Bank CRE Loan Performance Q1 2026: Lending Holds Its Growth Path Through Persistent Geopolitical Uncertainty

Bank CRE loan originations on balance sheets reached $6.2 billion in Q1 2026, up 23% year-over-year despite geopolitical headwinds including the Iran war, while the overall delinquency rate improved to 1.84% from 1.99% a year earlier. Office markets in Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Washington D.C. continued to show stressed conditions with criticized loan rates above 40%, and Phoenix emerged as the multifamily market leader in criticized loans at 31.8%, though Houston improved as new supply was absorbed.