When considering a loan for a significant investment, such as buying a home, you will often come across the term ‘CIBIL score’. It is an important Home Loan eligibility parameter that every financial institution will consider in order to determine a loan applicant’s creditworthiness. If you have a good CIBIL score, you will have a greater chance of getting your Home Loan application approved.
So, what is the minimum CIBIL score for a Home Loan that you should have before applying for a Home Loan? In this article, we will guide you through:
- What exactly is a CIBIL score
- What is the minimum CIBIL score that you should have
- What are the advantages of having a high CIBIL score
- How can you improve your CIBIL score
Introduction to CIBIL Score
The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) has authorised the Credit Information Bureau India Limited (CIBIL) to store credit records of Indian residents. Based on that, CIBIL creates a CIBIL score and a related report that keeps changing from time to time. It is essentially a three-digit figure that ranges from 300 to 900 points. CIBIL scores determine your creditworthiness based on credit history and other financial information from financial institutions from time to time.
A higher CIBIL score indicates that your credit performance has been excellent, making you a suitable candidate for a big-ticket loan like a Home Loan.
Minimum CIBIL Score for a Home Loan: What is it?
An excellent credit history indicates that:
- You pay off all your debts on time
- You keep your debts low
- You have a good mix of credit
- You do not have multiple loan rejections to your name
The purpose of a CIBIL score is to assist financial institutions in determining a borrower’s creditworthiness based on their financial history. As a result, the bigger the risk (i.e., a lower credit score), the higher the interest rate provided to loan applicants. Conversely, if the credit score is very low, a lender may reject the application right away.
Since a Home Loan is a huge financial obligation, lenders often demand applicants have a certain minimum CIBIL score to qualify for a Home Loan. So, what is a good CIBIL score for a Home Loan?
- While the cut-off depends from lender to lender, if you have a credit score of 611+, you have a strong chance of getting your Home Loan application accepted.
- A minimum CIBIL score for a Home Loan, however, does leave you with less negotiating room; the financial institution will have to examine more financial papers and other eligibility criteria such as age, existing EMIs, current income, profession, etc.
- In addition, you’ll likely have to do more to persuade them that you’ll be able to close the loan, such as providing a creditworthy guarantor.
A high CIBIL score of 800+ is ideal for obtaining a Home Loan at favourable terms. If your current CIBIL score is between 550 and 700, you can work to improve it gradually to beyond 611 or even 800 before applying for a Home Loan.
The Advantages of a Higher CIBIL Score
While we have already seen that a typical CIBIL score required for a Home Loan is usually around 611+, having a higher score will give you a lot of benefits during a Home Loan application:
- You will have more willing lenders to choose from since you will be qualified for loans from various lenders.
- Because you have a high level of trustworthiness, you will be eligible for a larger loan amount. To check the same, you can use the Home Loan eligibility calculator.
- Because your CIBIL score is more or less enough to satisfy the financial institution of your repayment capabilities, having a better score shortens the paperwork.
- You can borrow money at reduced and more favourable Home Loan interest rates.
How can you increase your CIBIL score responsibly?
- Ensure that your credit card and EMI payments are paid in full and on time.
- Keep your debt-to-income ratio low.
- Opt for secured loans such as Home Loans rather than unsecured loans, such as auto loans, personal loans, etc.
- Avoid applying for many house loans in a short period because each credit inquiry reduces your CIBIL score by a few points.
Conclusion
Proper planning will come to your aid when applying for a Home Loan. Try and maintain the best CIBIL score for a Home Loan before you apply for the same. At PNB Housing, we have a relaxed CIBIL score criterion so that applicants can fulfil their dreams of owning a home without facing rejection, reduced loan amounts, high-interest rates or huge EMIs.
