Buying a home can be a tricky process for even the most experienced buyer and can be downright daunting process for those experiencing it for the first time.

To help alleviate some of the potential stress associated with a first time home buy, the Vicksburg Young Professionals gathered Thursday night at the Duff Green Mansion and Inn to learn insider home buying tips from professionals in the business, ranging from finding a relator to insuring the purchase.

“When you set out to buy your new house, you want to establish a relationship with a relator,” Harley Caldwell, owner of Coldwell Banker All Stars, said. “You want to find a relator that you trust, find someone who is going to scoop out the good deals for you. It’s a mutual relationship. You’re going to have someone on your side who looks at houses every day.

“With finding your relator, it’s sort of like finding your big brother or your mother to take you out and find a house,” she said.

Once done finding the perfect relator, finding the perfect home often means finding financing for one.

Russ Ogburn, area sales manager and vice president of NOLA Lending Group out of Madison, said financing a first home depends mainly on credit score, the ability to secure a down payment, having a decent job history and a reasonable income-to-debt ratio.

“Rates are great right now. There’s wonderful opportunities to buy real estate right now,” Ogburn said. “It’s good to shop around. Asking, “How many investors do you have?” is an important question (to help find the lowest rate).”

Ogburn encouraged those in attendance to take the time to explore government financing options through the United States Department of Agriculture as an often-untapped way to finance a home purchase.

After making the decision to purchase a home, insuring it is often the final step in the home buying process.

“You just bought the biggest purchase you may make in your entire life and then you insure it with the cheapest insuranc,” Robyn Lea of State Farm Insurance said.

She advised taking the time to make sure to compare comparable insurance—that won’t leave you paying $12,000 out of pocket for a new roof—when shopping.

“If you have a big disparity in your quotes, you are not comparing apples to apples,” she said. “You don’t want to go out and spend all this money and not adequately insure your home.”