<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-09-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001193558</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>AMERICAN FINANCIAL REALTY TRUST</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>AFR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001248587</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOLLIHAN JOHN P III</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O AMERICAN FINANCIAL REALTY TRUST</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>610 OLD YORK ROAD</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>2007-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>A</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>300</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0.001</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>83212</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 Issuer's 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, as compensation for service as chairman of a committee of the board of trustees.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">This amount includes 1,607, 2,513 and 2,275 restricted common shares issued on June 16, 2005, June 1, 2006 and June 6, 2007, respectively, pursuant to the Issuer's 2002 Equity Incentive Plan, which shares vest 33.33% on each anniversary of the date of issuance.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ Edward J. Matey Jr.
By: Edward J. Matey Jr. as attorney-in-fact
for John P. Hollihan III</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-09-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
