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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.

1009 articles written by Mark Bristow

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.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

09 Nov, 2021 -

2 min read

Home Loans

Westpac follows CBA and hikes fixed rates

Westpac has today followed CBA’s lead and hiked fixed home loan rates.

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Mark Bristow -

19 Oct, 2021 -

3 min read

Home Loans

CBA home loan shake-up: lowest variable rate now 2.29%

The escalating war on variable home loan rates has today intensified with CBA and ING taking the knife to these rates.

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Mark Bristow -

15 Oct, 2021 -

5 min read

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.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

14 Oct, 2021 -

3 min read

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.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

18 Sep, 2021 -

2 min read

Savings Accounts

Westpac joins growing list of banks cutting savings rates

Australia’s second largest bank, Westpac, has today cut savings rates by up to 0.50 per cent across its popular accounts.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

17 Sep, 2021 -

4 min read

Home Loans

RBA governor won’t raise rates to cool house prices

Australia’s national cash rate will be staying on hold until at least 2024, with the governor of the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) recommending that other avenues be considered to address rising house prices.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

15 Sep, 2021 -

3 min read

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.

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Mark Bristow -

09 Sep, 2021 -

2 min read

Home Loans

The emotional cost of buying your first home

A recent report has revealed that a significant percentage of Australia’s first home buyers (FHBs) are under financial and emotional stress, with some ‘losing hope altogether’, and others believing that seeking help from their family is a sign that they have ‘failed.’

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Mark Bristow -

31 Aug, 2021 -

4 min read

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.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

23 Aug, 2021 -

2 min read