By The government of India has implemented a number of measures to boost the profitability of home purchases for women in an effort to increase the number of women homebuyers. Here are a few financial advantages that you, as a woman who buys a home in India, can take advantage of if the real estate is officially registered in your name.
Opportunities for women home buyers
There are several measures that have been devised to make the real estate venture more favourable to the female population. In this blog, we will be discussing features such as lesser stamp duty, tax benefits, lower interest rates on home loans, and the benefits of PMAY that make home buying easier for women.
Lesser stamp duty for women
If the real estate has been registered in the name of a woman, the majority of Indian states impose a cheaper stamp duty (the fee that the buyer must pay to have the asset registered in the government’s records). In the nation’s capital Delhi, for instance, women buyers only had to pay 4% of the property’s value in stamp duty, compared to 6% for men. States like Jammu have advanced by exempting women from paying stamp duty when purchasing real estate.
- On March 8, 2021, the Maharashtra government announced a one percentage point discount for female homebuyers. This means that the stamp duty on registration of property for female home buyers is now merely 2% of the real estate’s value.
- Women in Uttar Pradesh are given a 1% discount on stamp duty fees. However, this discount is only valid on transactions up to a total value of ₹ 10 lakh.
- If an asset has been registered in the name of a woman in Himachal Pradesh, the rates differ by 2%, from 4% for women to 6% for men. Joint ownership will result in a 5% stamp fee.
Tax benefits
If you and your husband own a property jointly, you would need to sign up for the loan as a co-applicant. This would have the advantage of allowing both parties in the couple to obtain tax deductions on their respective earnings under Sections 80C, 24, 80EE, and 80EEA (the latter two benefits are only accessible to first-time home owners).
It is important to note that a wife does not automatically become a co-owner of the property just by being listed as a co-applicant on the mortgage application. She would, nevertheless, be allowed to deduct taxes from her salary even if she were merely a borrower. A co-owner would have absolute ownership over the property.
Lower interest rates on home loan for women in India
In India, nearly all home buyers rely on loans to purchase homes. While this financing enables buyers to acquire homes in the early stages of their careers, it also raises the total cost of the transaction. However, because many banks give a home loan for women in India at cheaper interest rates, they do not need to spend the same amount that men do. Usually, the interest rate on mortgages intended for women is 0.5-1% less than the national average. These factors make up the home loan benefits for females in India.
Benefits of PMAY for women
The government has mandated that property purchased under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) has to be registered in the name of no fewer than one woman living in the household. Women also benefit from interest rate reductions when taking up a house loan through the credit-linked subsidy scheme (CLSS) of the flagship programme. An interest discount of 6.5% is available to female borrowers from the financially disadvantaged group (those making up to ₹ 3 lakh annually) and the low-income group (LIG) category on house loans up to ₹ 6 lakh.
Empowered female and her status
Home ownership provides women with a sense of comfort and stability by allowing them to take the reins of their lives in their own hands. It also emphasises the fact that a woman is capable of fending for herself. A home is also a valuable asset that is going to appreciate over time, strengthening the owner’s financial security. Furthermore, a steady and secure home environment is essential for nurturing and nourishing not only a family’s but also a woman’s well-being.
Conclusion
It’s an opportune time for women to invest in property. The many benefits offered and the availability of different types of real estate to invest in by reputed builders makes it even more lucrative on the whole. As a refresher, let’s conclude by going over the key factors to keep in mind. If the real estate has been registered in the name of a woman, the majority of Indian states have lower stamp duty rates. Usually, the interest rate on mortgages intended for women is 0.5-1% less than the national average. Resulting in home loan benefits for females in India. Both parties in a couple will be able to deduct taxes from their individual incomes if a man and his wife jointly own property. The property purchased, under the PMAY programme, must be legally registered in at least one woman’s name in a household.
