Yao Lisha, 38, lives with her family at a villa in suburban Shanghai, and has invested in Australian properties. Now, she is desperate to ensure her investments do not lead to losses.

She runs a trading company with her husband in Shanghai. In 2014, she was persuaded by a friend to buy an 88-square-meter apartment in Brisbane, Queensland. Just 10 percent of the full amount of A$615,000 ($461,954) was down payment plus A$30,000 went towards stamp duty.

She took a home loan from a local lender and started repaying interest every month, hoping it would all come good eventually as possession of the flat was expected to be followed by steady rent.