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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

Is it safe to get a home loan online?

If you’ve never applied for a home loan online before, it’s easy to feel nervous about the prospect of making a major financial commitment by clicking a mouse or tapping a smartphone. But there are benefits to online home loans, which are often much safer than you may expect.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

22 Jul, 2021 -

4 min read

Home Loans

Some of the best investor home loans in July 2021

Recent statistics show that home lending recently hit an all-time high. But it wasn’t owner occupiers and first home buyers driving these figures – rather, it was investors and refinancers.

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Mark Bristow -

16 Jul, 2021 -

2 min read

Home Loans

APRA expects banks to prepare for negative rates

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) wants Australia’s authorised deposit-taking institutions (ADIs) to be prepared just in case the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) cuts the nation’s cash rate into negative figures. While the RBA has said in the past that negative rates are highly unlikely, the potential effects of negative rates on Australian banks and their customers mean that it’s important to think about what negative rates could mean for you.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

13 Jul, 2021 -

4 min read

Home Loans

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

Recent figures from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) show that while investor lending has skyrocketed in recent months, the value of owner-occupier lending only saw moderate month-on-month gains. What’s more, the number of owner-occupier first home buyer loans has dropped for the fourth month in a row, while the value of first home buyer lending is up, reflecting Australia’s rising property prices.

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Mark Bristow -

12 Jul, 2021 -

3 min read

Home Loans

Can you have two home equity loans?

A home equity loan can help put the value of your property to work for you. Whether used to access a flexible line of credit, or to secure a mortgage over an investment property, your home equity can prove a useful tool for reaching your personal and financial goals.

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Mark Bristow -

12 Jul, 2021 -

3 min read

Home Loans

How is mortgage interest calculated?

Home loans can seem complex and intimidating. This may be partly due to the massive sums of money involved, especially for buying property in Australia’s capital cities. It may also be partly due to the seemingly impenetrable maths involved in working out your interest charges and monthly repayments.

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Mark Bristow -

08 Jul, 2021 -

6 min read

Bank Accounts

Which banks are offering financial relief to customers affected by the latest lockdowns?

With several areas around Australia locking down to help halt the spread of COVID-19, several of Australia’s leading banks have introduced measures to provide support and financial relief to customers who are doing it tough.

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Mark Bristow -

01 Jul, 2021 -

4 min read

Home Loans

Some of the best investor home loans at the end of June 2021

With some economists predicting that mortgage interest rates could start rising sooner than expected, investors may be looking for ways to lock in the current low rates for longer, or to cut costs on their investment property, or both.

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Mark Bristow -

28 Jun, 2021 -

2 min read

Home Loans

How do mortgage companies verify income?

When you apply for a home loan, you’ll need to show the lender that you can comfortably afford the repayments. But how exactly do banks and mortgage lenders check your income and confirm that you earn enough for a mortgage?

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Mark Bristow -

18 Jun, 2021 -

5 min read

Home Loans

Is a fixed or variable home loan better?

The best choice between a fixed or variable home loan interest rate may depend on your personal and financial situation, as well as your home loan goals. There are advantages and disadvantages to fixed and variable interest rates, which could affect the value that different home loans offer you.

mark-bristow

Mark Bristow -

16 Jun, 2021 -

5 min read