New Jersey borrowers have a substantial group of locally headquartered banks with commercial real estate lending activity. The 25 banks in the BestCRE table hold $97.6 billion in total CRE loans, including $7.7 billion in construction and land loans, $30.8 billion in multifamily loans, $20.2 billion in owner occupied loans and $38.9 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. The ranking is based on FDIC Call Reports, formally Reports of Condition and Income, schedule RC-C, as of June 30, 2026. Branch and deposit information comes from the FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026.
The table ranks banks headquartered in New Jersey by total commercial real estate loans across all states. It does not measure only loans originated in New Jersey or loans secured by properties in the state. New Jersey has 47 headquartered banks with $99.9 billion in total CRE loans, up +9.4% year over year. The five largest institutions account for 68.9% of that total. Banks headquartered elsewhere are excluded from the ranking even when they maintain substantial branch networks and deposits in New Jersey. BestCRE addresses those institutions separately so borrowers can distinguish local headquarters from local market presence.
New Jersey banks ranked by total CRE loans
| Rank | Bank | Headquarters | Total CRE loans ($M) | Construction and land ($M) | Multifamily ($M) | Owner occupied ($M) | Change, 1 year | CRE share of loans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Valley National Bank | Passaic, NJ | $30,353 | $2,484 | $9,034 | $7,688 | +5.2% | 57.8% |
| 2 | Provident Bank | Jersey City, NJ | $14,672 | $723 | $3,807 | $2,900 | +4.1% | 73.2% |
| 3 | OceanFirst Bank, N.A. | Toms River, NJ | $10,244 | $739 | $2,361 | $1,612 | +74.7% | 62.9% |
| 4 | ConnectOne Bank | Englewood Cliffs, NJ | $8,856 | $856 | $3,679 | $1,732 | +9.7% | 74.6% |
| 5 | Columbia Bank | Fair Lawn, NJ | $4,730 | $502 | $1,771 | $640 | +7.3% | 55.7% |
| 6 | Kearny Bank | Kearny, NJ | $3,775 | $262 | $2,497 | $93.3 | -2.4% | 64.2% |
| 7 | Peapack Private Bank & Trust | Bedminster, NJ | $3,444 | $21.4 | $1,804 | $297 | +11.8% | 51.6% |
| 8 | Spencer Savings Bank, SLA | Elmwood Park, NJ | $2,651 | $84.8 | $1,492 | $366 | +5.1% | 80.5% |
| 9 | First Bank | Hamilton, NJ | $2,338 | $178 | $271 | $709 | -0.8% | 69.3% |
| 10 | BCB Community Bank | Bayonne, NJ | $1,917 | $49.1 | $473 | $396 | -7.0% | 72.5% |
| 11 | Unity Bank | Clinton, NJ | $1,778 | $262 | $51.2 | $820 | +18.5% | 66.2% |
| 12 | Amboy Bank | Old Bridge, NJ | $1,727 | $313 | $743 | $159 | +6.6% | 86.0% |
| 13 | Manasquan Bank | Manasquan, NJ | $1,685 | $243 | $228 | $440 | +11.2% | 56.3% |
| 14 | The Bank of Princeton | Princeton, NJ | $1,433 | $199 | $467 | $359 | -9.8% | 80.9% |
| 15 | Cross River Bank | Fort Lee, NJ | $1,335 | $204 | $265 | $508 | -12.9% | 22.4% |
| 16 | First Commerce Bank | Lakewood, NJ | $1,329 | $116 | $104 | $366 | +14.8% | 85.1% |
| 17 | Parke Bank | Sewell, NJ | $1,095 | $220 | $219 | $186 | +15.3% | 53.9% |
| 18 | Blue Foundry Bank | RUTHERFORD, NJ | $1,009 | $79.0 | $624 | $112 | -1.5% | 60.5% |
| 19 | Magyar Bank | New Brunswick, NJ | $601 | $14.2 | $85.1 | $248 | +9.8% | 67.7% |
| 20 | Freedom Bank | Maywood, NJ | $580 | $89.4 | $167 | $77.2 | +14.3% | 78.6% |
| 21 | Crown Bank | Elizabeth, NJ | $500 | $67.0 | $17.6 | $180 | +1.2% | 95.3% |
| 22 | New Millennium Bank | Fort Lee, NJ | $408 | $8.6 | $1.9 | $175 | +3.0% | 52.0% |
| 23 | Somerset Regal Bank | Bound Brook, NJ | $394 | $0.0 | $253 | $48.9 | +13.5% | 43.5% |
| 24 | Haven Savings Bank | Hoboken, NJ | $394 | $15.4 | $284 | $23.2 | -4.7% | 50.3% |
| 25 | Hana Bank USA, N.A. | Fort Lee, NJ | $381 | $2.8 | $141 | $61.5 | +1.9% | 74.0% |
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. Table shows the top 25 of 47 banks headquartered in New Jersey.
Valley National Bank leads with $30.4 billion in CRE loans and a national rank of 14, well ahead of Provident Bank at $14.7 billion and OceanFirst Bank, N.A. at $10.2 billion. Their portfolios also differ. Valley reports $11.1 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans, while Provident reports $7.2 billion and OceanFirst reports $5.5 billion. OceanFirst recorded the strongest listed year over year change at +74.7%. Concentration varies materially across the table. Crown Bank has 95.3% of loans in CRE, while Cross River Bank has 22.4%. Freedom Bank reports an investor CRE to equity ratio of 6.07x, high relative to the other ranked banks, while Cross River reports 0.80x. Kearny Bank is particularly weighted toward multifamily, with $2.5 billion of its $3.8 billion CRE portfolio in that category. These differences help identify institutions whose reported books align with a borrower’s property type.
Out of state banks with branches in New Jersey
| Bank | Headquarters state | Branches in New Jersey | Deposits in New Jersey ($M) | Total CRE loans, all states ($M) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank of America, N.A. | North Carolina | 179 | $73,375 | $79,906 |
| TD Bank, N.A. | Delaware | 208 | $57,548 | $30,408 |
| PNC Bank, N.A. | Delaware | 175 | $42,494 | $47,133 |
| JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. | Ohio | 188 | $40,059 | $179,847 |
| Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. | South Dakota | 196 | $37,750 | $121,623 |
| Santander Bank, N.A. | Delaware | 86 | $12,650 | $17,133 |
| Citizens Bank, N.A. | Rhode Island | 107 | $8,899 | $26,949 |
| Fulton Bank, N.A. | Pennsylvania | 59 | $7,681 | $10,083 |
| Manufacturers and Traders Trust Company | New York | 65 | $5,999 | $34,665 |
| Flagstar Bank, N.A. | New York | 31 | $5,808 | $35,271 |
| Capital One, N.A. | Virginia | 16 | $5,536 | $24,111 |
| Truist Bank | North Carolina | 20 | $3,294 | $51,018 |
Source: FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. Deposits and branches are for New Jersey only; CRE loans are bank wide.
Portfolio size, growth and local presence guide a loan search
A larger CRE book can indicate greater appetite and hold capacity, but size alone does not identify the right lender for a particular property. Borrowers can begin with total CRE loans, then compare the category matching the request. Year over year change shows which institutions are adding or reducing CRE balances. For example, Unity Bank reports $1.8 billion in CRE loans and growth of +18.5%, while BCB Community Bank reports $1.9 billion and a change of -7.0%. These figures describe reported portfolio movement, not current approval standards or future lending intentions.
Bank lending is relationship driven and local, so the ranking works best as a call list rather than a prediction of approval. A borrower can compare banks with relevant portfolio exposure, confirm whether each institution lends in the property’s market and ask about current capacity. Headquarters also matters when interpreting the table. Every ranked institution is headquartered in New Jersey, but its reported CRE balance covers all states. The table therefore identifies locally headquartered banks with meaningful CRE portfolios rather than measuring each bank’s New Jersey originations.
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Tell Us About Your DealHow BestCRE Capital WorksLoan mix and concentration reveal distinct portfolio profiles
The category columns show where each bank’s reported CRE book is most active. ConnectOne Bank holds $3.7 billion in multifamily loans within an $8.9 billion CRE portfolio. First Bank has $1.2 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans and $709.3 million in owner occupied loans. Unity Bank reports $819.6 million in owner occupied loans, compared with $51.2 million in multifamily loans. The mix does not establish current terms or credit standards, but it helps borrowers identify banks with existing exposure to a comparable property category.
CRE share of loans and investor CRE to equity provide different views of concentration. Amboy Bank reports an 86.0% CRE share and a 4.33x investor CRE to equity ratio. First Commerce Bank reports 85.1% and 5.00x, respectively. Cross River Bank reports a lower 22.4% CRE share and a 0.80x ratio. Regulators define the ratio as investor commercial real estate loans, including construction, multifamily and non owner occupied nonfarm loans, divided by total equity capital. A high ratio relative to peers can signal that a bank will be selective, even when its portfolio is large.
Out of state banks and nonbank lenders broaden the comparison
Banks headquartered outside New Jersey can still be major local competitors. Bank of America, N.A. has 179 New Jersey branches and $73.4 billion in state deposits, while TD Bank, N.A. has 208 branches and $57.5 billion. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. has 188 branches, $40.1 billion in state deposits and $179.8 billion in total CRE loans across all states. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. has 196 branches, $37.8 billion in state deposits and $121.6 billion in total CRE loans. These institutions do not appear in the headquarters ranking.
Borrowers can also compare bank options with debt funds, life companies, CMBS, agency and SBA lenders. Those lender types do not appear in bank call reports, so the FDIC ranking cannot represent the full financing market. Comparing several sources helps a borrower test fit across property type, relationship requirements and available lending capacity. Benchmark conditions also provide context for lender conversations. 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%.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which New Jersey bank has the largest commercial real estate loan portfolio?
Valley National Bank ranks first among banks headquartered in New Jersey, with $30.4 billion in total CRE loans as of June 30, 2026. Its reported portfolio includes $2.5 billion in construction and land loans, $9.0 billion in multifamily loans, $7.7 billion in owner occupied loans and $11.1 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. CRE represents 57.8% of its total loans, and its investor CRE to equity ratio is 2.70x. Valley also holds a national rank of 14 based on total CRE loans.
Which ranked New Jersey bank reported the fastest CRE growth?
OceanFirst Bank, N.A. reported the largest year over year CRE change in the table at +74.7%. It ranks 3 with $10.2 billion in total CRE loans. The portfolio includes $738.5 million in construction and land loans, $2.4 billion in multifamily loans, $1.6 billion in owner occupied loans and $5.5 billion in investor nonfarm nonresidential loans. The change identifies movement in the reported balance between call report periods. It does not establish whether the bank is currently expanding every property category or approving new requests under the same conditions.
Which New Jersey banks have the largest multifamily portfolios?
Valley National Bank has the largest multifamily balance in the ranking at $9.0 billion. Provident Bank follows with $3.8 billion, while ConnectOne Bank reports $3.7 billion. Kearny Bank holds $2.5 billion in multifamily loans within a $3.8 billion total CRE portfolio, and OceanFirst Bank, N.A. reports $2.4 billion. Multifamily balances show existing portfolio exposure rather than current pricing or approval appetite. Borrowers should use the figures to identify plausible contacts, then confirm geographic coverage, relationship expectations and present lending capacity directly with each bank.
How concentrated are New Jersey banks in commercial real estate?
Concentration differs substantially among the ranked institutions. Crown Bank reports the highest CRE share of total loans at 95.3%, followed by Amboy Bank at 86.0% and First Commerce Bank at 85.1%. By comparison, Cross River Bank reports 22.4%. The investor CRE to equity measure adds a capital based view. Freedom Bank reports 6.07x, while Hana Bank USA, N.A. reports 1.42x. A high figure relative to other banks in the table can signal greater selectivity, but it does not reveal a bank’s current underwriting decisions or available capacity for a particular request.
How current is the BestCRE New Jersey lender ranking?
The ranking uses FDIC Call Reports as of June 30, 2026, with portfolio information drawn from schedule RC-C. Branch and deposit figures come from the FDIC Summary of Deposits 2026. The table covers 25 banks headquartered in New Jersey and ranks them by total commercial real estate loans. For broader context, all 4,167 banks in the FDIC data hold $3.07 trillion in CRE loans. Call reports provide standardized balance sheet information, but they do not show current quotes, property level approvals or loans originated only within New Jersey.
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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.