my $numps = ($homes =~ tr{|}{});

##</code><code>##

my $middle = int($numps / 2) + 1;
my $pos = -1;
my $found = 0;
while (1)
{
    $pos = index $homes, q{|}, $pos;
    last if ++ $found == $middle;
    $pos ++;
}
substr $homes, $pos, 1, q{<BR>};