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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.

1026 articles written by Mark Bristow

Term Deposits

Can an international student have a term deposit?

Banking for overseas students can be complicated, but you may still be able to steadily grow your funds as an international student by using a term deposit. 

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

22 Nov, 2022 -

2 min read

Car Loans

Can I get a car loan if I am on disability benefit?

Not every lender will accept pensions or government benefits as income when assessing loan applications, though some lenders will. Borrowers on disability benefits can still apply for a car loan, though it’s important to calculate if you can comfortably afford the loan before you apply. 

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

21 Nov, 2022 -

4 min read

Home Loans

How to budget for a home loan with a repayment calculator

Most Australians dream of owning a home. Even if this dream may seem out of reach, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t start saving and researching how to reach your homeowner goal.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

18 Nov, 2022 -

3 min read

Home Loans

Some of the best home loans for investors and refinancers in November 2022

The interest rate rises announced following the Reserve Bank of Australia’s (RBA’s) November 2022 meeting have come into effect. While new lending has reportedly plummeted, with the year’s combined rate rises knocking $214k off the average home loan budget, existing homeowners and investors could find themselves in a position to refinance to a mortgage that offers greater value for their financial situation.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

18 Nov, 2022 -

3 min read

Bank Accounts

Can you find your bank account number online?

If your bank offers online services, you should be able to find your bank account number online by logging into your account on your bank’s website and checking your details there.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

17 Nov, 2022 -

4 min read

Personal Loans

Why this could be the time to invest in solar

The cost of living is high and rising, with energy bills playing a significant role. With this in mind, could the potential financial benefits of a solar power system be worth the installation costs?  

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

16 Nov, 2022 -

3 min read

Home Loans

Investing in serviced apartments

Buying an investment property can let you benefit from both rental yields and capital growth, though there’s always a risk that there could be periods where your property fails to attract tenants. Investing in serviced apartments could potentially help to offset this risk, as someone else will be managing the tenants for you, though there are other complications to consider.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

10 Nov, 2022 -

4 min read

Superannuation

Will you get superannuation contributions on workers compensation payments?

Under the superannuation guarantee (SG), employers must make superannuation contributions of a percentage of most employees’ ordinary time earnings (OTE). But will you still receive these super contributions if you’re receiving worker’s compensation payments? The answer may vary based on a wide range of factors.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

09 Nov, 2022 -

3 min read

Term Deposits

Which banks have hiked term deposit and savings account rates in November 2022?

Good news for savers - some of the biggest banks and providers in Australia have hiked rates on their deposit accounts. This may allow Australian savers to benefit from interest rates of 4 per cent or even more on their savings account or term deposit, and grow their wealth more quickly. 

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Mark Bristow -

08 Nov, 2022 -

4 min read

Home Loans

Who is still offering low-rate home loans after the November 2022 rate hike?

The latest hike to the national cash rate from the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) may continue to squeeze homeowners with higher interest repayments and restrict first home buyers by shrinking maximum borrowing amounts. Despite these rising rates, some mortgage lenders still have relatively low interest rates available for selected borrowers.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

08 Nov, 2022 -

3 min read