Your guide to choosing the right home loan for you

With the property rates in India touching the skies, the only way for one to own a home is by getting house loans. It’s a practice as old as time to buy property as investment and also to take loans to purchase new property. Years ago, our ancestors would take loans from the wealthy men in the village to expand their businesses and provide for their families. Today, that practice has been polished and now we can take home loans from banks, in a sophisticated, organised and official way.

Most people today, prefer to get their home loan online. This is because, like almost everything else, getting a home loan online is easier, more convenient and you can also explore more option in a one place than is possible for you to do in person. You can also find the best housing loan interest rates online and find the loan that suits your needs the best.

The processes of getting a home loan, housing loan tax benefits and choosing the right home loan can be a very daunting task, especially for someone who is a novice at finance matters, hence here’s a guide that will help you choose the right home loan for you.

1.   Eligibility: To get home loans you need to first check your eligibility. Salaried people usually find it easier to get home loans, but that does not mean that self employed people never get them either. If you can provide enough proof of income to satisfy your loan provider that you will repay the loan then your loan will get sanctioned. Another thing is the amount of loan you’re eligible for, this is based on your income, assets and your repayment capability.

2.  Housing loan interest rates: This is perhaps the most important thing that you should know and understand before you apply for a home loan. Housing loan interest rates are of two types, fixed and floating. A fixed interest rate is where you pay interest at the same rate throughout the term of your house loan. A flexible interest rate is when your interest is subject to market changes and can fluctuate due any change in the market.

3.  CIBIL Score: Your CIBIL or credit score is a very important factor to take into consideration when applying for a home loan. When you borrow or even apply for a loan you bank takes in to consideration the your credit score which includes your credit status, your spending habits and your income.

This Gudi Padwa Know about the different types of Home Loans and choose your best fit

Gudi Padwa just went by, and like every year banks and finance institutes all over the country are offering attractive deals on home loans. This is the time of year when everyone is in a hurry to get their finances in order. With loan rates being favourable, now perhaps the best time to get your housing finance. The financial is coming to an end soon, which means most of us will be receiving handsome bonuses as well. This makes the coming few days the best times for us to invest in new things, be it property, automobiles or any other sort of investment.

For someone who is new to the world of finance or, has recently started earning, understanding home loans and home loan interest rates can be quite daunting. But this knowledge can help you make good financial decisions, in the future if not immediately.

The most basic thing you need to know about house loans is that they have two main types of interest rates. These are fixed and floating interest rates. Banks and non-banking financial companies offer both fixed and floating interest rates. Since home loan interest rates are the most important aspect of the loan, getting it right is the key to repay without any financial stress or default over time.

Here are a few key things that you should know about home loan interest rates.

1.  Fixed rate of interest on a loan means that the equated monthly installments or EMIs are constant over the tenure of the loan. On the other hand, for floating interest rates, the EMIs fluctuate as per the market dynamics as interest rate increases or decreases.

2.  Fixed interest rates are always set higher than floating interest rates, by 1 to 2.5% at the time of the sanction of the loan. This can be both and advantage and a disadvantage. Since these rates remain constant you don’t have to worry if there is a hike in the housing loan interest rates due to the passing of a bill or implementation of a new rule, but at the same time if the rates see a dip, there is no benefit to you.

3.  Floating interest rates are usually lower than fixed interest rates although parameters like inflation and current account deficit are used in calculation of base rate by RBI which can mean an uncertainty and different EMI for each repayment or installment for the loan. This can be difficult to keep track of as each installment may be different.

These are the most basic things you should know about housing finance, there is much more to learn, but as they say, if you’re clear on your basics you should be able to make wise decisions about your finance.

What you should know about home loan interest rates before you get a loan

Gudi Padwa just went by, and like every year banks and finance institutes all over the country are offering attractive deals on home loans. This is the time of year when everyone is in a hurry to get their finances in order. With loan rates being favourable, now perhaps the best time to get your housing finance. The financial is coming to an end soon, which means most of us will be receiving handsome bonuses as well. This makes the coming few days the best times for us to invest in new things, be it property, automobiles or any other sort of investment.

For someone who is new to the world of finance or, has recently started earning, understanding home loans and home loan interest rates can be quite daunting. But this knowledge can help you make good financial decisions, in the future if not immediately.

The most basic thing you need to know about house loans is that they have two main types of interest rates. These are fixed and floating interest rates. Banks and non-banking financial companies offer both fixed and floating interest rates. Since home loan interest rates are the most important aspect of the loan, getting it right is the key to repay without any financial stress or default over time.

Here are a few key things that you should know about home loan interest rates.

1.      Fixed rate of interest on a loan means that the equated monthly instalments or EMIs are constant over the tenure of the loan. On the other hand, for floating interest rates, the EMIs fluctuate as per the market dynamics as interest rate increases or decreases.

2.      Fixed interest rates are always set higher than floating interest rates, by 1 to 2.5% at the time of the sanction of the loan. This can be both and advantage and a disadvantage. Since these rates remain constant you don’t have to worry if there is a hike in the housing loan interest rates due to the passing of a bill or implementation of a new rule, but at the same time if the rates see a dip, there is no benefit to you.

3.      Floating interest rates are usually lower than fixed interest rates although parameters like inflation and current account deficit are used in calculation of base rate by RBI which can mean an uncertainty and different EMI for each repayment or instalment for the loan. This can be difficult to keep track of as each instalment may be different.

These are the most basic things you should know about housing finance, there is much more to learn, but as they say, if you’re clear on your basics you should be able to make wise decisions about your finance.

Why you should get a Top-up Loan for you Home Renovations

Buying a new home is a big moment for anyone. But after living in a new home for a while, a new home can seem a little boring. You can always do it up with a little renovations, but to make any changes you need to spend money and that can be difficult when you’re already paying off home loans. To make it easy for you to keep your home as good as new, banks have introduced home renovation loans. 

A home renovation loan can be taken as a top-up to your house loans or can be taken by itself. When you take a home renovation loan as an add-on, the interest is added to your home loan interest rates. This way you don’t need to pay separate EMIs for two loans. This loan is great home finance tool, it can help you keep your home looking as good as new.

If you wish to avail a top-up loan for your home renovations here’s everything you have to know about it.

1.  Eligibility: Top-up loans can be availed only by someone who has an existing house loan. There are other preconditions too that you need to fulfill before you become eligible for such a loan. Here are some of the criteria that are taken into consideration.

•  Minimum period: You need to have started repayment of your housing loan and paid interest for a certain period before you are eligible for your home loan. This period may differ from bank to bank.

•  LTV limit: Loan-to-value (LTV) is the amount you’re allowed to borrow on your existing housing loan. The LTV ratio is fixed at 80-85% of the present value of your property. 

•  Tenure: The tenure of top-up loan runs concurrently with that of your home loan. So if you have 10 years remaining for your home loan repayment, your top-up loan tenure cannot exceed the remaining term. 

2.  Benefits: The first and foremost benefit of a top-up loan for home renovations is that you don’t need to manage multiple loans when you get a top-up. The top-up amount is simply added to your existing loan amount and the top-up loan interest rates are also paid through a single EMI. There are no restrictions on the usage of this amount. You can use it for whatever you want, however you want.

3.  Other uses: If after a few years of paying interest on you house loan you have a big expense coming that is related to your business or family, you can opt for a top-up home loan, instead of going for a personal loan.

Everything you need to know about the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana

In his much-awaited address to the nation on the eve of the New Year, the Prime Minister of our country announced the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana for the middle-income groups. This is an interest subsidy scheme that has been named as 'Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme for Middle Income Groups - CLSS(MIG)'. As per this new subsidy, middle-income groups with incomes in the eligible range will get a subsidy on their interest rate of three to four percent.

The Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana is mainly focused on home loans for the middle-income groups. Here’s who is eligible for the subsidy under this scheme:

1. People whose incomes falls in the range of 6 lacs to 18 lacs are eligible for this subsidy under the CLSS.

2. People whose housing loans were approved and those whose home loan application was in review since 1st January 2017 are eligible for this subsidy.

3. Peoples who have an annual income of 12 lacs are eligible for a subsidy of four percent on their home loan of up to 9 lacs. People who have an annual income of 18 lacs are eligible for a subsidy of three percent on a home loan of 12 lacs according to the Prime Ministers’ address on the eve of New Year.

Here’s is how home loan EMIs and interest rates will be affected under the new scheme:

1. The interest subsidy of four per cent under CLSS(MIG) will bring down EMIs of borrowers by Rs 2,062 per month on a housing loan of Rs 9 lakh and interest subsidy of three per cent would lower the EMI by Rs 2,019 on a loan of Rs 12 lakh, if the normal housing loan interest rate is taken as 8.65 per cent.

2. The total interest subsidy accrued on these loan amounts will be paid to the borrowers up front in one go. This in turn will reduce the burden of EMI on the user.

3. The tenure of these home loans has been specified as 20 years or as preferred by the borrower, whichever is lower.

Under the guidelines of this scheme, preference will be given to women. Widows, single working-women, persons belonging to scheduled castes and scheduled tribes, backward classes, differently abled and transgender people will be given more preference.

Non-banking finance companies and micro finance institutions are also recognised under this scheme in order to ensure that maximum number of people can benefit from it.  

Share this article & your thoughts with us in the comments below! 

How to calculate your Home Loan EMI

A big part of getting a home loan is the EMIs that you have to pay for years and years afterwards. Equated Monthly Installment, also known as EMI is the part payment that you have to make to your lender bank every month. Your EMI consists of a part of the principal amount, plus the agreed rate of interest on your loan. The bank gives you a statement, stating the amount to be paid as your EMI; a lot of people do not know how to calculate EMI on their loans. There is no special home loan EMI calculator that tells you how much you have to pay every month. As a result they often feel that their banks are overcharging them.

If you’re one of those people then don’t worry, we’re here to tell you how to calculate your EMI with ease. Let’s take the example of Mr.X, who took a house loan for Rs. 5 lacs for a period of ten years, at the rate of 10.5%. He pays a monthly EMI of Rs 6,747. The bank calculates this EMI for him, and he feels he’s cheated. Here is an easy way for Mr.X to calculate his EMI.

The easiest way is to use a mathematical formula that has been derived to calculate EMIs. The formula reads, EMI = [P x R x (1+R)^N]/[(1+R)^N-1]. The P stands for the principal amount of your loan, R is the interest rate per month and N is the number of monthly installments to be paid.

Another way to calculate home loan EMI is with the help of Microsoft Excel Sheets. The formula used here is called the PMT. For this formula you need three variables, the rate of interest, the number of periods (nper) and the value of the loan. This formula is used universally for this purpose and when in doubt you can use it to calculate your own EMI. There isn’t any scope for error since it’s all done by a computer, which acts as your home loan EMI calculator.

So the next time you have to make an EMI payment, just use these formulas and you should be sorted.  

Why Home Loan Application get Rejected

While preparing your home loan application you think about everything. You do your research; you check your credit score, the documents required for home loan. But do you think about why, despite doing all the necessary things, your loan application might still get rejected?

With the disposable income of the working class increasing day by day and property providing a great investment opportunity, the number of people applying for home loans is ever increasing. The A lot of times, despite being in a good credit space, having a good stable monthly income and doing everything else right, your home loan application may still get rejected. 

Here are a few uncommon reasons why that might happen:

1.    Builders today, have tie ups with banks. If the builder you’re seeking a property from, is not in a tie up with your bank or isn’t approved by your bank, your loan may get rejected. It’s a good idea to check with your builder about which banks he has got approvals from.

2.    A builder may figure in a bank's list of approved builders, but a specific project launched by him may not have been approved by the concerned bank. In addition, there are likely to be cases where particular phases of a project may not have bank approval. So before applying for your home loan it’s extremely important to check with your builder about all these approvals.

3.    In the case of resale property, if the buyer and seller mutually decide on a price for a property and the buyer seeks a loan, the bank or loan provider re-evaluate the price of the property and if the value is lower than the price decided by the buyer and seller, the loan stands a chance to be rejected.

4.   Defaulters are blacklisted along with their properties by banks and housing finance providers. If you happen to live in a house that has been blacklisted your application may be rejected.

5.      Your job stability is extremely important when you apply for a loan. Some banks even insist that you need to be employed with a concern for at least three years to be eligible for a loan.

Learn the many benefits of purchasing a property

Property investments are one of the most lucrative financial assets owned by an individual. It is also the largest or the major component of financial investment in one’s entire lifetime. If you have already purchased a home loan or am planning to invest in one, then read along these basic guidelines for a clear insight into property investments and house loans specifically.

Credit Score: Banks pull a substantial amount of finance when lending loan amount to the lender. Hence, it is important for the individual to own a good credit score to claim the loan without any hassle.

Mortgage Amount: Before applying for a home loan for a specific property is to look out for home loan eligibility by checking your eligibility using a home loan emi calculator. Understand your debt-to-income ratio. It is advised to have a debt-to-income ratio below the 50% mark to have your loan approved without any delay or disapproval.

Funding your dream home in the right way: If you intend to live at your home for 5 years or more then the safest and best considered bet is to apply for a 30-year fixed rate mortgage

Second Mortgage Options: A second mortgage lets you borrow against the value of your home. It is best advised to consult a financial advisor before taking any financial decision to help save finances in a smart way.

For those with low down payment finances: It’s possible to claim mortgage without the 10-20% down payment mark. Again, seek financial advice for your home loan and get familiar with these mortgage programs that lets you take mortgage on very little down payment

It's possible to get a mortgage without a 10%-20% down payment. Even today, people get a mortgage with no money down. There are a few legitimate programs allowing you to get a mortgage with very little down. Get acquainted with some of the safer mortgage programs out there.

Apart from these, it is advised to not quit your job and have a steady income. Make sure you have enough funds to pay your monthly basic expenditures and debts as you loan them. Pay your bills on time. Keep bank accounts in handy. Before applying for a home loan, compare different banking institutes and their terms and conditions levied while applying for a home loan to get better financial benefits. Make use of a home loan emi calculator to learn about your monthly EMI for the property you wish to buy.