Availing of a home loan is a once-in-a-lifetime event that most people look forward to and save up for. Home loan terms and jargon can often confuse a first-time home loan borrower. Since a home loan is a long-term liability and commitment, understanding the various home loan terms helps you make a well-informed decision regarding selecting a home loan.
Here are a few home loan-related financial terms that you should understand well:
1. Credit appraisal
Before you get a home loan, your lender will consider a few factors to decide if you get theloan’s approval and how much will be sanctioned. Your home loan eligibility will be based on age, income, financial worth, and employment status to check your repayment capacity. The credit appraisal exercise will also check your credit score and outstanding bills.
2. Interest rate
Home loan interest rates are generally of two different types. A fixed interest rate remains constant during the loan’s tenure, so you can easily loan’ste your interest cost with the help of a home loan EMI calculator. A floating interest rate fluctuates with the RBI interest rate decisions and can eventually be higher or lower than the fixed interest you initially agreed upon. For example, a floating rate now would be much cheaper than a fixed interest rate decided upon a few years ago due to the interest rate cuts.
3. Pre-EMI
If you purchase a property still under construction, you may get the option to pay a pre-EMI. It includes only the interest on your home loan and aims to reduce your overall loan burden. Once you get possession of the property, your actual EMI will start. Pre-EMI is a reduced amount that doesn’t consider the principal amoudoesn’the home loan and is useful, especially if you have cash flow issues.
4. Margin
Margin is the portion of the property value over and above the loan amount and is sometimes used interchangeably with a down payment. For example, if you get Rs 80 lakhs for a property whose value is Rs 1 Crore, the margin to be borne by you would be Rs 20 lakhs.
5. Foreclosure
If you arrange the loan payment early, you can foreclose your home loan. However, there may be a penalty for such prepayment, so you need to understand the foreclosure terms of your home loan.
Educating yourself about something that may directly impact your life and finances is a must. Thus, if you plan to avail of a home loan, understand the terms mentioned above and more to get the best deal.
