A report from the Sydney Morning Herald in Australia. "Wayne Byres, chair of the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, was on Thursday asked by Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson about a report from UBS that last month ranked Sydney fourth in a global 'bubble index' that sought to measure the risk of a real estate bubble. Mr Byres, who oversees a banking sector with almost $1.5 trillion in mortgages, stressed the risks in the property market but said the 'B word' was not helpful. 'I deliberately avoid using the B word. I think it sort of simplifies the debate somewhat,' Mr Byres said. 'It leads people to either, we are, in which case we're all ruined, or we're not, in which case, she'll be right. And in fact the situation is far more nuanced than that.'"

"Sydney prices have risen by about half since 2012, the UBS index said, and APRA has in recent years clamped down on poor lending by banks in the housing market, and curbed lending to investors."

From Domain News. "National Australia Bank has compiled a confidential borrowers’ blacklist of more than 600 towns and suburbs where it has capped lending to property buyers because of growing risks in the housing market. Buyers in any of the 120 postcodes across the nation will need a deposit of as much as 30 per cent to be eligible for a loan 'to ensure that we are lending responsibly and sustainably,' according to internal documents used by the bank to explain its change in strategy to mortgage brokers."

"Lenders have also responded to pressure from the Reserve Bank of Australia, ASIC and APRA to reduce lending to higher risk investment borrowers, particularly for apartment markets in central Melbourne and Sydney, by cutting back on interest-only loans and increasing deposits to about 40 per cent of the asking price. For example, earlier this year AMP placed apartments in 140 suburbs on a blacklist because of growing concerns about oversupply, off-the-plan sales, and, in some areas, falling prices. Lenders also slammed the brakes on foreign borrowers."

The Australian. "Australia’s residential market is set to split in two, with first home buyers finally getting a shot at owning inner city apartments, while relatively strong rental yields mean that seasoned investors will look towards investments in houses. Discounting is expected to be most common among high-rise 'clusters' where there have ­already been rising levels of 'settlement difficulties.' But the outstanding opportunity in the market will be for first-home buyers, especially in 2017-18 when a flood of new apartments are expected to hit the market."

"'We are looking at a market where you will see pressure on prices, and you may also see some rental yield decline … I think both markets are vulnerable,' said Nigel Stapledon, a research fellow at UNSW Business School. 'On the upside, it becomes a buyer’s market and also a renter’s market.'"

From Smart Property Investment. "The six regions across the country worst affected by the mining downturn have been uncovered by a new report. The report, 'The carnival is over: house prices in mining towns now the boom is gone,' compiled by Propell National Valuers, said recent figures and stories of investors' suffering 'beg the question of why anyone would take the risk' of buying into these regions. 'Price increases of 10 per cent per annum, 20 per cent per annum or more have been replaced by falls in the past two years of up to 38 per cent per annum.'"

The Brisbane Times. "Dozens of expectant Perth homeowners have been left in limbo after the collapse of national building company, Collier Homes. Nearly 30 homes across Perth sit unfinished and subcontractors are owed thousands after liquidators moved in on parent company, Homes Australia, owned by Family First Senator, Bob Day. The multi-million dollar collapse has also left around 20 staff members at Collier Homes' Osborne Park office out of a job, without any notice. Mr Day resigned from Federal Parliament after announcing the the collapse."

"Sub-contractor, Ron Van Zoelen and wife, Tracey, fronted the politician's South Australian electorate office shortly after learning of the closure, claiming they were owed more than $25,000. 'We're just shocked and devastated, this is our livelihood, this is our income, and we've got family to support, bills to pay, mortgage to pay, it's really quite upsetting,' Ms Van Zoelen told Nine News."

From News.com.au. "A ruling by the tax office could offer a glimmer of hope to locals wanting to buy an off-the plan apartment by putting them off-limits to overseas investors. Under Australian law, foreign investors can purchase only new properties. If an off-the-plan sale falls through, the property will be considered second-hand, The Australian reports. This means thousands of potential foreign buyers will be stopped from buying the properties and potentially lowering the resale price."

"Confirmation on the ruling comes amid reports of a growing number of Chinese buyers walking away from off-the-plan apartment sales, forcing them to sell. 'Under subsections 15(4) and (5) of the Foreign Acquisitions and Takeovers Act 1975, a dwelling is considered to be sold when an agreement becomes binding,' a spokeswoman for the Australian Taxation Office said. 'If the property is onsold after the date upon which the contract becomes binding, and prior to settlement, then this is considered to be an established dwelling.'"

"LJ Hooker chief executive Grant Harrod told The Australian the real estate agency was starting to see apartments coming onto the secondary market, particularly in Brisbane and Melbourne. 'We have seen some developers come to us with buildings that have been completed but the owners have been unable to close,' Mr Harrod said. 'The original owners who bought off the plan are finding it challenging to raise capital because the banks have raised the loan-to-valuation requirements. There is going to be a real issue if we start to see construction projects not being completed and developers getting into trouble.'"

"Last month, billionaire property developer Harry Triguboff, founder of Australia’s largest apartment builder Meriton, said a 'very significant' number of Chinese buyers were failing to settle their purchases."