RateCity.com.au
mark-bristow

Mark Bristow

Personal Finance Editor

linkedin

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.

1009 articles written by Mark Bristow

Home Loans

How could a property peak affect your home loan?

With Australia’s owner occupiers taking out bigger home loans, and signs pointing to national housing values potentially approaching a peak, what risk could home owners face if they were to come face to face with a downturn in the future?

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

14 Jan, 2022 -

4 min read

Home Loans

How to switch and save in 2022

It’s important to use the best financial products and services for your personal situation. But since our personal situations have likely changed significantly over the past two years, how can you be confident that your previous choices are still up to date?

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

06 Jan, 2022 -

8 min read

Home Loans

How to start saving a house deposit this year

Could this be the year when you finally sign on the dotted line and become a home owner? To do that, you’ll need to save a deposit, which isn’t as easy as it sounds. But there are savings strategies to consider and support options available that may be able to help you make real progress towards your goal this year. 

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

03 Jan, 2022 -

9 min read

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.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

20 Dec, 2021 -

3 min read

Savings Accounts

Australia’s savings to spur economic recovery

While Australians typically dip into their savings during times of economic crisis, recent lockdowns have led Aussies to deposit around one fifth of their income into savings, according to RBA governor Philip Lowe.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

16 Dec, 2021 -

2 min read

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.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

07 Dec, 2021 -

6 min read

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.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

01 Dec, 2021 -

4 min read

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.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

23 Nov, 2021 -

2 min read

Home Loans

House price growth to slow by 2023 according to CBA

The forecast return of a rising cash rate is expected to slow the meteoric rise in property values around Australia, according to a new report from the Commonwealth Bank of Australia. However, improved wage growth combined with the return of international immigration should help prevent a house price freefall.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

22 Nov, 2021 -

3 min read

Home Loans

Does rent-to-own exist for Australian home owners?

If you can comfortably manage your rent payments, you may feel you could manage the repayments on a mortgage just as easily. However, many Australian renters have had their home ownership dreams frustrated by the challenge of saving a deposit on a home loan. Rent-to-own programs could theoretically offer an alternative route to home ownership, but are they worth the risk? 

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

16 Nov, 2021 -

5 min read