<?xml version="1.0"?><ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0201</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-09-29</periodOfReport><notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>
    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001193558</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN FINANCIAL REALTY TRUST</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AFR</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001189690</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>KAHANE WILLIAM M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AMERICAN FINANCIAL REALTY TRUST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1735 THE FAIRWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>JENKINTOWN</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>19046</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
            <reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>0</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeTable><nonDerivativeTransaction><securityTitle><value>Common Shares</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-09-29</value></transactionDate><deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>A</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionTimeliness><value></value></transactionTimeliness><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>20000</value><footnoteId id="F1" /></transactionShares><transactionPricePerShare><value>0.001</value></transactionPricePerShare><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>21000</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeTransaction></nonDerivativeTable><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Consists of restricted common shares awarded pursuant to the American Financial Realty Trust 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated.  These restricted common shares were awarded on September 29, 2003 and will vest as follows: 33.33% on April 23, 2004 and 33.33% on each anniversary thereafter.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ James W. McKenzie, Jr.
By: James W. McKenzie, Jr. as attorney-in-fact
for William M. Kahane</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-01</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

