Mark Bristow

Home & Personal Finance Editor

Mark Bristow is RateCity's Home & Personal Finances Editor, and an experienced analyst, researcher, and producer. Mark’s expertise includes home loans, energy and both home and travel insurances. Mark has been a journalist and writer in the financial space for over ten years, previously researching and writing commercial real estate at CoreLogic. In the years since, Mark has worked for the Winning Group, Expedia, and has seen articles published at Lifehacker and Business Insider.

486 articles written by Mark Bristow

/best-home-loans-investors-refinancers-december-2021
Home Loans

Some of the best home loans for investors and refinancers in December 2021

The end of one calendar year and the beginning of another can be a good opportunity to step back, take stock and reassess things. This includes your home loan, which may no longer suit your financial situation quite as much as it used to. Comparing home loans will allow you to get a better idea of which mortgage lenders have home loan offers that may best suit your needs.

/shopping-comparison-cashback
Credit Cards

How to make the most of shopping, from comparison to cashback

However you choose to shop, it’s important to consider what the best strategies may be to get the most value for your money. Here are a few tips to help you get started.

/best-home-loans-december-2021
Home Loans

Some of the best home loans in December 2021

While a lot of Australians are slowing down and taking a break over the holidays, nothing completely stops the Australian property market. Some buyers and sellers rush to finalise sales before the year’s end, while others use the holidays as a chance to organise deals with less competition.

/young-australians-sidestepping-everyday-expenses-big-ticket-purchases
Credit Cards

Young Australians sidestepping everyday expenses for big-ticket purchases

Have you ever put off paying for something you need until later so you can afford something more fun that you want today? New research indicates that you may be in good company, with nearly nine in ten young Australians ‘sidestepping’ everyday lifestyle costs to help save for expensive one-off purchases.

/best-home-loans-investors-november-2021
Home Loans

Some of the best home loans for investors in November 2021

It’s not yet completely clear what Australian property investors can expect over the next few years. While some analysts are forecasting another year of rising house prices before a fall in 2023, there are still a lot of unknown factors to consider that could affect how things shake out.

/best-home-loans-owner-occupiers-november-2021
Home Loans

Some of the best home loans for owner occupiers in November 2021

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), owner occupier lending has fallen over recent months, while investor lending has climbed. This is understood to be partly due to skyrocketing property values in popular areas pricing some first home buyers out of the market, unless they can get significant assistance from parental guarantors, government support programs, or both.

/best-home-loans-october-2021
Home Loans

Some of the best home loans in October 2021

With the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) committing to keep the cash rate on hold for the next few years, and mortgage lenders continuing to slash interest rates, regulators are taking steps to limit risky borrowing and cool overheated property prices.

/best-home-loans-investors-refinancers-september-2021
Home Loans

Some of the best home loans for investors and refinancers in September 2021

If you already own a home or investment property and are considering refinancing, the banks may want your business. Lenders are reportedly shifting their focus away from fixed rates, with some big banks slashing variable rates in response to record levels of refinancing activity.

/best-home-loans-september-2021
Home Loans

Some of the best home loans in September 2021

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) kept the nation’s cash rate on hold at its meeting this month. Despite the cash rate remaining steady for the year to date, several Australian mortgage lenders have been adjusting their home loan interest rates out-of-cycle from the RBA, pushing up fixed rates while competing to slash variable rates.

/best-home-loans-refinancers-investors-august-2021
Home Loans

Some of the best home loans for refinancers and investors in August 2021

A recent Commonwealth Bank study found that home buying intentions declined in July 2021. Considering that much of the country is experiencing lockdown conditions, and many of us are accessing hardship assistance, it makes sense that buying a home or a car may be far from the first thing on our minds.