The Jersey Link Podcast is back with a conversation that feels like sitting around the table after a long year and finally exhaling. Jose Sanchez and Kate Vargo are joined by lender Brianna Lundquist to look back on what 2025 actually felt like in Central New Jersey and what that means for the year ahead.

What comes through quickly is how different the year felt compared to the ones before it. Rates didn’t suddenly change the game, but they stopped driving fear, which gave buyers time to think and forced sellers to be more intentional. “There was a calmness that came back,” Jose says, and that shift quietly changed how homes were priced, negotiated, and walked away from.

From the lending side, Brianna speaks to where pressure actually showed up. Affordability tightened. Qualifying buyers took more care. Some deals didn’t survive once inspections, financing limits, or condo rules came into play. She touches on why non-warrantable condos became a bigger conversation and how knowing those details early started to separate smooth deals from stressful ones. “If the financing is limited, you need to know that early,” she says.

Kate ties those moments back to what buyers and sellers were experiencing in real time. Homes priced with intention still moved. Others stalled out. Buyers became less willing to overlook issues just to win, and sellers learned quickly that the market was no longer forgiving guesswork. “Price still tells the story,” she says, especially in a region where every neighborhood behaves a little differently.

Here are the key takeaways:

(3:19) Mortgage reality check in 2025

(4:29) What a non-warrantable condo means

(6:22) Advice for listing condos the right way

(7:58) Overpricing exposed in 2025

(9:55) Bank statement loans explained

(15:21) What 2026 is shaping up to look like

(20:53) What happens if rates drop

(25:17) Seller prep that actually matters

(28:49) Why the right lender matters

(31:44) Ways to fund a down payment

(36:29) Being competitive without overpaying

(37:53) How appraisals really affect your loan

(41:35) Why real estate is not one size fits all

(44:23) Where buyers are moving now

(49:43) When homes become unmarketable

(55:23) Why sellers need more prep than before

(56:46) Stop paying rent and start preparing

About Brianna Lundquist

Brianna Lundquist is a mortgage banker and longtime Freehold resident. She guides buyers and sellers through the financing side of a real estate transaction and works closely with agents and attorneys to keep deals on track. Her background in home lending and her understanding of the local market help clients navigate income checks, approvals, and last-minute issues. She supports every stage of the mortgage process with clear direction and practical insight.

Connect with Brianna:

LinkedIn

Brianna’s instagram is Brianna_homeloans

About Katlin Vargo

Katlin Vargo is a real estate agent, focused on serving buyers, sellers, and investors in Central New Jersey. She has lived in Middlesex County for over ten years and brings a strong understanding of the local market. Outside of work, she spends time with her son, Beau, and their dog, Brooklyn, exploring nearby neighborhoods and parks.

Connect with Katlin:

Instagram

About Jose Sanchez

Jose Sanchez is a Broker-Associate at Keller Williams Realty West Monmouth with 22 years of experience in real estate, financial sales, and business operations. He leads a team, oversees recruitment, and manages client relationships throughout the buying and selling process. Jose also directs marketing efforts and helps drive team performance. He works closely with the community to support local growth and development. His focus remains on guiding clients and building strong partnerships across the region.

Connect with Jose:

LinkedIn

Instagram

In a lot of towns right now, the market is slowing down. More homes are popping up, prices are settling, and buyers are starting to breathe again. East Brunswick hasn’t really followed that pattern.

This part of the episode looks at why this town continues to move differently. People don’t come here for a quick stop. They come with plans to stay, raise families, and build their lives here, and that mindset keeps demand steady even when the market shifts around it.

So while prices may feel high on paper, the demand behind them hasn’t gone anywhere. With new development adding more variety, East Brunswick keeps evolving without losing the reason people wanted to live here in the first place.

Catch this conversation in this episode of The Jersey Link Podcast:

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5YUo4Zw4pE2eTz6zTaonZa

Apple:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/ep10-why-east-brunswick-is-still-jerseys-best-kept/id1822771174?i=1000732706987

YouTube:

https://youtu.be/4rMHEel-ZFs

See you in the next one!

If you heard the last episode, you already know we had to keep the conversation going. This week Jose and Kate return with attorney Edward Bruton and Mortgage Banker Brianna Lundquist to dive into the unpredictable world of Jersey real estate and all the surprises that come with it. And yes, the stories get even wilder.

Edward sets the tone early with a simple truth. “Trust your gut. It is usually right.” That becomes even more clear when Brianna drops moments from the lending side that you could not make up. Wedding gifts written the wrong way. Savings hidden in unexpected places. The kind of mattress money story that makes everyone stop and look at each other.

You also hear the compassion behind the chaos. These four care about their clients and it shows in every example they share. Edward sums it up perfectly. “Give us the facts and we can protect you.” And suddenly you see how much work happens long before a buyer ever gets the keys.

Here are the key takeaways:

(1:57) Trusting Your Gut During a Deal

(5:09) Why Attorneys Need Every Fact

(7:49) What Clients Must Tell Their Attorney

(11:15) The Mattress Money Problem

(12:38) How Lenders Verify Every Dollar

(14:50) The Wedding Check Mistake

(17:14) When Fifty Fifty Ownership Changes

(19:54) Survivorship vs Non-Survivorship

(24:39) Walkthrough Surprises Sellers Leave Behind

(31:00) The Risk of Waiving Inspections

(39:17) The Gas Pipeline Discovery

(45:32) Same Day Closing Stress Points

(50:50) Managing Emotions in Real Estate

(56:26) Why the Right Team Matters

(57:18) Balancing Empathy and Experience

This continuation feels warm, local, and full of the energy that makes Central Jersey such a memorable place to move through real estate. If you want the stories you never hear at the closing table, this episode brings them to life.

About Brianna Lundquist

Brianna Lundquist is a mortgage banker and longtime Freehold resident. She guides buyers and sellers through the financing side of a real estate transaction and works closely with agents and attorneys to keep deals on track. Her background in home lending and her understanding of the local market help clients navigate income checks, approvals, and last minute issues. She supports every stage of the mortgage process with clear direction and practical insight.

Connect with Brianna:

LinkedIn

About Edward J. Bruton

Edward J. Bruton is an attorney whose practice focuses on commercial and residential real estate transactions, loan matters, and general contract work. He assists clients through complex closings, title issues, and the legal steps involved in buying or selling property. His firm also handles personal injury cases and litigation. Edward works closely with real estate teams to help clients move through a transaction with clarity and proper legal protection.

Connect with Edward:

LinkedIn

About Katlin Vargo

Katlin Vargo is a real estate agent, focused on serving buyers, sellers, and investors in Central New Jersey. She has lived in Middlesex County for over ten years and brings a strong understanding of the local market. Outside of work, she spends time with her son, Beau, and their dog, Brooklyn, exploring nearby neighborhoods and parks.

Connect with Katlin:

Instagram

About Jose Sanchez

Jose Sanchez is a Broker-Associate at Keller Williams Realty West Monmouth with 22 years of experience in real estate, financial sales, and business operations. He leads a team, oversees recruitment, and manages client relationships throughout the buying and selling process. Jose also directs marketing efforts and helps drive team performance. He works closely with the community to support local growth and development. His focus remains on guiding clients and building strong partnerships across the region.

Connect with Jose:

LinkedIn

Instagram