- The Subway sandwich shop on Chicago's State Street may look like any other new restaurant, but its tile, crown molding and most wall coverings are made from recycled materials. In the bathroom, sensors control water flow, timers manage lights, and the toilet has a low-flow option. A smart air-conditioning system normalizes temperature between the bread ovens and the eating area. - Hoping to lure in golf-playing tourists to Cuba - and eventually even U.S. golfers - the government will allow foreign investors to lease state lands for 99 years instead of the previous limit of 50 years. - A growing number of homeowners are finding out what it means to be a landlord after failing to sell their homes in one of the worst housing slumps in history. - A closely watched national index showed Tuesday that home prices rose in June, the last month that a federal tax credit probably boosted sales. Many experts predict a drop in values in coming months without the popular government stimulus. - Home prices rose in June, according to a closely watched national index released Tuesday, but many experts predict a drop in values this year with the expiration of popular federal tax credits for buyers. - Adding to worries about the economy's direction, the number of newly delinquent home loans has risen for two straight quarters in what could foreshadow another surge in unemployment-related foreclosures. - So this is what they mean when they say the economy is a mess. - A popular program that allows homeowners to tap low-interest government financing to install energy-efficient solar panels, windows and insulation has stalled, leaving tens of thousands of green improvement projects across the country in limbo. - Hoping there are big profits to be made in the aftermath of the housing collapse, professional investors are flocking to the business of buying foreclosed homes at distressed prices.
