<?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>0001247429</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>GAREA RAYMOND</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>65000</value><footnoteId id="F2" /></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 33.33% on each anniversary of the date of issuance.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Includes 20,000 restricted common shares pursuant to the American Financial Realty Trust 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, as amended and restated.  These restricted common shares were issued on September 10, 2002 and will vest 33.33% on each anniversary of the date of issuance.</footnote></footnotes><remarks></remarks><ownerSignature><signatureName>/s/ James W. McKenzie, Jr.
By: James W. McKenzie, Jr. as attorney-in-fact
for Raymond Garea.</signatureName><signatureDate>2003-10-01</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

