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mark-bristow

Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

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Mark Bristow is RateCity's Home & Personal Finances Editor, and an experienced analyst, researcher, and producer. While primarily focused on Australian mortgage and home loan expertise, he has experience across energy, 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.

1028 articles written by Mark Bristow

Car Loans

How to get the best rate when buying a car

Cars can be expensive, and you may need to use a car loan or another form of car finance to afford your next set of wheels. But not all car loans are created equal, and the interest rate you’re charged can affect how much you’ll pay for your car, both from month to month and in total.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

20 Sep, 2023 -

6 min read

Home Loans

What is a mortgage registration fee?

When you buy or refinance a property, there are some extra costs to budget for. As well as covering your lender’s upfront fees, there are government charges to consider, such as the mortgage registration fee, which covers the cost of adding the mortgage on your home to the land titles office in your state or territory.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

20 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Home Loans

How to make an offer on a house

Once you’ve been preapproved for a home loan, you can start house-hunting with confidence, knowing your finances are ready. Once you find a property that suits your needs and your budget, you can take the next step and make an offer. But what is the exact process of making an offer on a house, unit, or investment property? 

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

20 Sep, 2023 -

7 min read

Home Insurance

Five benefits of home insurance that not all policies offer

You may find that more is covered by your home and contents insurance policy than just the renovation, rebuilding, or replacement of your home after an insured event.

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Mark Bristow -

18 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Home Loans

Some of the top-rated home loans for investors and refinancers in September 2023

With no movement from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on the cash rate this month, why aren’t Australian homeowners and investors breathing a sigh of relief? Some of Australia’s biggest banks have been hiking their home loan interest rates out of cycle from the RBA, making refinancing more challenging.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

15 Sep, 2023 -

3 min read

Personal Loans

Is it good to apply for a personal loan online?

Personal loans are available from retail banks and mutual banks, but also from specialised online-only lenders. Because these lenders often have lower ongoing costs, they may be able to offer more competitive personal loans than their big bank rivals. It’s still essential to compare personal loans before you apply, to make sure you’re making the best choice to suit your needs.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

14 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Home Insurance

Why is it important to have landlord home insurance?

After purchasing your property, you’ve decided to rent it out and use it as an investment. But what happens if your tenant stops paying rent, or damages your property? Is there any way to protect your investment?

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

14 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Car Loans

How to get a car loan and increase your chances of being approved

Applying for a car loan can sometimes be more overwhelming than buying the car itself, with all the research and paperwork involved. And even once you’re ready to apply for a car loan, there’s no guarantee that your application for car finance will be approved.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

13 Sep, 2023 -

8 min read

Home Loans

House prices bounce back - what does this mean for first home buyers?

Australia’s housing market may be recovering from its recent downturns, thanks to rising home values and more housing stock. Higher house prices could prove challenging for some first home buyers to overcome, though it’s possible the recovery could stall later in the year.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

11 Sep, 2023 -

4 min read

Home Insurance

How do you file a home insurance claim for flooding?

Natural disasters are a fact of life in Australia, though they still take many of us by surprise. If you’ve been affected by storms and flooding, you’ll want to quickly find out what’s covered by your insurance so you can make a claim.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

08 Sep, 2023 -

9 min read