Pre-EMI is the interest portion on the disbursed loan amount that you pay until the full disbursal is done. i.e., your home loan behaves like an interest-only loan on the disbursed amount until the completion of construction. Your EMI payments start after the pre-EMI phase. Until then, your money does not reduce even a paisa of the outstanding loan amount.

Now you may wonder which is a better course to take while making loan repayments – EMI or Pre-EMIs?

The selection of full EMI repayment mode is deemed as beneficial in the longer run as borrower of the loan starts paying the principal amount from day one itself. So, in this case the total outstanding principal amount by the time the property is taken possession of, is reduced manifolds. However, in case project completion gets delayed, loan borrower may end up paying more than the principal loan amount even before getting possession of the property.

So, in all EMI mode can result in hefty payouts on the part of the borrower as he pays the interest amount during the loan tenure in addition to the term before the final disbursement of the loan. However, Pre-EMI may turn out to be a better loan repayment mode in case the homebuyer wishes to sell the property soon after getting the possession.

Things you should know about Pre-EMI home loan repayment mode:

Though pre-EMIs seem to be less burdensome at first as only the interest component on the loan amount disbursed is required to be paid until the final loan amount disbursement, it results in more number of payouts. In contrast, opting of full EMI mode results in lower tenure with the decrease in principal amount.

Pre-EMI interest amount paid when the property was under-construction does not qualifies for tax deduction with respect to the principal amount repaid. However, loan repayment either in pre-EMI mode or EMI in taxation terms is treated without much difference and in fact tax deductions are only allowed on the interest paid post the completion of the project. The interest amount paid is divided into five equal proportions and allowed for tax deduction once the project is completed.

Thus, before choosing the mode of home loan repayment, you must consider your purpose of buying the property, expected time for project completion and taxation factors.