HGTV Greenlights Reality Real Estate Series POWER BROKER

With the U.S. housing market showing improvement, HGTV will bolster its real estate programming lineup with a new series focused on how buyers can maximize their budgets and secure the best possible deal on a home. Slated to premiere with an eight episode arc in 2013, Power Broker is currently in production with Johlt Productions. The series features real estate agent Mike Aubrey, who previously provided expertise in House Hunters and Real Estate Intervention. Aubrey is one of the best negotiators in the business, with stats ranking him in the U.S. commission's top 10 for Re/Max, and number 29 in the world.

Providing a gritty, behind the scenes look at negotiation strategy and capturing the play-by-play of a good deal, Power Broker will follow Aubrey as he works to save clients cash by driving a hard bargain, navigating the real estate market, and landing buyers a new home they never thought they could afford. With help from contractor/designer Juan Barbieri who viewers first met on season five of The Bachelorette, buyers can use the money they save to transform fixer-uppers into the best houses on the block.

"Like Property Virgins featuring Egypt Sherrod, Power Broker will enhance HGTV's real estate programming portfolio by offering viewers a commanding, knowledgeable character who can help them navigate the changing housing market," said Kathleen Finch, general manager, HGTV and DIY Network. "With the bonus of a great remodeling and decorating story, Power Broker also will appeal to a broader audience who enjoys the behind the scenes drama associated with renovation and design."

In the series, Aubrey will prove it's still a buyer's market as he takes clients on tours, shows them what to look for, and teaches them how to decide if a home is ideal for a deal. Viewers will hang on to see the nail-biting negotiations, which house the buyers will get, what the selling price will be and how a makeover can turn a new purchase into a home that looks like it is worth much more than the buyer paid.

America's leading home and lifestyle brand, HGTV features a top-rated cable network that is distributed to more than 98 million U.S. households and the HGTV website, HGTV.com, the nation's leading online home-and-garden destination that attracts an average of four million unique visitors per month. The brand also includes the HGTV: HOME consumer products line which showcases exclusive collections of paint, flooring, soft goods and other home-oriented products, as well as HGTV Magazine, a new home and lifestyle publication published in partnership with Hearst Magazines. Viewers can become fans of HGTV and interact with other home improvement enthusiasts through Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram.