Advances in technology have resulted in so many benefits – one needn’t step out to buy groceries or post a letter; you needn’t visit your bank to get your bank statement or passbook updated, you can make your utility bill payments online, and so on. Home Loan providers have now facilitated making Home Loan application through their website on a secure platform. Lenders such as HDFC Home Loans provide an end-to-end online process for loan approval. You needn’t step out to visit a branch of the home loan provider to make your Home Loan application. So, should you apply for a Home Loan online or use the traditional method of visiting the Home Loan provider’s office (i.e. offline)? Let’s compare the online route and the offline route and find out what each of them entail.
Eligibility:
In online Home Loan application, you can find out the loan amount you are eligible for by simply visiting the website of the Home Loan provider and using tools such as a Home Loan eligibility calculator that is provided on the website. This is an easy and speedy way to assess your loan eligibility. In the offline route, you would need to visit the office of the loan provider and have discussions with a Loan Officer to figure out your loan eligibility. This is more time consuming than the online Home Loan application route.
Documentation:
When you apply for a home loan online, you can simply upload the necessary documents (Loan Application, Identity Proof, Address Proof, etc.) electronically. Home Loan providers detail the list of documents that need to be submitted and also mention the loan application charges on their website. You can submit these documents electronically while making your online home loan application. In the offline route, you would need to physically carry these documents to the loan provider’s office. Not only is this inconvenient, it could also result in the possibility of losing an important document while in transit.
Loan application:
Applying for a Home Loan online is easy and convenient. Home loan providers have made available the application form on their website. You can register on the website, fill in the application and submit it along with your documents in electronic form. You can make your loan application payment online too. The offline route requires you to visit the loan provider’s office, fill in the physical copy of the Loan Application Form, which is more time consuming, provide physical copies of your documents and make the loan application payment via cheque. All of this takes longer and more effort than the online route.
Technology makes applying for Home Loan Online easy and convenient (all you need is a computer and an internet connection). In comparison, the traditional offline route is time consuming and inconvenient, requiring you to commute along with your documents to the offices of the loan provider.
Do’s and Don’ts while applying for a Home Loan online:
| Do’s | Don’ts |
|---|---|
| Check your loan eligibility before starting your Home Loan application. | Avoid making an application for an adhoc loan amount without checking your eligibility. |
| Go through the list of documents required and keep them ready before starting your online application process. | It’s preferable to complete the loan application process in one go and not in stages. |
| Be clear about the type of loan you need (Home Loan, Home Improvement Loan, Plot Loan, etc.) | Don’t leave out submitting important documents. |
| Read the FAQs before starting your loan application process. | Don’t ignore you CIBIL score while making your loan application (your score has an impact on your loan application). |
| You could use the online chat facility if you have any queries. | |
| Make sure you provide all the details that the loan provider will need to process your application. |
