I am in EU, own an unfinished - actually not even started yet - apartment. Can confirm, absolutely normal.

have you paid for your non-existent apartment in full already?

Sinophobic pandering is hot all over. "Nothing to miss, here" is the intent, as if it would be crippling somehow for viewers to discover that not all of the world is developing.

CNN is addressing its American audience to a practice that is not familiar in the USA. Yes, CNN is USA-centric, because...it is an American news company with a primary user base in America.

That other countries mortgage unbuilt homes is more a "what about" rather than "facts needed for reader to understand."

"American news company with a primary user base in America."

And it's infamous for misrepresenting the other parts of the world to better suit USA's interests. Cases of outright lying and negative propaganda that they know is a lie abound.

What was the lie in this case?

There was no lie here, just a fact that wasn’t disputed. If you want to complain about CNN lying, find a lie in the article rather than a fact.