Brian and Mika Kleinschmidt have some big news for HGTV fans. They announced the winner of the 2026 HGTV Smart Home, located in Orlando, Florida, and the lucky recipient is taking home more than just a new house.
Brian & Mika Kleinschmidt Announce 2026 HGTV Smart Home Winner
On August 14, Brian and Mika shared the exciting news in an announcement posted on the HGTV Instagram account.
“ANNOUNCEMENT … The winner of HGTV Smart Home 2026 is … Karen Hiers of Jacksonville, FL!! She was chosen from over 75 million entries to be the lucky new owner of a fully furnished resort-inspired home (designed by @mikamakesmoves and @mrbreakinground ) plus $100K cash. 👏 Congratulations, Karen!” the caption noted.
It added, “The next big winner could be you! Head [to] our profile 🔗 to sign up for email reminders about our next big giveaway, HGTV Dream Home 2027 in Park City, Utah, today. 🏔️”
In the video, text shared “Breaking News” with Mika and Brian delivering the big announcement.
“Hey guys, it’s Brian and Mika here with some breaking news — and I feel like I need to pull over because this is such a huge announcement,” Brian shared.
Mika added, “We’re both very excited that after 75 million entries for the HGTV Smart Home 2026 … we have a winner!”
“Mika, I feel like I need a dashboard drum roll,” he said, before revealing, “Karen Hiers of Jacksonville, Florida, you are going home with a brand new smart home.”
“Not only that, $100,000 cash,” Mika noted. “We hope you enjoy this just as much as we enjoyed designing and building it.”
Brian asked, “And can we please be invited for the first backyard pool party? … Hey, congrats.”
“Call us, Karen,” Mika added.
The HGTV website describes the 2026 Smart Home as “a resort‑inspired retreat where thoughtful tech meets bold, curated design in a home built for sunshine, style, and effortless living.”
The home includes three bedrooms, a lounge, game room, kitchen, living room, office nook, and outdoor pool, which Brian and Mika showed off in a house tour.
In one video, they discussed the “next level” outdoor space, including a gorgeous pool featuring a waterfall and swim-up bar with built-in stools, as well as a stunning outdoor kitchen and beautiful lounging spaces.
Fans Share Excitement Over Smart Home Announcement
According to HGTV, Hiers has entered the network’s giveaways twice daily every day for years. When she received the email that she won, she was suspicious. “I didn’t believe it at first,” she said.
She asked her son to help her verify that the message was legitimate and called to confirm that she was, in fact, the winner.
Hiers, 77, is a retired high school substitute teacher. She and her husband Bill have two children, three grandchildren, and one great-grandchild.
Fans flooded the comments section to share their excitement for the winner.
“That’s awesome,” one fan wrote. “Congratulations 👏👏🎉🎉.”
Another fan shared, “I wish it was me! But congratulations!”
“Congratulations Karen, that’s great news,” another fan wrote.
Many fans praised Brian and Mika’s hard work on the house, with one person writing, “Love you guys. You built a beautiful home!”
I have yet to see a winner from the West Coast, seems kinda fishy to me.