Many adults manifest their independence and stability in life by taking on more responsibility. While some do this by starting their own families, others do so through big financial decisions. For instance, they could buy themselves a house, so they can become a proud homeowner.

But homeownership is not something that can be taught in school, so it’s understandable if you’re clueless about where to begin or who to approach. Buying a home isn’t as easy as going to the supermarket, getting your groceries, and paying at the counter. If it were, everyone would be homeowners in one way or another.

While the general steps are similar to that of buying groceries, you will need a different kind of market to buy a home — the housing market. But this market is intangible, which means that it’s not like a supermarket that you can physically go to or buy products from.

Rather, the housing market refers to the supply and demand of houses in a particular country or region. Based on this fact alone, buying a home can already challenge your stock knowledge and capabilities. It can even prove to be more difficult once you realize that you can’t finance your purchase with cash.

Unless, of course, if you have thousands upon thousands of cash bills lying around. To buy a house, you will need to get a mortgage through the appropriate lending institutions. All this information can be overwhelming to digest alone, so here are four people who can help you through the homebuying process:

Professional #1: Realtor

The world of real estate is very complex. It takes skill and years of experience to learn how to navigate the intricacies of residential real estate, which is why it’s important to seek help from experts. When you decide to buy a home, you should begin your journey by consulting with a reliable realtor.

A realtor can help you look for a potential home while you’re still figuring out what you want. The housing market is full of promising homes, but not all houses will be available to you because of factors like your budget and paying capabilities. But with a good realtor by your side, you are sure to find the perfect fit.

It’s important to find a realtor that has a good reputation, not only for their experience in the industry but also for their ability to work with clients. Your realtor will be your guide throughout the homebuying process, which means that you must be able to trust them to put your best interests at heart.

Professional #2: Advisor

Money matters are always tricky. Sometimes, you can feel like you have too much money in your account, and sometimes, you’re trying to make ends meet. Buying a house is arguably the biggest financial decision that you can make in your life, which is why you shouldn’t do it lightly.

A financial advisor can help you set your priorities straight so that you won’t have a problem performing your responsibilities once you buy a house. They are also the people you can seek advice from when you’re struggling to gauge whether you can afford such a large expense.

With a trustworthy advisor by your side, you can smooth out the discrepancies in your finances and actually know if buying a house is something that you’re capable of doing. Achieving homeownership shouldn’t force you into bankruptcy because it should give you more stability; not take it away.

Professional #3: Broker

Buying a home is not something you can do with cash. Houses on the market will cost anywhere from five digits or more, which is why you will need to get a mortgage to finance it. Getting a mortgage can also give you enough financial freedom to maintain your current lifestyle without breaking your bank.

However, it can be difficult to apply directly to lending institutions because of the arduous process and demanding requirements it often comes with. Your best bet as an amateur homebuyer is to seek help from established home loan brokers who can connect you to the right institutions.

Having a broker will make the entire homebuying process easier because you have an expert in your corner. These are people who know the mortgage industry like the back of their hand and their proven track record can only strengthen their credibility as well as trustworthiness.

Professional #4: Lender

Lending institutions make it possible for aspiring homeowners to finance their purchases. It’s important to note that brokers won’t give you the money; they are simply middlemen who act as the bridge between borrowers and lenders. So through a broker, you will have access to a lender.

The institutions you may borrow from are traditional banks and private money lenders. They are in charge of setting the terms of the mortgage, which can include the borrowing guidelines, interest rate, and repayment schedule, to name a few.

Homebuying and homeownership can be extremely complicated, but not if you have the right kind of people guiding you along the way. Of course, there’s always the option to forego seeking professional help and learning as you go. But if you can make the process easier for yourself, it would be foolish to choose hardship.