The Smart Home Buying & Mortgage Guide: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide for First-Time Homebuyers (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9798190281255)

BLACK & WHITE PRINT EDITION Also available in Premium Color Paperback ($59.99) and Hardcover ($74.99).

Is the outcome of your first home purchase already decided before you see the house?

Yes -- and this book shows you exactly why, and how to win.

Whether you're buying your first home or navigating the U.S. real estate market for the first time, this book gives you the complete roadmap -- from budgeting and credit preparation to writing a winning offer, surviving escrow, and closing with confidence.

Written by Karl Chu, California Licensed Real Estate Broker and former Senior Aerospace Engineer with 33 years of field experience, this guide covers every stage of the American home-buying process with aerospace-grade precision.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN:

- How to calculate what you can really afford (PITI -- not just the purchase price)
- Credit scores, DTI, down payment strategies, and overseas gift funds
- Mortgage types and loan strategies by immigration status (H-1B, L-1, ITIN, E-2)
- How to choose your agent, lender, and inspector
- Writing competitive offers and negotiating the right price
- Escrow, inspections, appraisals, and the wire fraud emergency protocol
- How to read and negotiate your C.A.R. Residential Purchase Agreement
- Your first 30 days as a homeowner and long-term equity strategies
- 2026 loan limits: FHFA conforming, FHA, VA, and Jumbo -- fully updated
- The 3-Step Wire Verification Protocol and the FinCEN Kill Chain

INCLUDES THE COMPLETE PRACTICAL REFERENCE CENTER:

Part F -- Key Financial Formulas (PITI, DTI, LTV, PMI, Cap Rate, Refi Break-Even)
Part G -- 2026 Loan Limits and Key Figures (FHFA, FHA, VA, IRS, SALT)
Part H -- Wire Fraud Emergency Playbook (Golden Hour Protocol, FinCEN Kill Chain)
Part D -- Full U.S. Real Estate Glossary + 100 Frequently Asked Questions
Part E -- C.A.R. RPA 15-Minute Contract Audit Sheet

A California-first guide with federal principles applicable in all 50 states.

In America, the prepared buyer wins the house -- not the fastest one, and not the richest one.

Karl Chu -- DRE 01152645
California Licensed Real Estate Broker
Author -- Speaker -- Real Estate Advisor
KoMeRiCa Books -- Professional Real Estate Publishing
KoMeRiCa.com/Books/

Author: Karl Chu
ISBN-13: 9798190281255
Publisher: Independently Published
Language: English
Published: 08/02/2026
Pages: 390
Format: Paperback
Weight: 1.47lbs
Size: 9.25h x 7.50w x 0.80d