Basic steps for those planning to buy a house

Everyone dreams of owning a home. It is a major decision. At one time, people used to buy a home only close to retirement when they had sufficient savings. However, the scenario has changed quite a bit in the last decade or so. Nowadays, people buy a house in their mid to late 20s. In some cases, even before marriage. This could be attributed to many factors. A rise in the earnings of the middle income group, easy financing, aggressive marketing of properties and tax rebates provided by government to promote infrastructure development are some.

Here are some tips to help you buy that dream home as soon as possible:

Planning and research

This is the first step in buying a property. You need to decide on the locality, space-cost factor, flat or independent house etc. It is ideal to make enquiries and research each of these thoroughly. This validates and refines your thinking, and helps in taking the right decisions.


Planning finances

Buying a property is a major financial decision. Often, it happens once in a lifetime. It is always advisable to go in for a housing loan. These loans are easily available and the government offers tax relief to home loan borrowers.
If you are planning to buy a property in the near future, you should plan your finances for an upfront payment too. Usually, a property buyer has to pay 10 to 15 percent upfront from his own resources. A loan covers the rest of the amount. Therefore, it is important to plan and arrange for such an amount if you are planning to buy a property in the near future.
People who are planning to buy a property 2-3 years down the line can look for slow and steady savings through market instruments - mutual funds, systematic investment plans, investing in blue chip stocks etc. However, people looking at buying a property in the next few months should save in debt instruments which safeguard capital.

Loan eligibility

A housing loan disbursement was quite easy a couple of years ago. Housing finance companies have tightened the process a little now due to the slowdown in the economy. However, there is no dearth of options for buyers who plan well. Usually, banks scrutinise these documents to arrive at the loan eligibility of a borrower. People planning to buy a property in the near future should keep them in mind and plan accordingly, to sail through the process of loan disbursement easily.

Documents that go into arriving at loan eligibility:

Tax returns:

Last three years' income tax returns or Form 16 are checked for consistency in earnings. Large variations in income go against the applicant.

Bank statements:

Usually, banks like to verify the last 3-6 months' bank statements. This is to identify various monthly cash outflows of the borrower. People planning to take a loan in the near future should avoid any unnecessary transactions.

Work history:

This is another important aspect. A long stint with the current employer is seen as a positive sign. Similarly, a good reputation and corporate image of the employer creates a positive impact.

Loan history:

Any previous loan default is treated as a serious negative by banks.