While there is much to be known, here are the 5 facts that you must know about opting for a loan against property in India :
1. It has more competitive interest rates.
A loan against property is a secure form of a personal loan. Since you have collateral, lenders don’t require a guarantor or repayment capability in terms of credit score. Therefore, you enjoy much lower interest rates as compared to non-secure personal loans.
2. LTV (Loan to value) ratio is a very important factor.
Offering property as collateral is a big risk. Hence, it is essential to ensure that you receive a suitable amount against it. It gets a bit more complicated when you take a loan against your residence or business property for the foreseeable future. The optimal LTV ratio for loan against property in India is 80%; however, the amount may be much lower if you are currently paying EMIs. Lenders may incorporate payables into the calculations and offer small amounts. If the amount is too low, then you should choose one of the other alternatives as the risk is much bigger than the reward in the case of a loan against property.
3. Right amount of loan and EMI is vital.
Most people use it as a personal loan of sorts. They take it for their children’s education, wedding or medical expenses. So, it is mandatory to ensure that it suffices your requirements and is worth the collateral. EMIs can change over a period of time. Floating and fixed interest rates on loan against property can change based on external factors such as stock market, world economics etc. The EMIs should fit in your earnings comfortably enough so that you can repay them easily. Missing EMIs on such loans can be a very expensive mistake. So, estimate your financial situation carefully and choose these two factors at the best of your ability.
4. You may lose collateral (property) if you fail to repay loan.
If you fail to repay this loan, the bank will take the collateral into custody and sell it. So, if you are taking a loan against your residence or business property, your risk is a lot more than just the loss of property. You and your family could lose your home or you could lose your office. It is too big a loss to recover from. Therefore, realistic understandings of these facts are essential before you accept such a big responsibility.
5. Do not ignore the prepayment clause.
Most loans are taken because you cannot accumulate the needed amount in a specified time. For most borrowers though, it is easy to gather the required amount over an extended period of time. So, it makes sense to keep the option of prepaying the loan open. However, most banks do not want you to prepay the loan as they lose their interest for the remaining period. Hence, they levy heavy penalties to discourage you. Therefore, you should take a closer look at that cause too.