Home Buying Tips For The First Timers!

If you are a first time property buyer, buying a home can be a great experience. Every home buyer knows that they set a particular budget range and stick to the price range so that you can know how much you can afford for the property or home. Buying a home may be the first step you take towards building long term wealth. Thus, here are things to know before buying a house:

·     Budget: You need to know how much money you will have each month to meet your expenses. Remember that your first property will seldom be your final property, so search after your present property getting needs first, and let the long term take care of itself. You should guarantee that the property you are getting will satisfy your present needs and be within your budget. 

·      Location: Take a good look at the location and the locality. It is better to try a place adjacent to the prime location of your city so that the price is not that high. Location will also have a large impact on the resale value of your home. Choose wisely and your home may be your best investment.

·       Rental Rates in the area: If you are planning about investing in rental property, homes in high rent or highly populated areas are ideal. Knowing the rental rate in the area helps you to choose the right property and location.

·      Good Resale Value: Resale sale value is an important thing to consider before you plan to invest or buy a property. Property buyers never consider resale value when they buy. They make the mistake of focusing solely on a prime locality or the budget of the property. If you choose the wrong property or location, it is possible that your future sales price will always be less than the other homes around it.

·       Loan Eligibility: Home loan eligibility depends upon the repayment capacity, income, existing loans or debts and age of the loan applicant. The lending company or banks provide online services such as Home loan eligibility calculator to calculate loan eligibility of the home loan borrower. The maximum loan that can be sanctioned varies with the banks and the eligibility criteria may vary according to the bank or RBI regulations. As home loan rates increase, the loan eligibility for a borrower becomes stiffer.

·       Stamp Duty & Registration Fee: This is an important expense or tax, much like the sales tax and income tax that are collected by the Government. When planning your budget for property buying and deciding to buy a property, you need to know the rate and charges applicable in your city. If you want to know the market value of your property and the stamp duty amount on it, you need to contact the Ready Reckoner to locate your valuation zone and sub-zone. Find out the stamp duty amount applicable to you as per the market value.

·        Property insurance: Property insurance safeguards your financial future if certain damages occur to your property. The cost is relatively low and provides coverage in case of problems with the property title, certain damages or any legal issue. There are many different home insurance policies to choose from, with varying levels of protection. When taking a decision to protect your major assets, it is important to have a resource you can trust, to guide you along the way. Choosing the right house insurance protects your property and makes the process of buying easy.

·       Tax Planning: Tax planning, a legitimate exercise and should not be confused with tax avoidance or tax evasion. Tax benefits can be claimed on both the principal and interest components of the home loan as per the Income Tax Act. You can also purchase property in joint names. Joint home loan is an option that might prove fruitful for married couples. Know about your home loan and tax benefit available on it.