.8 million in construction and land loans within a $789.6 million CRE portfolio. Queensborough National Bank & Trust Company reports $354.7 million in owner occupied loans within a $701.9 million CRE portfolio.
Year over year change helps identify banks that are adding or reducing CRE loans, while concentration measures add context about balance sheet exposure. A growing portfolio can support inclusion on a call list, but it does not establish current credit terms or interest in a particular transaction. A high CRE share or investor CRE to equity ratio can also signal that a bank will be selective. Bank lending remains relationship driven and local, so borrowers should use the ranking to identify several plausible institutions, then confirm property type, location, loan size, sponsorship requirements, and current capacity directly with each bank.
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Tell Us About Your DealHow BestCRE Capital WorksLoan mix reveals meaningful differences among Georgia banks
The category mix shows that similarly sized CRE portfolios can have different areas of activity. Vallant Bank reports $647.4 million in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans and $564.7 million in owner occupied loans. Metro City Bank reports $735.2 million in owner occupied loans and $687.5 million in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans, but only $69.3 million in construction and land loans. Colony Bank reports a more distributed book, including $286.9 million in construction and land, $119.2 million in multifamily, $439.3 million in owner occupied, and $660.4 million in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans.
Concentration provides a separate view from portfolio size. Georgia Banking Company reports a 3.03x investor CRE to equity ratio, First American Bank and Trust Company reports 3.18x, and PromiseOne Bank reports 3.72x. American Pride Bank and PeoplesSouth Bank are higher relative to much of the table at 4.34x and 4.20x. By comparison, United Bank reports 1.39x and Metro City Bank reports 1.51x. These figures do not determine whether a bank will make a loan, but they help borrowers distinguish between the amount of CRE held and the balance sheet concentration associated with investor property exposure.
Georgia borrowers have additional bank and nonbank options
This ranking covers banks headquartered in Georgia. Banks headquartered elsewhere can still be significant local lenders through Georgia branches. The FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026 shows Truist Bank with 203 branches and $68.7 billion in Georgia deposits, Bank of America, N.A. with 130 branches and $55.9 billion, and Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. with 179 branches and $46.0 billion. Their reported CRE balances of $51.0 billion, $79.9 billion, and $121.6 billion respectively cover all states, so they are not directly comparable with Georgia lending volume.
Other out of state institutions with local branches include Pinnacle Bank, JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A., United Community Bank, Regions Bank, Bank OZK, SouthState Bank, N.A., Renasant Bank, PNC Bank, N.A., and The Huntington National Bank. Borrowers can also compare debt funds, life companies, CMBS lenders, agency lenders, and SBA lenders, none of which appear as bank lenders in FDIC Call Reports. Comparing several bank and nonbank sources can clarify which capital source fits the property type, transaction structure, and timing. The ranked table should therefore support a broader search rather than serve as a complete list of available CRE financing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does BestCRE rank commercial real estate lenders in Georgia?
BestCRE ranks banks headquartered in Georgia by total commercial real estate loans reported as of June 30, 2026. The measure combines construction and land development, multifamily, owner occupied nonfarm nonresidential, and investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. The information comes from FDIC Call Reports, formally Reports of Condition and Income, schedule RC-C. The table contains 25 banks with a combined $25.5 billion in CRE loans. It measures the size of reported loan books, not loan originations, approvals, quoted terms, or financing available for a specific property.
Why are some large banks not included in the Georgia ranking?
The ranked table is limited to banks headquartered in Georgia, so an institution with many Georgia branches may not appear if its headquarters is in another state. Bank OZK, for example, is headquartered in Arkansas and has 70 Georgia branches with $9.6 billion in deposits in the state. Its $18.1 billion of total CRE loans covers all states and cannot be treated as a Georgia loan total. BestCRE separates these banks from the ranked table to preserve a consistent headquarters based comparison while still identifying major branch based competitors.
What does year over year CRE growth tell a borrower?
Year over year growth shows the change in a bank’s reported CRE loan balance, not the number or value of new originations. Vallant Bank reports +95.5% growth, Metro City Bank reports +83.8%, and American Pride Bank reports +86.3%. Those figures show substantial increases in reported balances, but they do not explain whether the change came from originations, acquisitions, repayments, sales, or other portfolio movements. Borrowers can use growth to identify banks that are adding CRE exposure, then contact those institutions to determine whether current lending interest matches the proposed property and transaction.
What does a negative CRE growth rate mean?
A negative rate means the reported CRE balance was lower than it was a year earlier. First National Community Bank reports -0.8% year over year change, while Touchmark National Bank reports -4.5%. That does not establish that either bank has stopped lending or will decline a new request. Reported balances can change as loans repay, mature, move off the balance sheet, or are replaced by new credits. Borrowers should read the change together with portfolio size and mix, then ask the bank about current capacity. Touchmark National Bank still reports $282.6 million in total CRE loans.
What interest rate benchmarks should Georgia CRE borrowers watch?
Common reference points include the Prime rate, SOFR, Treasury yields, and the federal funds rate, although the applicable benchmark depends on the financing source and loan structure. As of Oct 26, 2026, 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 are market benchmarks, not quoted loan rates from the ranked banks. The FDIC data used for the ranking reports loan balances and categories, not the pricing available to an individual 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.