Credit Wisdom

Play Safe: Tips for First-time home buyers

Category: Home Loan

Are you hunting for a home? A home loan helps you achieve peace of mind by providing you with one of the basic necessities of life – a roof over your head. But if you don’t exercise prudence wisely and take extra care while going through the process, a home loan can rob you of that very peace of mind. Here are a few quick tips that you should know before climbing onto the property ladder. These key tips could assist you choose the right home loan and save some money at the same time.

Market Research – Searching for the perfect home loan may seem hard work but if you do your homework and take your time, the whole thing will be a lot easier. Those hoping to climb onto the property ladder may be in for a bit of a shock – loan options are vast and can at first seem a little overwhelming. The key to getting the best home loan deal – and that means the most sensible option, as well as the cheapest – is being armed with as much information as possible… so get yourself prepared for home loan ! Clear your doubts regarding the loan scheme before finalizing on anything.

Calculate the EMI – Estimate the amount of EMI that you can afford beforehand. Keep in mind your income and financial commitments to determine the amount of EMI you can pay before applying for a loan. Don’t make abrupt decisions on this one because if you get delayed on making repayments on time then it could be burdensome for you to pay penalties if you don’t have a stable income source. So, keep in mind the other aspects also that are worth to consider before you agree to take up the new loan and you’re your decision wisely.

Eligibility criterion – Having documents ready before you apply for a home loan can speed up home loan approval. A lender will consider your credit history; you must make sure you have paid all your credit cards and other loans timely to score good on home loan eligibility. And if you have a clean record in your credit history for making payments on time, then you can use it as an asset when applying for a loan. Also, scrutinize the duration of your loan. If you prefer a long tenure loan then interest rate would be comparatively high and you will be bound to pay more overall.

Borrowing costs – When you apply for a home loan, it’s mandatory to know about other additional charges that the lenders would add to the current home loan schemes. The lender may impose a range of administrative and service charges or processing fees. These additional charges will be considered under the sanctioned amount in your name and not considered under the amount that you take home. Before you agree any deal, you should examine the other charges that the lenders put into the scheme.

Study the fine print – Make sure you thoroughly read the home loan agreement documents with your bank or financial institutions. The lenders may acknowledge certain points to you but whatever is written on the paper will only be considered at the end. So, it would be appreciated to contribute some time on reading the documents to avoid any hassles later on. Get your queries cleared, if any, related to terms and conditions mentioned in the loan before signing your documents.

Tags: Home Loan Articles