From Dream to Reality: Demystifying the Home Loan Process
Home loans are the cheapest of all loans. Though the apex bank of the country i.e. the Reserve Bank of India, has been increasing the Repo Rate slowly and steadily, primarily in a bid to bring inflation under check, home loan interest rates continue to be highly affordable. Further, home loans are also considered a smart choice as they allow home loan borrowers to retain their liquidity while also making them eligible for home loan tax benefits. If you are planning to fund your home purchase through a home loan, know that your decision will prove fruitful when the equity locked in your home increases and so does your net worth.
This article has been written with the key motive of helping home loan borrowers understand the home loan process so that they are better prepared and can navigate it without facing any major hassles. Read on if you plan to apply for a home loan in the near future.
Demystifying the Home Loan Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
- Find Yourself the Right Lender
The market for home loans has been booming and many new lenders have forayed into this space, primarily to benefit from this booming sector. Therefore, there is no scarcity of lenders to choose from, which makes it even more essential that borrowers spend some time trying to figure out the right lender for them. The right home loan lender is reliable, reputed and willing to offer you the best loan terms and conditions, such as the highest loan sanction and lowest home loan interest rate you can get and facilities, such as online loan account management and good customer service, etc. Finding such a lender will not be easy. So, keep some time for research and negotiations and make sure you find yourself the best lender you can get.
- Apply for the Loan
The next step in the process is to apply for home loan. These days, borrowers can apply both online and offline. In both cases, you will have to attach some documents that lenders will use to verify your identity and income. You will also be required to pay a one-time, non-refundable loan processing fee. Your loan application will be considered complete only after you pay this fee. After your lender receives your loan application, they will go through the information provided and use it to decide on your loan application. If they do decide to approve you a loan, you will move to the next step.
- Submit All the Documents
If your lender decides to lend you money, they will ask you to submit certain documents. You will be required to submit KYC, identify and address proof documents. Over and above this, you will also be required to submit income-proof documents. Salaried individuals are generally asked to submit their salary slips along with bank account statements and Form 16. Self-employed individuals are asked to submit their business’ profit and loss statements, financial records and bank account statements. Your lender will ask you to submit all the property papers, such as the Sales Deed and Title Deed, No Objection Certificate from the concerned authorities, etc.
- Wait for the Home Loan Verification Process to Get Completed
After you have submitted all the documents, your lender will hire a legal expert to verify all the documents provided by you. This legal expert will not only verify all the documents provided by you and the information contained in these documents, but they will also hire an expert to take a look at the property you are buying. The property verification step will see the expert not just verify all the property papers and make sure the property is not mired in any kind of legal hassles but also ensure that it is being constructed keeping in mind all the rules and regulations laid down by local authorities. If you pass this stage of the home loan process, your lender will sanction you a loan.
- Get the Home Loan Sanction Letter and the Final Loan Agreement
Once you pass the home loan verification stage, your lender will release a home loan sanction letter. This letter will contain important details, such as the home loan amount that has been sanctioned, the home loan interest rate and the loan tenor that is being offered to you, the interest rate type offered, etc. Please go through every term mentioned under the sanction carefully. If you have any objections, raise them with your lender. If you are fine with the points mentioned in the agreement, sign the sanction letter and send a soft copy of it to your lender. Once your lender receives the loan sanction letter, they will start working on the final loan agreement. Once they have the final loan agreement ready, you will have to visit your lender to sign the agreement. After this is done, your lender will release the loan money into your account and you can go ahead and buy your property.
Final Word
The home loan process in India is fairly straightforward. However, since home loans are a huge commitment, borrowers must avail of these loans after much deliberation. A home loan EMI calculator can help you with decision making and a home loan eligibility calculator can help you enhance your home loan eligibility. So, make both these tools a part of your home loan journey.