Steps to choose the right lender for your home loan

A home loan is a pretty expensive affair and the repayment often goes on for more than 10 years - reaching 30 years in some cases too. Also, the minimum sum on a home loan can easily range in the lakh. So, it’s absolutely essential to approach the right lender so that you don’t have to pay too much interest or fees that you already need to. Here, we will talk about how to choose the right lender for your home loan.

1. Choose an NBFC: If you have tried applying for a loan, you will have come across a number of Non-Banking Financial Companies (NBFCs) that have risen in number over the last decade or so. As the name suggests, these aren’t your typical banks and they lend money just the same irrespective of what loan you’re looking for. Before they arrived, banks had the monopoly on deciding the lending structure and the interest on a home loan. However, NBFCs have vastly changed the way the market works. For starters, they have given rise to healthy competition in the sector and have slowly taken a fair share of the market, threatening the power previously wielded by banks. If you feel a bank may or may not entertain your requests for a lower interest rate, you should consider applying for a NBFC as they often try to go toe-to-toe with some of the leading banks and provided loans at competitive rates.
2. Compare between different offerings: When you decide to go for a home loan, you need to look at all the offerings that are available to you. For starters, you can use comparison as a tool and compare the loans provided by 3 or 4 different lenders. Go and have a sit down with each of these banks and ask for the best rate they can offer. Sometimes, a discussion such as this can get you an interest rate that is way below the market rate, so that’s worth your consideration. Also, talk about all the other aspects of the loan such as the processing fees, stamp duty charges, and basically other charges involved with a home loan. Basically, if you are getting a lesser rate home loan, it means that you are likely paying more than most on one or more of these charges.
3. Figure out what you want: A home loan for a new property and a resale property is slightly different and should be approached slightly differently. Know what you are looking for exactly, what type of interest rate you are looking at (fixed or floating), how much down payment you have ready, and if the lender will ask for more in your case, and also think of how you service the EMIs on a month-on-month basis. Answering all these factors satisfactorily is highly important when availing a home loan because repaying it takes more than a decade and even more in some cases.
4. Check the lender out: If you have done enough research and have already decided to take a loan from a particular lender, stop and think: Does the lender have a good track record? Are they going to make your life difficult by adding unexpected charges to your loan? You need to have a clear idea on where your lender stands in the market, if the lender has a reputation of strong arming their borrowers, there’s a likely chance they might do so with you. So, it’s always better to read reviews, talk to known acquaintances who have a loan from the same lender, and then decide on whether or not you should take a loan with them. 
5. Know that lowest rate isn’t always the best: There’s something called clickbait - and if you’ve been on the internet long enough, you will have come across it several times. These make tall and practically unreachable claims with the content they offer and offer underdeliver at all times. Somer lenders too are guilty of using such a tactic. To begin with, they will put up a loan for the lowest interest rate - a few basis points lower than the prevailing market rate just to catch the prospective borrower’s attention. Once they have reeled you in, they will give you a list of all the charges you may have to pay to get the loan. So, make sure to not fall for such ploys and go with reputed lenders that have been in the business for long.
6. Have a higher down payment ready: A down payment is often the first hurdle facing a home loan borrower. Typically, a lender will only give you 80% of the loan amount; 85% in some cases while the remaining 15% - 20% should be taken care of by the borrower. The higher the down payment you have, the better it is for you as you can get a loan at slightly improved rates and have chances of getting your loan approved at a much faster rate than anybody else. Having a higher amount ready tell the banks that you are confident and serious about what you are doing, which will help them make the decision faster.

 A home loan can be a massive burden for a borrower as they need to be repaid over a period of 10 - 25 years, while maintaining all your other financial responsibilities. Following the steps mentioned above will help you get the best home loan for your circumstances possible.

How To Go About Rectifying Errors In Pan Card?

When applying for a PAN card, if we are not careful while filling in the details asked for the form errors can creep in. These errors if not rectified can later result in some problems when the PAN card is to be used for certain purposes. When it comes to rectifying the errors in the PAN card, many applicants have doubts or are simply unaware of the process that needs to be followed. In this article, we take a look at the detailed process of how an individual can go about rectifying mistakes in the PAN card.

To rectify mistakes in the PAN card online, the steps mentioned below need to be followed:

• First, the applicant needs to visit www.tin-nsdl.com.
• Next, the applicant is required to select ‘PAN’ from under the ‘Services’ drop-down menu.
• Thereafter, the applicant needs to click on ‘Apply’ under the tab ‘Change/Correction in PAN Data’.
• On doing so, select the ‘Application Type’ as ‘Changes or Correction in existing PAN Data/ Reprint of PAN card (No changes in existing PAN Data).
• Next, select ‘Category’
• Following that, fill in the details like name, date of birth, e-mail ID, and mobile number.
• Enter the Captcha code and click on ‘Submit’.
• On doing so, the applicant will be provided with a 10-digit Token number, which will also be sent on the email address provided in the PAN application.
• Next, the applicant is required to click on ‘Continue with PAN Application Form’ to fill the remaining PAN application form.
• Check the option from among the options like ‘Submit digitally through e-KYC and e-Sign (Paperless)’, ‘Submit scanned images through e-Sign’, and ‘Forward application documents physically’ provided on the top of the page.
• Next, enter the PAN card number whose details are to be corrected.
• Fill in the details asked for in the form
• After filling the form, the applicant needs to upload identity, age and residence proof.
• Next, go through the details before saving the form to avoid errors.
• The next step that the applicant need to follow is to make the payment.

Note: For Indian residents, the fees is Rs.110 while for those who have address outside India the fees is Rs.1,020

For offline correction of errors in PAN card, applicants are required to follow:

• The applicant needs to download the form from the website.
• Fill in the details asked for in the form.
• The completed form along with the necessary documents are required to be submitted at the nearest PAN centre.

It needs to be mentioned here that the PAN correction form is also used for issuance of PAN card. Hence the applicant needs to make sure that the checks the correct option when applying for rectification of PAN details.
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Go the online way for hassle-free, faster home loan approvals

The credit landscape in India is witnessing a revolution of a new kind. As innovative technologies are developing, the FinTech industry is tying together lenders and borrowers in a new way. Loans can be availed without having to wait for long hours at the bank. For example, if you are planning to apply for a home loan, there is no need to run around from bank to bank with a heavy file in hand. Thanks to the digital revolution, there are several platforms through which you can get your housing loan approved in a much more secure and faster manner. Read on to learn more about the advantages of taking the online route.

Better access
There are a lot of processes involved in applying for a home loan. Traditionally, you would have to approach the bank physically to seek out information on offers, interest rates, etc. Now, all the important information can be found online. Even sourcing the loan application form becomes much easier as it can be downloaded online.

Constant status updatesProspective borrowers are regularly updated about the status of their home loan application. From the time they login to their online profile to the time of the reimbursement of the loan, the customer is privileged enough to get constant updates.

Better reach
The digital revolution in finance is making it easier for all sections of the society to have access to credit. This means that people from remote and rural areas also have a high chance of getting access to information and apply for loans. Even if there are no banks in such areas, banking services can be availed online.

Turnaround time reduces
There is no need to wait in endless lines and run around trying to get your paperwork in order. You can compare home loan interest rates offered by various lenders online and apply for a home loan at the click of a button. Loan approvals also happen at a much quicker pace. This way, the end customer receives better services and the bank saves a lot of time.


Tailor-made products
One of the other main advantages of this type of loan application method is the fact that customers can customise their loans as per their personal financial requirements. This will help a lot of people get access to better credit facilities in time of need.


Paperless process
The entire process involved in applying for a home loan is paperless. All you have to do is to scan and upload documents. Also, have in place an e-KYC system. This is probably one of the main advantages of the online application process.

Things to know before applying for a home loan in India

1. Understand eligibility: You will not get the loan approval unless you meet the eligibility criteria. This simply means that the lender will assess if you will be able to make EMI payments based on the salary that you take home. Ideally, you should not be spending more than 50% of your salary on an EMI. This is one of the most important factors that will be taken into account before a bank approves your loan. Remember that any additional perks or reimbursements that you get will not be considered to be a part of your salary. Another thing to keep in mind is the liability aspect. If you have other loans in hand, this also plays a role.
2. Decide on tenure and EMI carefully: The longer the tenure for your home loan, the more interest you will end up paying. This means the total cost of your loan increases. This is why it is important to choose a tenure wisely. Do not go for a longer tenure just because you want to pay a lesser EMI. For example, if you are taking a loan of Rs.10 lakh for 20 years at the rate of 9.55% per annum, the EMI you will be paying will work out to be Rs.9,353.99 per month. However, the total interest paid will be Rs.12,444,956. On the other hand, if you take a loan for the same amount and the interest rate for a lesser tenure, let’s say 15 years, the EMI per month will be Rs.10, 472.44. Though the EMI is slightly higher, the interest paid on the whole loan will come down to Rs.8,85,038. 
3. Choose the type of loan: There are two types of loans offered based on the type of interest rate that is charged. One is a fixed rate, where the interest rate remains fixed throughout the tenure of the loan. On the other hand, if you have a floating rate, the rate of interest fluctuates based on various market conditions. Fixed rates are higher than floating rates in most cases. So, if you go for a floating rate, the EMI you pay can increase or decrease based on the changes in market conditions. 
4. Compare interest rates: The first and most important thing to do before you apply for a home loan is to look around for interest rates. Under no circumstance should you go for the first lender that approaches you. Do some thorough research and shop around for the best rate. However, do not make this your only parameter. It is also wise to read up on the bank that is granting you the loan or speak to some existing lenders.
5. Read all the documents: A home loan approval application is a legal document that comes with certain important terms and conditions that you must be aware of. Be mindful of how your bank defines a ‘default in payment’. Scrutinise all the clauses that are offered and it also makes sense to consult a lawyer before signing any agreement in this regard.

Final words
If you are an old customer and have a long relationship with the bank, it is important to make  sure that you negotiate for a better interest rate. This especially holds true if you have all documents in place and a good credit score to add to it.