LOANS
Total loans increased to $752,841,000 as of December 31, 2021, compared to a balance of $720,610,000 as of December 31, 2020. Table 9 provides data relating to the composition of the Corporation’s loan portfolio on the dates indicated. Total loans increased $32,231,000, or 4.5% in 2021 compared to an increase of $72,878,000, or 11.3% in 2020.
Steady demand for borrowing by businesses accounted for the 4.5% increase in the loan portfolio from December 31, 2020 to December 31, 2021. Overall, the Commercial and Industrial portfolio (which includes tax-free Commercial and Industrial loans) decreased $9,349,000 or 10.2% from $91,875,000 at December 31, 2020 to $82,526,000 at December 31, 2021. The decrease in the Commercial and Industrial portfolio during the year ended December 31, 2021 was mainly attributable to a reduction of $18,082,000 in the portion of the Commercial and Industrial portfolio attributable to SBA PPP loans, the balance of which decreased from $22,967,000 at December 31, 2020 to $4,894,000 at December 31, 2021 as a result of loan forgiveness. The $18,082,000 reduction in the balance of SBA PPP loans during the year ended December 31, 2021 was the result of $16,844,000 in new SBA PPP loan originations offset by $34,926,000 in SBA PPP loan forgiveness. The portion of the Commercial and Industrial portfolio excluding PPP loans increased by $8,733,000 during the year ended December 31, 2021, mainly resulting from $24,317,000 in new loan originations for the year ended December 31, 2021, offset by loan payoffs of $8,337,000 and a decrease in utilization of existing Commercial and Industrial lines of credit of $3,559,000, as well as regular principal payments and other typical fluctuations in the Commercial and Industrial portfolio during the year ended December 31, 2021. The Commercial Real Estate portfolio (which includes tax-free Commercial Real Estate loans) increased $54,926,000 or 11.8% from $466,728,000 at December 31, 2020 to $521,654,000 at December 31, 2021. The increase is mainly attributable to $137,056,000 in new loan originations for the year ended December 31, 2021 and an increase of $8,143,000 in utilization of existing Commercial Real Estate lines of credit, offset by $69,177,000 in loan payoffs, in addition to regular principal payments and other typical amortization in the Commercial Real Estate portfolio during the year ended December 31, 2021. Residential Real Estate loans decreased $13,600,000 or 8.7% from $156,983,000 at December 31, 2020 to $143,383,000 at December 31, 2021. The decrease was mainly the result of $54,180,000 in new loan originations and an increase of $83,000 in utilization of existing Residential Real Estate (Home Equity) lines of credit, offset by $47,277,000 in loan payoffs, net loans sold of $15,061,000, and regular principal payments and other typical amortization in the Residential Real Estate portfolio during the year ended December 31, 2021. Net loans sold for the year ended December 31, 2021 consisted of total loans sold during the year ended December 31, 2021 of $29,741,000, offset with loans opened and sold in the same quarter during each quarter of 2021 which amounted to $14,680,000. The Corporation continues to originate and sell certain long-term fixed rate residential mortgage loans which conform to secondary market requirements. The Corporation derives ongoing income from the servicing of mortgages sold in the secondary market. The Corporation continues its efforts to lend to creditworthy borrowers.
Management believes that the loan portfolio is well diversified. The total commercial portfolio was $604,180,000 at December 31, 2021. Of total loans, $521,654,000 or 69.3% were secured by commercial real estate, primarily lessors of residential buildings and dwellings and lessors of non-residential buildings. The Corporation continues to monitor these portfolios.
All loan relationships in excess of $1,500,000 are reviewed internally and/or externally through a loan review process on an annual basis. Such review is based upon analysis of current financial statements of the borrower, co-borrowers/guarantors, payment history, and economic conditions.
Overall, the portfolio risk profile as measured by loan grade is considered low risk, as $727,319,000 or 96.7% of gross loans are graded Pass; $1,668,000 or 0.2% are graded Special Mention; $23,069,000 or 3.1% are graded Substandard; and $0 are graded Doubtful. The rating is intended to represent the best assessment of risk available at a given point in time, based upon a review of the borrower’s financial statements, credit analysis, payment history with the Bank, credit history and lender knowledge of the borrower. See Note 3 — Loans and Allowance for Loan Losses for risk grading tables.