Pulte suffered nearly $1 billion in losses in the third quarter as orders fell and charges racked up on its $1.3-billion purchase of Centex a year ago, the Wall Street Journal reported. To combat the losses, the company plans to reduce costs by nearly $100 million next year by consolidating divisions and cutting staff. Pulte reported losses of about $360 million a year ago.

A new study from environmental marketing agency TerraChoice found that 95 percent of green claims on home and family products were misleading. Of nearly 5,300 products reviewed, only about 240 were considered “sin free” when it comes to environmentally-friendly claims.

Even in this economy, there are builders in all markets producing good numbers. How are they doing it? 

Not satisfied with the appraised value of your new homes? Follow these steps for avoiding the dreaded low appraisal

Owens Corning, a housing materials manufacturer, said its third quarter revenue fell 12 percent to $1.19 billion, Fox Business reported. Wall Street had predicted revenue of $1.26 billion.

North Carolina is considering revising its building code to require new energy-saving measures. Local home builders are protesting the potential changes, saying they would add costs in a tight housing market.

The Concord Group, a California-based real estate strategy firm, predicts that national home sales will improve by early 2012, with annual housing units ramping up to 640,000 by the fourth quarter of 2012. The West Coast has the strongest long-term growth potential, according to the group.

Despite a significant improvement from August, new home sales in September were among the worst on record since 1963, The Wall Street Journal reported. September sales rose to a seasonally adjusted rate of 307,000, but when compared to last year, the rate actually fell more than 21 percent.

Joseph Carl Homes, a Phoenix-based home builder, was among the properties acquired by Avatar Holdings in a $62 million deal with JEN Partners LLC, a New York-based real estate private equity fund. Joseph Carl Homes is the developer of CantaMia, a 1,781-unit active adult community in Goodyear, Ariz.