HGTV

Pinn Bros. Fine Homes has unveiled Palmilla, the nation's largest solar powered master-planned community, in Brentwood, California. Palmilla is projected to exceed state energy efficiency standards by 35 percent and save homebuyers up to 60 percent on their electricity bills.

Pending home sales activity surged as buyers took advantage of low home prices and affordable interest rates, according to the National Association of Realtors(r).

Like Wall Street, the real estate industry is feeling the painful effects of loose lending practices and bad mortgage loans. Now, more than ever, prospective homebuyers and sellers should be aware of what's happening with the housing market -- and where it's headed -- in order to make smart decisions. HGTV's new award-winning real estate site, <a href="http://www.FrontDoor.com">FrontDoor.com</a>, gives visitors a unique insight into the real estate market. The website,

var sniPUPObj = new sniPUP("video-player"); sniPUPObj.channelID = "10661"; sniPUPObj.lcDivName = "lcBannerDiv"; sniPUPObj.siteID = "hgtv"; sniPUPObj.autoPlay = true; sniPUPObj.write(); It's time for your second clue…and who better than HGTV's favorite green guru, Carter Oosterhouse, to help you find it? Be sure to come back here and post your answers after you've found the clue. Speaking of Carter, check out his latest green living tips and other eco-friendly home ideas at Ecologue.com.

Welcome to the HGTV Green Home 2009 scavenger hunt, where we'll divulge two clues a week that'll lead you closer and closer to the location of our latest eco-friendly home. Ready to get started? While out on your scavenger hunt, look for this little green house: When you see it, you'll know you've found a clue. Speaking of clues…. Here's your first one! Clue #1: What do all of these homes have common? Think you know the answer? Post your guesses below and come back this Thursday for another clue to the location of HGTV Green Home 2009. Till then, hop on over to HGTV Dream Home and vote for your favorite table setting.

It's going to be an exciting season here at HGTV Green Home 2009. We've got so much great stuff planned for you, from exclusive videos to behind-the-scenes blogs, all leading up to that thrilling final moment when we surprise the winner with the keys to their brand new, eco-friendly home. It all starts Monday with the HGTV Green Home scavenger hunt. We'll post two clues a week that will lead you closer and closer to the location of our latest eco-friendly home. So join us then — and make your best guess. Who knows where it'll all lead?

Two of the nation's largest outdoor living companies -- Archadeck and Outdoor Lighting Perspectives (OLP) -- have joined forces, creating a new company that will pursue global expansion in the outdoor products and services category through multiple independent franchise brands.

Meritage Homes Corporation, a leading U.S. homebuilder, was awarded $111 million last week, in a unanimous jury verdict in Federal District Court in Phoenix. Meritage filed the lawsuit on February 24, 2004, against Greg Hancock, a former division president of Meritage Homes. Hancock is the current owner of Phoenix homebuilder Hancock Communities.

The latest S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price report shows that home prices in the U.S. continued to decline at a record pace through July 2008. Prices in the report's 10-city composite index declined 17.5% from year-ago levels, while the 20-city index fell by 16.3%. Despite the record declines, the authors note that the pace of decline has slowed.

Hey HGTV Green Home fans! Just doing a quick check-in to say that we're gearing up for HGTV Green Home '09. Tune in early next week for some exciting news. And if you haven't been by HGTV Dream Home Central in a while, swing by and cast your vote for the table setting that will welcome the winner to their new outdoor dining room. You can vote once a day till October 31. It's been a big summer at my house. My family moved into a 100-year-old cabin and we put green ideas into action by decorating with tons of recycled materials. My favorites: the wrought iron window box that is now a pot rack, and the beautiful pieces of barn wood that we turned into a two-level bar. Got any green decorating ideas or tips you'd like to share?

Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes rose for the first time in seven months this September, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI), released last week. The HMI gained two points to 18, rising from its record low of the previous two months.

Congress passed the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008 on July 26 and President Bush signed it into law on July 30. One provision of the landmark legislation provides a $7,500 tax credit for first-time home buyers.

Fire sprinkler mandates will be part of the 2009 International Residential Code and will be required in all one- and two-family homes and townhouses that build to the code as of Jan. 1, 2011.

Even with the remodeling industry in the midst of its most challenging cyclical downturn since the early 1980s, a substantial number of home builders are diversifying into the home improvement and maintenance market, making the competition for jobs even tougher, according to remodelers attending the Sept. 9-12 Remodeling Show in Baltimore.

The nation's home builders today called on Congress to move promptly to enact the emergency financial rescue plan proposed by Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson that is designed to stabilize worldwide financial markets and restore consumer and investor confidence in the U.S. economy.

Privately-owned housing starts in August were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 895,000, 6.2 percent below the revised July estimate of 954,000. It was the slowest pace since January 1991. Single family starts in August were at a rate of 630,000, a 1.9 percent decline from July, according to the latest data from the The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has released its Home Design Trends Survey for the second quarter of 2008, and its findings illustrate that builders and home owners are gravitating toward energy management systems and other sustainable design elements to help reduce the financial burden of high utility bills.

Quadrant Homes announced it will reduce its workforce in response to the slowdown of new home sales in the greater Puget Sound area.

Lafarge North America Inc. announced that the company will raise cement prices in the United States by $15 per ton. The increase will take effect January 1, 2009.

West Coast Green, the nation's largest conference and expo dedicated to green innovation, building, design and technology will take place at the San Jose Convention Center, September 25-27, 2008