Lower interest rates: Home loan interest rates are significantly lower than personal loan interest rates. Home loan interest rates start from 8.30% p.a. whereas personal loan interest rates start from 10.50% p.a. Lower interest rates lead to reduction in the overall interest cost on the loan, making it more affordable for the borrowers. Some banks/ HFCs also offer interest concessions of 0.05% to their women home loan applicants.
Tax benefits: As per Section 80C of the Income Tax Act, home loan borrowers can claim tax deduction of up to Rs. 1.5 lakh on principal repayments made in a financial year. As per Section 24(b), a deduction of up to Rs. 2 lakh can be claimed on home loan interest payments made in a financial year. However, it’s important to note that home loan borrowers choosing the new tax regime are not eligible to claim tax deductions under these Sections.
No prepayment charges: Most banks/HFCs offer home loans at floating interest rates. Due to this, they do not levy any prepayment/foreclosure charges when borrowers prepay or foreclose their home loans. Even in case of most fixed rate home loans, lenders waive off prepayment/foreclosure charges, provided the prepayment is made from borrowers’ own fund sources.
Interest-only home loans: Many lenders offer interest-only home loan schemes wherein borrowers pay just the interest component of the loan during the initial years of the loan tenure and later on makes the regular EMI payments commence until the loan maturity. These home loan schemes are best suited for those who are living on rent and plan to buy an under-construction property. This is also beneficial for those who currently lack adequate monthly surpluses to pay their loan EMIs and have near certainty regarding their income increase in the near future.